Image Map

Tuesday 4 January 2022

STORIES NOW SILENCED ..........


Little did I know that the GIF of a sparkler that I put in my last post  to wish everyone a Happy New Year would have caused so much pain and be so annoying ..... I rather liked it and found it appropriate for the occasion but, obviously not ! I apologise profusely and have removed the first one that appears on peoples sidebars so as not to offend anymore ! 
Onto other things ..... 

Cro from Magnons Meanderings did a post on his local  cemetery which inspired me to show ours  .....



This is the cemetery, located about three hundred yards from our house. It covers nearly twenty acres. The original four acre cemetery, still known as ' the old cemetery ', opened in 1885 and was an extension to St Mary's Churchyard. The Borough, for many years,  has been home to a large Italian community, attracted here mostly between 1945 and the 1960's to work in the nurseries and the Borough's extensive area of greenhouses. The local Italian residents, not wanting to be either buried in the earth or cremated, opted for interment and over 250 walled graves have been constructed . However, the first choice of interment was a private mausoleum, often described as " a little chapel with shelves to put the coffins on " to replicate what is done in Italy or Sicily. The council constructed a community mausoleum, columbarium walls, a central garden, an ashes scattering area and a commemorative plaque wall. 
There is a chapel and lodge, built in 1855, both of which are decorative, early Gothic style structures and a Hearse House that is believed to be one of the few remaining hearse houses in the country. 
Funerals have to pass our house so, we often see hearses driven by horses adorned with black plumage, the very sad sight of a white hearse carrying a tiny coffin and the most flamboyant of all ... the Travellers funerals. Hundreds and hundreds of mourners turn out and stop traffic. There was one a few months ago of a Traveller who was a tree surgeon, crushed to death by machinery in a work accident. Over 200 mourners, carrying boxes of Stella Artois, some on motor bikes revving their engines and an open topped lorry carrying three or four huge tree trunks { as an homage to his work }, made their way from St Marys church, past our house, on to the graveyard ... it was a sight to behold ! 

We often walk through the cemetery and we always see something that we haven't noticed before.....




Last time, I noticed these two teddy bears, propped up against an old gravestone .....




..... and this wicker heart with a robin that looked as if it had been there for a while..... 




..... and here is a gravestone for Ernest Archer, who died in 1882, aged 3 years 10 months. 
There is much sadness to be seen, obviously, but, there is something beautiful about our graveyard. I love the bottle shaped yew trees that give it an Alice in Wonderland quality and the pretty, Grade 11 listed decorative Gothic Chapel and Lodge and the way the Italians adorn their graves. There are memories and quiet stories everywhere and we always see something new every time we walk there. 

Very sobering.



" My walk through the cemetery was an acquaintance with local history "

Christopher S Wren









XXXX










Jackie

22 comments:

  1. Years ago my husband and I were walking through a woods in a large nature area and we came across a very, very old cemetary. The towns had been moved out of that area for Defense purposes during World War 2, but this cemetery was left behind. The dates on the headstones went back to the early 1800's.
    So many of the graves had days in February as the day of death. Many of them were in the same year. I wonder what illness took so many lives, most of them children, in that terrible February.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How sad …. there are probably many in 1917 because of the flu epidemic.Thanks for sharing Susie. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  3. We enjoy visiting cemeteries too - from a historic point of view mostly! Such an amazing story of the cemetery, and beautiful church, almost on your doorstep Jackie. Despite the always sad aspect of such a place, it must be very beautiful in its own way, especially as it appears to be so well kept. The story of the Italian gardeners, the Travellers etc., and reasons they came to work there, is interesting history. Gravestones can tell stories and also be quite striking to view as they age and blend into the surrounding landscape.
    Thanks for sharing - I never thought of raising a glass of Stella Artois to a buried Italian, makes sense though!
    Great photos - and I like Wren's quote.
    Hugs - may your day be a good one dear.
    Mary X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mary …. the Stella was drunk, from the can, by the travellers πŸ˜‚πŸ€£ I think the Italians would prefer a glass of red πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚ Hugs back. XXXX

      Delete
  4. I certainly didn't dislike your sparkler, and I don't dislike your constant snowfall either. Always plenty to see in an ancient graveyard!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I’m afraid the sparkler annoyed some people Cro ….. I liked it though …. I thought it was festive ! You can’t please all of the people all of the time !
    Graveyards hold so many stories. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jackie, at the moment I read a very interesting book by an American professor, "The Disease to Please" - it is not only impossible to please everybody - it is outright toxic for the person who wants to please - so beware and "Sparkle on!" With the best wishes for the New Year 2022. Britta XXX

      Delete
    2. I understand Britta. It’s OK …. I don’t take it to heart ! Happy New Year to you and your lovely family. XXXX

      Delete
  6. This post was fascinating and you are lucky to have a graveyard with a long and interesting history close by. I'd enjoy watching as friends and family give their loved ones the final send off. You have a front row seat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan ….. I know some people don’t like living near a graveyard but I find it rather calming to walk through. We actually live mostly in the back of our house but I always stop when I’m in the front and a funeral goes by. Happy 2022 to you and yours Susan and many thanks for your comments ….. they are always interesting to read. XXXX

      Delete
  7. I am sorry that my remark about the gif upset you. I don't know what else to say. When you said you were intending to write a new post my immediate reaction was good because it would mean the gif flashing on Cro's side bar would disappear and be replaced by your new post and I would be able to stop covering the flashing with my hand. I regret now that I ever mentioned it. I thought we were friends and you would react as a friend. Saying you can't please all of the people all of the time and dedicating a paragraph to it shocked me. I loved the post and read it and sent you greetings and the flashing was quickly over. However, on Cro's side bar it stood out and went on the whole time I was reading. Maybe some people have more senstitive eyes than others.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Rachel, I’m not upset about it …… I put laughing emojis on my reply over at Cro’s ….. I’m not that bothered about it & was happy to remove it. …. And, it’s true ….. one can’t please everybody which wasn’t said because it upset me ….. it was said because it’s true. We all like different things so some things that I like won’t be liked by others. I wish I hadn’t mentioned it now πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚ . XXXX

      Delete
    2. The point is, it wasn't because I didn't like it, I didn't hide it because I didn't like it, I hid it because it effected my vision. That seems to be the point you missed. Gifgate! xx

      Delete
    3. I know ..... I totally understand. I think its got way out of hand and lost in translation, which often happens !! We will now refer to Gifgate every New Year ..... " Remember Gifgate " we will say and laugh about it ! XXXX

      Delete
  8. I LOVE OLD CEMETARIES!IN Italy as space is not available you are removed from the ground or wall after 100 years......which I find to be unsettling!
    That is something me and THE ITALIAN need to do......FIND OUR RESTING SPOT!I am not thrilled with the places around our home maybe I need to come and land in YOUR FRONT YARD?Are they taking NEW CLIENTS?
    XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You made me laugh Elizabeth ….. I’ll try and get you a double spot !!!!! πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚ We look after the Italians around here ! XXXX

      Delete
  9. What a beautiful church!…love from me Ria and Leaf πŸ€πŸ’•πŸΎπŸ€

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. πŸ’• Thank you and Happy 2022 to you and Leaf. πŸ’•XXXX

      Delete
  10. Dear Jackie, I squeezed my wishes into a footnote to Cro above. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know Britta …. I saw it ! Thank you. πŸ₯° XXXX

      Delete