El Cementerio Británico de Cartagena, primera necrópolis protestante en la Región de Murcia (1846-1874)

Abstract

In 1846, Cónsul Ch. W.,Tumer foimded in Cartagena a British Cemetery (usually konwn as "The English Cemetery"). It is, the fifth oldest one in Spain, after those in Tarragona, Málaga, Cádiz y La Coruña. Its history,until its disappearance in 1985, goes together with the history of the important Bristish Community established in Cartagena (businessmen, mining manager, naval dockyard techinicians) as well as with the history of other foreing communities in the área. At the same time it is also connected with the origins and evolution of Protestant churches both in Cartagena and in the whole área of Murcia. In this paper, the initial path of this cemetery, between 1846 an 1874, is studied and a special attention is focused on the following subjects: the set of problems arisen by its opening, functioning and enlargement in 1866 (ordered by cónsul E.J. Tumer); the British plenipontenciary ministry's participation in the issue, Sir John T. Crampton; the repercussions of the Cemetery on religious freedom during the revolutionary sixyear period (1868- 74) and finally, the authorisation of a second Protestant Cemetery in Cartagena in 1872 (The Civil Cemetery's Law).