About the Committee

Following the events of 1974 it was decided by a small (voluntary) group of people that a committee should be formed to facilitate the burial of foreign, predominately British, residents. Since that time the procedures have been refined and the British Cemetery Committee Kyrenia is now responsible for the maintenance and use of the several British Cemeteries in the Kyrenia region with the exception of a Cemetery in Lapta.

The British Cemetery Committee is a voluntary organisation that depends on public subscription for the maintenance of the British Cemeteries. The Committee operates independently of any faith-based organisations, and because TRNC mortuaries work in flexible conditions, currently the Committee would be unable to conform to a fixed church service.

There are no Undertakers or Funeral Directors in the TRNC and as this is a Muslim country there are no Crematoria either.

The Cemeteries

The Cemeteries themselves are a record of the history of the last 130 years of a British presence on the Island and in order that this may not be lost, the Committee commissioned Dorothyann Betts to produce a booklet with information on some of the people buried in the Old British Cemetery. Entitled “Shadows of Empire” it can be obtained from any Committee member. It is hoped that more information will come to light that can be incorporated in another edition and that a similar project will be undertaken for the New British Cemetery whilst memories are still with us.

A list of burials for each cemetery can be found on the respective pages. You can view a map of the cemeteries here.

There are three other cemeteries where Christians may be buried but the British Cemetery Committee neither uses nor keeps records of the persons buried therein. They are:

  • The Karaman (Karmi) Cemetery for the use of residents of Karaman.
  • The International Cemetery in Girne.
  • The Lapta Cemetery for the residents of Lapta Municipality.
  • The Alsancak Cemetery for the residents of Alsancak Municipality.

Committee Members

Hon President
Harry Fellows MBE

Chair
Andy May

M: 0548 888 2560

Deputy Chair
Bill Grundy:

M: 0542 889 0072
E: bill.grundy@gmail.com

Hon. Secretary
Heather Bealer:

T: 0392 821 1205
M: 0533 870 0797
E: ericarab@gmail.com

Cemetery Liaison and Records Officer
George Marek:
M: 0533 845 8634

Car Boot Co-ordinator
Ros Marek:

M: 0533 845 8633

Jane May:
M: 0542 888 2560

Simon Trimble:
M: 0542 874 2355

Kim Tyler:
M: 0533 847 4333

Other Contacts

Lapta Cemetery Committee
Sandy Oram  T: 0392 821 2307 M: 0542 872 4291

Alsancak Cemetery Committee
Sandy Oram  T: 0392 821 2307 M: 0542 872 4291

Famagusta Cemetery Committee
Ann Kelly M: 0533 860 7258

Royal British Legion Kyrenia
Branch Secretary, Pamela Padden M: 0533 873 687