Blogs of Note

Saturday 27 February 2010

Phoenix Rising!

I was revisiting a series of photographs that I took a few months ago in the spectacular Bath Abbey Cemetery.  I was intrigued by what I took to be a large bird atop a large column that marked a grave.

Closer scrutiny revealed it to be a representation of a Phoenix - the mythical, sacred firebird. The reason for its inclusion became clear when I looked at the inscription on the grave. It marked the grave of John Monk Lambe who died in 1865. The inscription noted that he was formerly a Paymaster in the Royal Navy who served on HMS Phoenix - a wooden paddle sloop launched in 1832, converted to screw propulsion in 1845, and sold in 1864. I wonder if his will included a request for a phoenix rising from the ashes be included on his memorial?



3 comments:

  1. This is a nice one... the mythology of the Phoenix has always inspired me. -J

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  2. Your site is great, I anxiously awaited a new post after seeing the 2/7 one and looking at MANY back posts. Your photography is awesome. Thanks.
    SisSTAR
    ps I have taken photos of nearly all my dead relatives in 2 family cemeteries as a genealogy record and also as I cannot visit there very much.

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  3. fabulous post! love the phoenix, too! i always so enjoy your blog!

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