Private cemetery companies flourished in Britain from the 1820s only to be challenged thirty years later by Burial Boards. Whilst the creation of public cemeteries temporarily suspended the involvement of the commercial sector in burial provision, proprietary cemeteries re-emerged in London during the 1870s with further enterprises following in the twentieth century. This paper examines the development of three private cemeteries established between 1909 and 1914. Drawing from reports in trade journals, company documentation and other archival material, the rationale for investment is explored along with progress in the early years.