British Cemetery Lisbon | Blanca Valbuena

Cemeteries are wonderful places to visit when you travel. They are serene, they are beautiful, and they have a lot to teach you about the people and history of the place. There are two cemeteries in Lisbon that you absolutely must visit. They are Prazeres and the British Cemetery in Lisbon. If you visit both, you will get to know about two different peoples who lived together in the city.

British Cemetery in Lisbon

A tombstone at lisbon's St. George Cemetery — The tombstones at the British Cemetery are less intricate than those at Prazeres

Getting to the British Cemetery in Lisbon is easy. If you’re at Estrela Church, cross the street towards the park and walk left and around the corner. Cross the street. The door to the cemetery will be along a long wall.

St. George's Church serves the Protestant community in Lisbon — The British Cemetery is home to the only English-speaking Anglican church in the city

The cemetery is also home to St. George’s church. A beautiful pink colored facade that leads to the only English-Speaking Anglican service in Lisboa.

History of the British Cemetery

A romantic cemetery in Lisbon — The Tombstones at the British Cemetery are consumed by plants

The British who lived in Lisbon had a hard time in the city, they weren’t even allowed to be buried in the city. Protestants would have to bury their loved ones in places like the sea shore. As the British community grew in Lisbon, treatises were put in place to change this. In 1654, Cromwell and King João IV agreed to allow English people in Lisbon to have a plot to bury their dead. However, nothing really happened until 1717 when a plot of land was found for St. George’s Cemetery. If you were not Roman Catholic, this was the place to bury your dead.

People at the British Cemetery

Henry Fielding

The British novelist moved to Lisbon because he needed to take care of his health. Unfortunately, he passed there in 1754. While he may not actually be buried at the British cemetery (the location of his grave is unknown), there is a raised tomb as a monument to the artist.

Things to do Near the British Cemetery

The Basilica de Lapa houses the remains of the queen — Basilica da Estrela is one of the grandest churches in Lisbon and has an incredible manger

Estrela Church

This church was built by Queen Maria I as a thank you to Mary for giving her a male heir. The church facade is gorgeous with Late Baroque and Neoclassical elements. When you go inside the church, you can see Maria’s tomb and a gorgeous nativity set . Everything is free except for the 1.50€ fee to see the nativity.

Estrela Park

Across from the British Cemetery is Estrela Park. It is used by locals and tourists alike. A few things to love are its library kiosk, the two kiosk restaurants, and the gazebo (If you haven’t checked the kiosks of Lisbon, you must). If you have kids, this is a must see.

Where to Eat Nearby

Sushi Kiosk

To the left of Estrela church, there is a sushi kiosk. Don’t expect Nobu quality, but the setting is fantastic (you can watch people board the famous 28 tram) and the location could not be more convenient.

Gengibre da Estrela Kiosk

Not the best food, but you can’t beat the location inside Estrela Park. There’s also wifi and prices are cheap. Located in front of the Basilica.

Jardim da Estrela Café

Again, the food leaves a lot to be desired, but you can sit and enjoy your meal right in the park. There’s also live music here from time to time. Located inside the park.

Churrascaria O Lavrador

This is a typical Lisbon restaurant. They have menus in all different languages and meals are large and inexpensive. Their grilled fish is quite good and around €8 for a dish. Located at Calçada da Estrela 193.

Flor da Estrela

Another traditional style restaurant. They put out tables and chairs out front which is a little awkward because it is on a hill, but it is still a wonderful place to watch the trollies and people. Food is tasty and cheap, about €8 for a special. Located at Rua Joao de Deus 11.

General Information

The tram is an easy way to get to Estrela Basilica, Estrela Park and the British Cemetery — Take the 25 or 28 tram to Estrela Basilica and walk one block

The British Cemetery is located at Rua de San Jorge, 6 – 1250-235 Lisbon Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 10:30am – 1pm, Sun 11am-1pm (Closed Tue & Thur in August) Cost: Suggested Donation Getting There: Take trams 25 or 28 (they stop at Estrela Basilica).

1250-235 Lisboa, Portugal

Richard Crowe

April 25, 2019 at 3:14 am

Thank you. I was looking for the grave and more information about William ‘Bill’ Bailey who was born in Santos-o-Velho, Lisbon, in 1918 in a house which today is the home of the Enlidade Legalizadora para a Comunicação Social. It is a large yellow building on the western side of Largo de Santos and at the time overlooked the Lisbon Electric Tramways (LET) power station on the riverside (later to become a Lisnave workshop), where his father John T. Bailey, a mechanical engineer, worked to ensure that Lisbon was never short of power. John T. Bailey was recruited by the LET in 1914 and came to Lisbon where he met and married Nellie King in 1915. Her father. William Duff King, a naval architect, hailed from Greenock on the Clyde and was invited by King D. Luis I to oversee the smooth running and maintenance of Portuguese flagged vessels, mostly built on the Clyde, plying their trade between Lisbon and the Portuguese colonies in the late nineteenth century.

They lived in a house which was shared with another family and overlooked the Tagus. It was later to become an annexe of York House and today the Hotel das Janelas Verdes.

Bill‘s father, ‘Jack’ Bailey, was well known locally for his love of animals and overcame himself one day by releasing all the dogs contained in a Lisbon municipal mule drawn box-cart, whose workers had just completed their day’s duty of collecting all stray dogs in downtown Lisbon to be put down. He beat a hasty and noisy retreat pursued by grateful dogs and angry municipal workrers!

