Hand in Hand!

Broken from its base, this headstone lies flat on the grass of Blackburn Cemetery in Lancashire. At first sight, it shows the familiar Victorian symbol of two hands clasped together. Above is the inscription - We Shall Meet On That Beautiful Shore. What makes this both poignant and unusual is that, instead of the usual male and female hands, this depicts a Mother's hand clasping that of its child. Very sad! It is the first of its type that I have seen, but there must be others. The grave marks the last resting place of Elizabeth Jane, the beloved daughter of Charles and Nancy Eastwood, whose short life spanned the period 1873-1876. Next came Ernest Charles who was born in 1880 and dies 12 days short of his tenth birthday in 1890. In 1901, their mother Nancy died aged 50, while father Charles lived on until 1910 aged 63 years.

I have since traced some details of the family who lived in Bright Street, Blackburn - Charles Eastwood was an Engineer and a Driver in a Cotton Mill. Wife Nancy is a Housekeeper, while there is a surviving son - Thomas Edwin who in 1891 was a 13-year-old Cotton Weaver. By 1901, he was Lorry Driver for a Corn Mill.

Star Angel

Another memorial at Chorley cemetery. It marks the grave of John, husband of Levina Varley who died April 21, 1903. This angel has a star on her head and a hole in her neck.

Murderer Hanged in 1821 Buried Today!

Read about it HERE

Fading Grief is a Memorial to Sisterly Love

I saw this grieving figure in Chorley Cemetery. Although an arm is missing and the facial features are crumbling, its face is a striking picture of grief. I think she is clasping a representation of an anchor to her bosom although if you think differently, please let me know.

The memorial reads: A tribute of love in memory of Mary Anne Welch who died January 14th 1884 Aged 67 - Erected by her sister Alice.

There is a poignant message recorded at the base: Love is too Precious to be Lost. Alice must have loved her sister very much . . .

Two Angels.

Here is another grave in Hurst Green RC cemetery which is not far from the Roman Catholic public school, Stoneyhurst College. There are so many interesting and unusual memorials, you could easily pass this gravestone without noticing its twin guardians. Beautifully made! Note the star in the angels' hair.

Standing Sentinel

Hurst Green cemetery in Lancashire is a fascinating burial ground. I had a strange experience there during my first visit (click HERE to read my post). A few weeks later, I had a, photographically, more successful visit. This was a image from then. When I looked at it this evening, I was very taken with it. If you squint your eyes a little, it looks like two strangely shaped coffins with three alien-like figures standing sentinel behind. Can you see what I mean? Click once or twice on the image for a closer view.

Restoration?

When you have a black granite memorial and the gold inside the inscribed lettering has faded, it is time for restoration. I am not entirely convinced you should just paint over the letters en masse. Once the paint has dried, how on earth do you remove the excess? Any ideas?