Young Victims of Poisoning

Here is the striking memorial to James and Henry Hall who are buried in Preston Cemetery. They were the children of a Doctor Hall. One day, in 1856, the children entered the surgery and started playing. You guessed it. They couldn't resist trying the medicines and poisoned themselves. James (3) died on 29 January, while Henry (11) died the next day. this touching memorial was erected in their memory. It depicts two children sleeping peacefully together.

Sad record of one family's Loss

I saw this, today, at Preston Cemetery in Lancashire. It records the names of the sons and daughters of George and Elizabeth Miller who died and were interred in St Paul's Church Yard, Preston. There are 12 names recorded on the obelisk. Just how much sorrow there was in this family, I could not imagine!

A Striking Lancashire Angel

On the way to collect some logs, today, I had ten minutes to spare and called at a small country churchyard - St Leonard's in Balderstone, Lancashired. I had been told by someone, who passed it a week ago, that it might be interesting. Interesting? No, it was amazing! There were many unusual and striking memorials and I quickly moved through the graves to capture some examples on my iPhone4 before the fast approaching thunderstorm reached the village. I am becoming an increasingly enthusiatic fan of iPhoneograpy. It beats carrying around a heavy bag of camera equipment.

Here is the very large headstone that marks the grave of Mercia Heyworth who died on 1 May 1896.

Rock Creek Cemetery

  The cemetery is in Washington DC. More on the cemetery can be found HERE

Ivor Gurney - Poet and Composer

In the parish church of St Matthew in Twigworth, Gloucestershire, a headstone marks the grave of Ivor Gurney. It records that he was a Composer and Poet of the Severn and Somme.

He was listed as one of the famous First World War poets. Wikipedia records that he "died of TB while still a patient at the City of London Mental Hospital on September 26, 1937 aged 47. He was buried in Twigworth - the service was conducted by his godfather, the Reverend Alfred Cheesman. Gurney was 'a lover and maker of beauty', as it said on his gravestone - since replaced after it was damaged with the original stone now being stored inside the church.

More information can be found HERE and HERE.

Getting that Wide Angle View

Walking by my local churchyard, I took a number of photographs with my iPhone 4. When I was looking at them on my MacBook, I wished I could get a wider view of the scene. I chose DoubleTake for Mac to merge them together and publish the results, here. I was very impressed with how quick the process was. You can find more details HERE.

I would be very interested to hear what software you use to stitch together your images and how well you think they work? Click on the images for a closer view.

A Ballerina Watches Over Them

This beautiful memorial can be found in Poulton New Cemetery in Lancashire. It marks the last resting place of Moyna Urquhart who died far to early and of her husband Jack who joined her there some 38 years later. I wonder if the ballerina is a likeness of their daughter Melody?