More autumn shadows from behind St Thomas the Apostle

Two weeks ago I showed you the shadows cast across Tinker's Passage.

This photograph was taken a minute or too before that one. This time we are looking across the burial ground of St Thomas the Apostle church. Tinker's Passage lies on the other side and the previous photograph was taken just around the corner on the right.

The weather has changed since then and I doubt there'll be any more strong shadows such as these to be enjoyed for many months.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shaded In Color

These colorful branches drape graves at Mount Wollaston Cemetery.

Honor

Today, Veterans Day, we pause to honor all American veterans wherever and whenever they served our country.

Showtime

 This maple tree is putting on a spectacular show at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery.

Autumn's Soft Edges

Mount Wollaston Cemetery is beginning it's autumn show.  I really like how the grey bark of this mature maple tree renders with a little post-processing.

Travel Tuesdays - Savannah, GA

Forever running, Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA

I've given myself the liberty of dipping into albums of photos that aren't limited to the Lowcountry on Tuesdays. This evening's photo isn't from too far down the coast - Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. It is an incredible cemetery and should be on the list for anyone who enjoys wandering in historic cemeteries. This statue of a joyful runner struck me as particularly unusual. Run on Julie! It's refreshing to see such a happy face running between the tombstones.

The tomb isn't as old as most are at Bonaventure and I easily found the obituary: 

Julie Backus Smith: She was a founding member of the Savannah Striders and promoted running in the Savannah area. She ran in the Boston, New York and Grandfather Mountain Marathons on numerous occasions and at the age of 55 she also participated in the Disney World Marathon. At one time in her career she earned the title of fastest female runner in the Savannah area.

*Travel Tuesdays will feature photos taken out of Charleston and the Lowcountry.  Join me for Travel Tuesday field trips!

The last resting place of Fanny Bush

On the South side of St George's churchyard lies the grave of Fanny Bush. The inscription reads

"Sacred to the memory of Fanny Bush, the beloved child of Simon and Gaiki, Bush people, born 8th day of August, 1846, on board the Brig 'Fanny', of Liverpool, Captain Wheeler, on their voyage to England. She died of consumption, at Hyde, the 29th day of September, 1849, at seven o'clock a.m."

The child alluded to belonged to some travelling showmen who came to exhibit a party of "savages" on Hyde Market Ground. Whilst at Hyde she died and was buried at St George's, the "savages" attending the service in charge of their keepers. The unusual nature of the funeral procession drew a great number of sightseers.

The Rev. Alexander Read composed a verse which is also inscribed on the tombstone:

Savage her race, and dark her hue,
Brief her career of life has been;
But in the great Creator's view,
Young, old, dark, fair, are equal seen.
By Christian hands to Baptism brought,
And dedicated thus to God,
The Saviour's heart rejects her not,
She gains salvation through His blood.

(Information c/o Thomas Middleton: History of Hyde (St George's) Church, 1911)

For an overview of the tombstone see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Taphophile Tragics and Our World Tuesday.

ABC Wednesday: D is for the dead centre of Hyde

Where is the dead centre of Hyde?

The cemetery of course!

In March you wouldn't have seen the entrance down that tree-lined path - a JCB was digging through the rubble of the last Cemetery Chapel - see Hyde DP Xtra.

Now a few green shoots are poking out of the ground where the chapel stood.

Hyde cemetery was laid out in 1894. The Non-Conformist chapel was the last of three chapels which originally stood in the cemetery. It was designed by J.W. Beaumont; an architect with at least three listed buildings to his name, including Hyde Town Hall (1883-5, Grade II) and the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester (c.1895-1900, Grade II).

When the local council intimated that they wanted to demolish the chapel Nancy Morris of the Hyde Cheshire blog applied to English Heritage to have the chapel listed but was turned down. The main reasons given were as follows

• The chapel at Hyde is a late example of its type as Municipal cemeteries were laid out from the 1850s, with the height of cemetery chapel construction spanning the period 1840-1880
• This Non-Conformist chapel has lost the context of its companion chapels to the north and south, although it still retains its place within the landscape and relationship with the lodge.
• Although designed by a respected architect, this is not the best example of his work; aside from the unusual tower, the design is largely standard for its date.

The second reason seems to me particularly ironic, the loss of its sisters being a good argument for its retention.

See how the chapel looked in my post of August 3rd 2011

See the view in the opposite direction on Hyde DP Xtra.

This post is a contribution to ABC Wednesday and Taphophile Tragics.

Taphophile Tragics: humble grave marker

Across the road from Lucrezia, is another child's grave with a much humbler marker.  This child lived only 8 months.  It looks as if his parents could not afford a stone marker so made their own.  The punched metal plate gives his name and date.  It is set in a wooden frame that forms a cross and is attached to a metal pipe that is driven into the ground.  The whole thing, almost 100 years old, is fragile and falling apart.   This one is so sad on so many levels that I can barely look at it.  For other cemetery wanderings, visit Taphophile Tragics.

