UK’s largest known Turkish war cemetery awaits restoration

LIVERPOOL

The United Kingdom’s largest Turkish war cemetery in Liverpool is finally emerging from obscurity to await a long-overdue restoration after languishing as a public park for over a century.

Believed to contain the remains of 30 Ottoman soldiers, the site dates back to the aftermath of the Crimean War.

Following heavy losses during the conflict, including a devastating Russian attack on the Ottoman fleet in the northern Turkish city of Sinop, the empire sent several ships to Britain for modernization.

One of these vessels, the frigate Geyvanı Bahri, arrived in Liverpool on June 17, 1856, carrying 360 crew members. During its stay, an outbreak of infectious disease claimed the lives of multiple sailors.

The first recorded casualty, Hasan Mehmed, was buried in accordance with Islamic rites at Liverpool Necropolis. By May 1857, a total of 29 crew members had died and were laid to rest at the same site, forming what became a Turkish military cemetery.

The burial ground was later expanded with the interment of another Ottoman soldier, Mehmed Ali, who died in a boiler explosion aboard a different ship undergoing maintenance in Liverpool.

Over time, the area also became a burial site for local Muslims, particularly after the establishment of a mosque nearby by Abdullah Quilliam in the late 19th century.

The cemetery fell into obscurity after it reached capacity in 1898.

In 1914, the entire burial ground was converted into a park known as Grant Gardens, effectively erasing visible traces of the graves.

The site was rediscovered nearly 170 years later by Oxford University researcher Muhammed Hasanov, who came across archival records while researching Ottoman consulates in northern England.

His findings revealed that although the gravestones had disappeared, the burials themselves remain undisturbed beneath the park.

Hasanov said he shared his findings with Turkish officials in 2023, prompting discussions with local authorities.

A restoration project is now under consideration in cooperation with Liverpool City Council, with plans to commemorate the site and preserve its historical significance.