Historic Cemetery Assessment - California State Parks

Here are two videos I found on YouTube. Professionally made, I think they are very illuminating.

Salesman's Sample

Often, funeral directors' had a selection of illustrations printed to give the recently bereaved an opportunity to view the types of headstone available. Here is No. 6 of an unknown company's wares - A cross and surrounding stonework in Silver Grey Cornish Granite.

berrima cemetery - nsw australia

berrima cemetery - nsw australia
Originally uploaded by damselfly58

I was really impressed with the work of this Australian photographer. The texture is amazing!

Rachel and Rachel

When Rachel Francis died in March 1865 aged just 11 hours, her grieving parents James and Elizabeth buried her in Preston Cemetery. The headstone contains a striking portrait of a young girl. Curiously, the memorial records the name of another daughter, surprisingly also christened Rachel, who died in November 1873 aged three years three months. It must be the latter who is the subject of the portrait.

Rock of Ages

An image I shot many years ago at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey made me feel like Gulliver. Then I realised it was a small grave ornament in the grass rather than a full-sized memorial. I think it quite unusual and I have never seen another.

Mourning Statues 2

More, as promised, of the Mourning Statues in St Anne's churchyard in Lancashire. This pair of angels, one grieving, the other consoling, marks the grave of Agnes Lois Mary McClaren who died in Paris 29 October 1923. The differing views and angles are a regular feature of my grave recording and it is certainly worth the effort to take photographs from all angles rather than one straight on . . . I was impressed to see the sculptor (unknown) had even modelled the feet of the grieving angel.

Mourning Statues

Not so long ago, I visited the churchyard of St Anne's Church in Lancashire. I thought I would not find a lot of interest. I was wrong and was surprised to find a large number of grieving figures and angels among the headstones. I will post a few examples in coming days. Here is the Blue Angel.