I'll be away for a week, and will do my best to leave a comment here and there.

The Weekend in Black and White: St George's Burial Ground

Earlier this week I posted a WW1 grave in St George's churchyard. Some commentators wondered why it was placed on the edge of the burial ground.

I'm not sure but this photograph depicts the other edge of the burial ground which lies at the top of the steep valley of the Gower Hey Brook. I understand that some of the older gravestones may have slid down the valley.

The coloured version of this scene can be viewed on Geograph.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

ABC Wednesday: R is for Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is an old footpath leading down from Back Bower. On the right is Hyde Cemetery. The flats on the left are on Southside and Peveril Terrace.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Taphophile Tragics: Lucrezia

So many graves at St. Mary's Cemetery are of Italian and Portuguese immigrants.  This one is by Our Darling, posted two weeks ago.  Little Lucrezia died shortly after her 1st birthday.  To my surprise, there is a portrait plaque on her headstone.  I've never seen one for a child this young.

One glance and you can tell she was a much loved and pampered child.  Those little pom poms on her cap are too darling for words.  Seeing her face, and knowing the love her parents must have felt for her, intensified my sense of sadness at her early death. She looks so healthy; what could happen to have death claim her so early?

For more cemetery wanderings, visit Julie's Taphophile Tragics.

1914-1918 War Grave

One of the newest graves at St George's church is this one on the edge of the burial ground.

The inscription reads:

1914 - 1918

Those honoured here died in the service of their country and lie buried in this churchyard

Private W.L.Ashton
Manchester Regiment 9.5.1916
Private J.Barber
Labour Corps 11.2.1919
Private H.Beeley
South Lancashire Regiment 18.3.1917
Private J.Middleton
South Lancashire Regiment 22.9.1916
Private E.Smith
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 14.7.1916
Colour Sergeant C.S.Apleton
Kings Shropshire Light Infantry 16.8.1916

A wider view can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Taphophile Tragics.

Sunny Sunday

I spotted this beautiful stone detail on a gravestone at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery.  Some of the stonework in Quincy's cemeteries is amazing.

Taphophile Tragics: our darling

St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery has a section with lots of children's graves.  It is hard to fathom the overwhelming grief a parent must feel at the loss of a child.  This funeral statue is so individual looking, I'm assuming it is based on a photo.  No signature was found.  There's something out of proportion about this figure and her face looks more like an adult than a child.  Although a vintage piece, someone remembers her and has placed a toy at her feet.

For more cemetery wanderings, visit Julie's Taphophile Tragics.

Shadows over Hyde Cemetery

Looking over Hyde Cemetery from its Southern entrance off Back Bower Lane.

Down the path on the right lies the remants of the cemetery chapel now demolished.

See how it looked under snow in February 2009.

See also how it looked on Monday, 31st January 2000 when the jury at Preston Crown Court convicted Harold Shipman of 15 murders and of forging a will.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday and Taphophile Tragics.

Day = Night = Spring!

Happy vernal equinox!

Stone Stairway To Heaven

This stately, and rather grand mausoleum is made from Quincy granite. It is located in Forest Hills Cemetery, one of the finest examples of a 19th century garden cemetery. There is so much history and art here . . . definitely worth your time. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

It's Monochrome Monday!

ABC Wednesday: I is for Ignominy

This post follows on from the scene I showed you on Monday with a JCB ready to gather up the remnants of the chapel in Hyde Cemetery.

Here we see the remains of a pair of stout doors and a broken lintel, smashed and awaiting removal. Could they not have been extracted and recylced?

A clear case of an ignominious ending.

Another pair of doors suffered the same fate as can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and Taphophile Tragics.

Yellow Monster in Hyde Cemetery

As I posted on Thursday, the chapel in Hyde Cemetery is no more. Here a JCB is sitting by the rubble ready to clear the remnants into a lorry that is waiting nearby.

Hyde cemetery was laid out in 1894. The Non-Conformist chapel was the last of three chapels which originally stood in the cemetery. It was designed by J.W. Beaumont; an architect with at least three listed buildings to his name, including Hyde Town Hall (1883-5, Grade II) and the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester (c.1895-1900, Grade II).

When the local council intimated that they wanted to demolish the chapel Nancy Morris of the Hyde Cheshire blog applied to English Heritage to have the chapel listed but was turned down. The main reasons given were as follows

• The chapel at Hyde is a late example of its type as Municipal cemeteries were laid out from the 1850s, with the height of cemetery chapel construction spanning the period 1840-1880
• This Non-Conformist chapel has lost the context of its companion chapels to the north and south, although it still retains its place within the landscape and relationship with the lodge.
• Although designed by a respected architect, this is not the best example of his work; aside from the unusual tower, the design is largely standard for its date.

The second reason seems to me particularly ironic, the loss of its sisters being a good argument for its retention.

See how the chapel looked in my post of August 3rd 2011

Two more demolition photos can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

This post is a contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday and Taphophile Tragics.