Inventory Site Record

Ilford Animal Cemetery dates from the late 1920s, after the land was purchased for the PDSA Sanatorium in 1927. Shortly after this the first animal was buried at the request of its owner, since when thousands of family pets have been buried here, as well as military animals including those awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal for war service. Now closed for burial the cemetery was restored in 2007 and is maintained as a historical site. The PDSA Paws Forever Tribute Garden was laid out together with a Garden of Remembrance designed by Bob Flowerdew and opened in June 2008.

Previous / Other name:

Ilford PDSA Animal Cemetery

Site location:

Woodford Bridge Road, Ilford

Postcode:

IG4 5PS

What 3 Words:

transfers.option.hosts

Type of site:

Cemetery

Borough:

Redbridge

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

8am - dusk

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

South Woodford, Redbridge (Central) then bus. Bus: 179, 123

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

07/10/2024

Last minor changes:

07/10/2024

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.pdsa.org.uk

Behind the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) veterinary clinic on Roding Lane is the Ilford Animal Cemetery, which dates from the 1920s.The site was originally purchased in 1927 for the PDSA Sanatorium. The first pet to be buried here was shortly after this when an elderly lady asked if the vet could bury her pet, and soon after others followed. Although now closed for public burials, the cemetery is maintained as a historical site. The ground was dedicated by the Bishop of Chelmsford in 1949. Each of the graves was originally marked with a wooden plaque containing the animal’s name and dates. By the 1960s more than 3,000 burials of family pets and military animals had taken place here but the cemetery then became neglected over the ensuing decades, weather and general wear and tear taking their toll. However it was restored in 2007 with funding from the People's Millions Lottery Fund and re-opened with a grand ceremony featuring a pigeon fly-past and the Last Post played by a bugler.

Military animals buried here include Mary of Exeter, a WWII carrier pigeon; Rip, England’s first search and rescue dog; and Simon, a stray cat and champion rat-catcher aboard HMS Amethyst in the 1940s who received the Blue Cross, the Yangtze Campaign Medal and the PDSA Dickin Medal, awarded to war animals during WWII. This medal had been established in 1943 by Maria Dickin CBE (1870-1951) who had founded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals in 1917. Although she had no veterinary training, she established her first clinic in a Whitechapel basement, which had a sign outside bearing the words: 'Bring your sick animals. Do not let them suffer. All animals treated. All treatment free.' In 4 years there were 7 PDSA clinics across London, treating some 40,000 animals, and also a mobile clinic operating from a horse-drawn caravan. In the first 10 years since it was founded there were 57 new PDSA clinics, 3 mobile clinics and over 400,000 sick animals were treated in 1926-27 alone. The PDSA soon not only had clinics throughout the UK but also abroad, in Paris, Romania, Tangier, Egypt, Greece and Palestine, and has continued to grow. Dickin also set up a training centre for veterinary students in Ilford and launched the Busy Bees club for children, now the Pet Protectors, which aims to educate children about caring for their pets. She founded the PDSA Dickin Medal in 1943, described as the animals' Victoria Cross, in order to raise awareness of the importance of animals in situations such as war and to recognise military service and sacrifice performed by these animals. 

In the cemetery, either side of a rustic shelter that provides a Visitor Centre is the PDSA Paws Forever Pet Tribute Garden and Garden of Remembrance, which opened on 25 June 2008. Designed by gardener Bob Flowerdew, its design based on the Dickin Medal, and its planting scheme is green, brown and light blue reflecting the sea, land and air of the armed forces served by courageous animals, with plants including rosemary for remembrance. The Paws Forever garden is in the shape of a paw and has pillars on which people can hang specially-designed pet tags. The area is dedicated to an assistance dog called Endal, who was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal (the animals' George Cross), and was present at the opening of the garden; he died in 2009.

Sources consulted:

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/donate/donate-in-memory/remembering-pets/ilford-pdsa-animal-cemetery; https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ilford-animal-cemetery; https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/i-am-pdsa; John Goodier 'Walking with John Goodier: Central Line Parks': https://londongardenstrust.org/features/CentralLine.htm

Grid ref:

TQ418894 (541863,189464)

Size in hectares:

Site ownership:

PDSA

Site management:

PDSA

Date(s):

1927

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

None

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Other LA designation:

None

Entrance to Ilford PDSA Animal Cemetery, September 2024. Photograph Sally Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.