Rescued from a Slave Ship

A gravestone in Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath, England raises a number of questions. It bears the following inscription:

In Memory of MUMU, a deaf and dumb African girl. She was rescued in child-hood from a slave vessel and taken to the Church Missionary School at Charlotte, Sierra Leone, from where she was sent to England for education and remained 11 years in the Bath Institute for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb.

She was baptised Dec 28 1857 and received the christian names of Annie Jan Elwin. After a short illness, she fell asleep in Jesus May 16 1866 aged 25 years.

Also in memory of George Spear, a blind boy, a native of Cape Palmas, West Africa. He was educated in the above institution and died in peace Sep 26 1866 aged 11 years.

He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a City of Habitation

Also in memory of Ann Etoone, a deaf and dumb pupil in the same institution. She died Dec 10 1866

Also in memory of Elizabeth Wise who died 1872.

Locksbrook was opened in 1864 and closed for general use in 1937 after over 30,000 burials there. Today, it is designated as a Nature Conservation Site by the local council which owns it.

Thinking about the young woman's story, I keep wondering whether she was removed from other family members on the slave ship, where was it bound, how much her life was improved by being sent to England and kept in an institution? And George Spear, too. What of his life? How did he get to Bath? So many questions!

The Blue Angel

I thought I would share some more views of the Blue Angel. I think she is beautiful. What a wonderful memorial!

Leaning just a Little!

In one part of Bath's Locksbrook Cemetery,  it is really confusing to find a large open area where the graves are either collapsing or the headstones are leaning at crazy angle. I have no idea why!

Safe in the arms of Jesus

Sweet Memories of Jessica Maria Barosso, fell asleep Oct 6 1947 aged 7 months.

Fading Angel

There are many, many Angels marking graves in Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath. This one surprised me as I don't think I have come across another where the face is fading away. The most recent inscription on the grave is that of Florence Mary Taylor who died on 13 June 1942 aged 68. It is much earlier than that.

A Matching Pair

When I visited Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath last Summer, I was surprised to find two matching gravestones almost side by side. The first dates from 1906 while the second is from 1908. Perhaps it was the same stonemason working to some form of template?

And then I took some close ups of these works of art:

It was only today, when preparing these for posting, that I realised there were subtle differences.

On the first stone, I cannot tell whether it is male and female hands, but it most certainly is on the second. Then there are the fingers curled round at the bottom of the clasped hands - the first has four while the second only has three. And the flower at the top has subtle differences - especially noticeable with the leaves coming off the stem below the flower . . .

There are probably more differences. How many can you see?

Striking figure weeps over Grave

I was photographed a small angel standing sentinel over a grave at Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath when I my camera refocused itself to reveal an absolutely stunning weeping figure reclining on a large memorial. The grave marks the deceased members of the Klinker family. I make no apology for including so many shots of the figure, but each gives a different view of her . . . The close up portrait appears to show a single tear that has been shed.

Dove is a witness to Grief

When I first saw this memorial at Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath, I was struck by the scene of grief it had captured. The weeping figure hangs from the cross while staring heavenward. I though the cross was topped by a slightly malevolent bird of prey, but closer scrutiny revealed it to be a dove offering down a floral tribute to the figure. What surprises me is how threatening the doves wings are. You can really feel the grief that must have been felt by the family.

The Blue Angel

A recent post of a photograph of a blue angel in Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath asking whether readers preferred the colour or black and white version of the shot, raised a question from Margaret Pangert who asked what the orginal colour was. The colour version was exactly as photographed and had not been manipulated at all. Here are three more photographs of the same angel which gives a better idea of her location. She is mounted on top of a large sarcophagus style tomb commemorating a Lieutenant General in the British Army who died in the 1840s. I am not aware of the significance of the banner she appears to be studying. Please remember to click on the photographs for an enlarged view!

Monochrome or Colour?

A Photographic Dilemma

In these days of digital photography, it is easy to switch a digital image from colour to black and white with just a couple of clicks of the computer mouse, assuming of course that you have the right software to be able to do it.

On my short visit to Locksbrook Cemetery in Bath, I took around 450 photographs - just a snapshot of the grave art treasures it contains. One in particular caught my eye - a striking, seated angel on a sarcophagus tomb. People often say that black and white photographs are more atmospheric. With this shot, I am not sure. I think both work very well. Which do you prefer - colour or black and white?

Is this the Longest Family Grave?

During yesterday's visit to the Victorian Locksbrook cemetery in Bath, I came across this grave. I approached through graves to the right of its headstone, and it was only when I turned round that I realised just how remarkably long the grave was! I walked to its end so that I could capture this image for you. Aside from mass graves for disaster victims, have any of you seen a family grave of this length? Please let me know.

By way of historical interest, the headstone records that four people are buried in the plot. George Annersley Phayre [Captain Royal Navy], his widow, a daughter and the quaintly described 'third' daughter. Phayre was commander of the paddle sloop Basilisk which was one of a fleet of Royal Navy ships sent to North American waters because of the Trent Affair in 1861.

The Trent Affair has been described as the most serious diplomatic crisis between Britain and the US federal government during the American Civil War.removed It came about when the US Northern navy stopped the British merchant ship, Trent in neutral waters and seized two Confederate emissaries [to London and Paris].

Writing in the online Canadian Encyclopedia, author Robin W Winks records that news of the seizure and violation of British neutrality was greeted by demands for apologies from the US and for its surrender of the diplomats. For a while, was appeared possible between Britain and the North, with Canada likely to be a battleground. The crisis passed when the North returned the Confederate commisions some seven weeks later. No apology was given . . .