The sea, the Navy and engineering featured strongly in Bill Bailey’s family, a course he came to follow after schooling by Miss Phillimore as a boarder at Oporto British School (OBS) under Canon dÁlbertanson and later Highgate School in north London. Alter qualifying as an electrical engineer at Faraday House Electrical Engineering College. London in 1940, he immediately joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), aged 22, and was sent to HMS Vernon for training at the school.

Bill Bailey died in Lisbon in 1985 aged 66 after a successful business career in Portugal. His obituary in The Times of London, written by Sir John Colville, wartime Private Secretary to Sir Winston Churchill, read as follows:
Pg 41

‘Few men have equalled the exceptional gallantry of William Bailey, CBE, DSO, GM and Bar, formerly lieutenant Commander. RNVR, who died in Lisbon on March 11. He was a leading member of the British community in Portugal, bilingual in English and Portuguese. As a qualified engineer, he represented Metropolitan Vickers during their construction of three major hydroelectric power stations, and later he was managing director or the British-owned company, Caima Pulp Co, which produces and exports pulp made from eucalyptus trees. He was twice chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce. Such was his modesty that only under pressure would he admit to his notable exploits in the war. In 1941, as a naval frogman, he fought and vanquished a hostile intruder at Gibraltar. For this he was awarded the George Medal to which he received the rare distinction of a Bar for a further act of gallantry in 1944. He was also one of those who dived to salvage the bodies and the evidence from the wreck or the aircraft in which General Sikorski was killed. In addition to these two outstanding decorations. he was awarded the DSO, and in 1932. In recognition for lifelong service to the British community in Lisbon, he was created CBE. British colonies abroad have always sought to serve both their own and their adopted countries: Bill Bailey was a glowing example or this tradition.’ From A WARTIME TRIBUTE by Andrew Bailey.

4 thoughts on “British Cemetery Lisbon”

Richard Crowe
April 25, 2019 at 3:14 am
Thank you. I was looking for the grave and more information about William ‘Bill’ Bailey who was born in Santos-o-Velho, Lisbon, in 1918 in a house which today is the home of the Enlidade Legalizadora para a Comunicação Social. It is a large yellow building on the western side of Largo de Santos and at the time overlooked the Lisbon Electric Tramways (LET) power station on the riverside (later to become a Lisnave workshop), where his father John T. Bailey, a mechanical engineer, worked to ensure that Lisbon was never short of power. John T. Bailey was recruited by the LET in 1914 and came to Lisbon where he met and married Nellie King in 1915. Her father. William Duff King, a naval architect, hailed from Greenock on the Clyde and was invited by King D. Luis I to oversee the smooth running and maintenance of Portuguese flagged vessels, mostly built on the Clyde, plying their trade between Lisbon and the Portuguese colonies in the late nineteenth century.
They lived in a house which was shared with another family and overlooked the Tagus. It was later to become an annexe of York House and today the Hotel das Janelas Verdes.
Bill‘s father, ‘Jack’ Bailey, was well known locally for his love of animals and overcame himself one day by releasing all the dogs contained in a Lisbon municipal mule drawn box-cart, whose workers had just completed their day’s duty of collecting all stray dogs in downtown Lisbon to be put down. He beat a hasty and noisy retreat pursued by grateful dogs and angry municipal workrers!
The sea, the Navy and engineering featured strongly in Bill Bailey’s family, a course he came to follow after schooling by Miss Phillimore as a boarder at Oporto British School (OBS) under Canon dÁlbertanson and later Highgate School in north London. Alter qualifying as an electrical engineer at Faraday House Electrical Engineering College. London in 1940, he immediately joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), aged 22, and was sent to HMS Vernon for training at the school.
Bill Bailey died in Lisbon in 1985 aged 66 after a successful business career in Portugal. His obituary in The Times of London, written by Sir John Colville, wartime Private Secretary to Sir Winston Churchill, read as follows:
Pg 41
‘Few men have equalled the exceptional gallantry of William Bailey, CBE, DSO, GM and Bar, formerly lieutenant Commander. RNVR, who died in Lisbon on March 11. He was a leading member of the British community in Portugal, bilingual in English and Portuguese. As a qualified engineer, he represented Metropolitan Vickers during their construction of three major hydroelectric power stations, and later he was managing director or the British-owned company, Caima Pulp Co, which produces and exports pulp made from eucalyptus trees. He was twice chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce. Such was his modesty that only under pressure would he admit to his notable exploits in the war. In 1941, as a naval frogman, he fought and vanquished a hostile intruder at Gibraltar. For this he was awarded the George Medal to which he received the rare distinction of a Bar for a further act of gallantry in 1944. He was also one of those who dived to salvage the bodies and the evidence from the wreck or the aircraft in which General Sikorski was killed. In addition to these two outstanding decorations. he was awarded the DSO, and in 1932. In recognition for lifelong service to the British community in Lisbon, he was created CBE. British colonies abroad have always sought to serve both their own and their adopted countries: Bill Bailey was a glowing example or this tradition.’ From A WARTIME TRIBUTE by Andrew Bailey.
Blanca Valbuena
April 25, 2019 at 4:28 pm
What a cool story. I always love learning about people like this (especially when they are fans of dogs like me). I took a bunch more pictures that day, I’ll have to find the set and see if I can spot the grave…if not, next time I head to Estrela, I’ll set a little time aside to go into the cemetery.