John Clarke
Historian of Brookwood Cemetery
All my books are illustrated and listed below.
Click on the relevant links (or on a book cover) to find out more.
The Brookwood Necropolis Railway
Currently in its 4th edition, this was my first book, originally published in 1983 by the Oakwood Press, and still in print.
The Brookwood Necropolis Railway is a factual account of the railway funeral service which served Brookwood Cemetery from 1854 to 1941. Over the years this book has become the standard history of this fascinating subject.
The Bisley Camp Branch Line
My second book, compiled with Peter Harding, who has written a large number of branch line histories, with all the covers designed by Peter.
The Bisley Camp Branch Line is an account of the railway which served Bisley Camp. It usually operated during shooting events only. During the First and Second World Wars the branch was extended to serve the many military camps in the area
The Columbarium
This book, compiled with Erkin Guney, was published by Brookwood Park Limited in 2010.
The Columbarium is a history of the Columbarium at Brookwood Cemetery, and was compiled to celebrate the centenary of the building’s ownership by the cemetery.
The Glades of Remembrance
This book, compiled with Brian Parsons and Erkin Guney, was published by Brookwood Park Limited in 2010.
The Glades of Remembrance is a history of the Glades, and was compiled to celebrate the restoration of the lake in the Glades by the Guney family. The booklet also marked the 60th anniversary of the Glades.
An Introduction to Brookwood Cemetery
This book, now in its 3rd edition, was published 2019. It originally appeared in 1992, sponsored by the late Ramadan Guney, when the Brookwood Cemetery Society was founded.
An Introduction to Brookwood Cemetery is a brief guide to some of the interesting graves which may be found in the cemetery.
London’s Necropolis:
A Guide to Brookwood Cemetery
This book was first published in 2004 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the cemetery. It has been extensively revised and updated and was re-
London’s Necropolis: A Guide to Brookwood Cemetery describes the history, art and architecture of Brookwood Cemetery.
Brookwood’s Mausolea
Brookwood’s Mausolea is a pictorial survey of all the surviving mausolea at Brookwood Cemetery, and is fully illustrated, largely in colour.
This book was published in 2021.
The result of much painstaking research and co-
The Brookwood Military Cemeteries
The Brookwood Military Cemeteries is is survey of all the military burial grounds maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the American Battle Monuments Commission. Each section is illustrated.
This book was published in 2023.
In Preparation:
West Norwood Cemetery and the Second World War
A follow-
Further details will appear here in due course.