grave post - Jarvie

In Memory Of
Robert Jarvie
Born 5th July 1816
Died At Shanghai, China
23rd August 1866
Buried Here 5th July 1867
And Of His Wife
Agnes D'arcy
Born 1st March 1835
Died 6th February 1923
Daughter Of
Andrew Bannatyne, L.L.D.
And His Wife
Margaret Millar
Of Milheugh, Blantyre.
Also Frances Mary Collins
Dear Friend And Devoted Maid

I found a notice in the Paisley Herald from the 2nd of May 1863 announcing the marriage of Robert and Agnes. Robert was a partner with a Walter Buchanan as an East India merchant and died during the financial crisis of 1865-66 when the business went belly up. Agnes seems to have spent more time living with her "dear friend and devoted maid", Frances, than her husband.

a portrait of Mrs Agnes D'Arcy Jarvie by John Gilbert Graham  c 1866

and here is a picture of the home where Agnes was born and brought up. 

A history and description can be found here

grave post - Forrest

“One of the members of the Glasgow Fire Brigade has lost his life under somewhat sad circumstances. On Friday forenoon, October 20th, 1899, a request was received at the Central Fire Station, College Street, for the use of hose, to extinguish a fire that had broken out in the Dalquharran Colliery, Dailly, Ayrshire. As there was little time to catch the 11.15 a.m. train, one of the firemen, Robert Forrest was instructed to take the hose to Dailly, and to explain the method for connecting to the water supply. On his arrival, Forrest was prevailed upon by those in charge of the pit to assist them in their efforts to extinguish the fire. Along with four or five other men, he descended the pit and laid the hose, and after the water had been turned on they were all returning to the bottom of the shaft, when Forrest was observed to stagger. He was assisted by two men, and at once taken to the pit-head. A doctor was in attendance but, unfortunately, Forrest succumbed in a very short time. It is believed he had been overcome by choke damp. Forrest was a well-known and much respected member of the G.F.B. and was for years in charge of the hose, helmet and bootmaking dept., and his loss under such circumstances is deeply deplored by every member of the brigade. He leaves a widow and five of a family.”

NOTE:    Choke Damp—Carbonic Acid Gas which accumulates in the lower parts of coal mines, wells, etc.

(Glasgow Herald—October 23rd, 1899)

grave post - William Miller

To a person, everyone we mentioned our visit to the Necropolis asked "did you see the "wee willie winkie" stone? Glaswegians are proud of their homegrown author of this nursery rhyme, William Miller. 

I, and possibly most people, only really remember the first verse

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,

Up stairs and down stairs in his night-gown,

Tapping at the window, crying at the lock,

Are the children in their bed, for it's past ten o'clock?

but there are more verses. quite a few more.
(if you're interested, here's a link to the Scots version)

Hey, Willie Winkie, are you coming in?

The cat is singing purring sounds to the sleeping hen,

The dog's spread out on the floor, and doesn't give a cheep,

But here's a wakeful little boy who will not fall asleep!

Anything but sleep, you rogue! glowering like the moon,'

Rattling in an iron jug with an iron spoon,

Rumbling, tumbling round about, crowing like a cock,

Shrieking like I don't know what, waking sleeping folk.

Hey, Willie Winkie – the child's in a creel!

Wriggling from everyone's knee like an eel,

Tugging at the cat's ear, and confusing all her thrums

Hey, Willie Winkie – see, there he comes!"

Weary is the mother who has a dusty child,

A small short little child, who can't run on his own,

Who always has a battle with sleep before he'll close an eye

But a kiss from his rosy lips gives strength anew to me.

According to the Scottish Poetry Library:

William Miller was born in Briggate, Glasgow, in August 1810.  He served an apprenticeship to a wood-turner, and became a skilled cabinet-maker, a trade which he followed for the rest of his life.  He began to write poetry while still a youth, contributing to local newspapers and periodicals; the appearance of 'Willie Winkie' and several other nursery poems in the 3rd and 4th series of Whistle-binkie  (1839-43) established his reputation.  His best poems were thus produced before he was thirty-six; he then wrote little until the year before his death.  He died in poverty in 1872, and is buried in Tollcross, in a plot that does not bear his name.  There is a memorial to Miller in the Glasgow Necropolis, and in 2009 a plaque was placed on the wall of the brewery which now stands on the site of his former home in Dennistoun.

city of the dead

Yes, I did go visit a cemetery while I was on holiday in Scotland in August. and in a perfect case of serendipity, a guided tour was happening the day I arrived. it was free, but you needed to register and my cousin and her husband and I managed to reserve spaces. it wasn't a very big group, not even the limit of 25 people (the guided walks in our cemeteries tend to be extremely popular with dozens of people, but maybe it being a Bank Holiday weekend had something to do with it) and by the end of the over 3 hour (!!) walk, only four us were still with the group leaders - yes, us three plus one other hardy soul! but we all found it well worth the time. 

after crossing the Bridge of Sighs, we did have to climb up a rather steeply terraced hill... and back down again

The Adjoining Bridge 

was erected by 

The Merchants House of Glasgow

to afford a proper entrance to their new cemetery continuing

convenient access to the grounds with suitable decoration to the 

venerable cathedral & surrounding scenery to unite the tombs of many generations

who have gone before with the resting places destined for generations yet

unborn where the ahes of all shall repose until the resurrection of the just when that  which

is born a natural body shall be raised a spiritual body when this corruptible must put

on incorruption when this mortal must put on immortality when death is swallowed up in victory.

Unfortunately, the walk started at about 6pm and by then, the sun was intensely determined to create long shadows, making it difficult to get good photos. plus, because these were all unfamiliar names to me, I wanted to pay attention and not wander off as I usually am wont to do. so, fewer photos than I usually take.

The cemetery opened in 1833 as the first interdenominational garden cemetery in the city. though, the year before, a small Jewish burial ground was established in the north west corner (it would be declared 'full' by 1851 - it is very small) It is now a closed cemetery - no more burials are allowed. There are over 50,000 people resting here, but only about 3,500 monuments have been put up. 

climb up the walkways and you get the bonus of great panoramic views over the city. here, we are looking out towards the Cathedral and Royal Infirmary

this is to the south                and east

considering all the space, these souls are rather tightly packed in

eventually we get to the highest point where the statue of John Knox has stood on this high column since before the cemetery was built

and then we descend back towards the cathedral square 
and through the gates to the land of the living









sharing this walk with Monday Walks at Restless Jo

grave post - Cpl Dyer

Corporal Dyer was taking part in a night training mission in Afghanistan on April 17, 2002 when his position was bombed by an American warplane in a friendly fire incident at Tarnak Farms. Sadly, he and three other Canadian soldiers were killed and eight more were injured. 

Their deaths were the first of Canada's war in Afghanistan.

Dyer was just 24 years old. He was born in Montreal and grew up in Toronto. He enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1996 and would go on to become a member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Cpl Dyer had aspirations of gaining an engineering degree upon completion of his service in the Canadian Forces. 

A plaque bearing the names of Sgt. Marc Léger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte Nathan Smith lies on a floodlit memorial beside the Canadian headquarters at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Corporal Dyer was commemorated in February, 2003 on the Rakkasan Memorial Wall at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He is buried in the Necropolis in Toronto.

Taphophile Tragics for Remembrance Week

grave post - Beckett

This gravestone I originally photographed because of the newer blocks all being slightly off centre.















But then I got closer and read the inscription.

The first Edward (Ebenezer) died in 1862. 
A second Edward (Henry) died in May 25, 1867,
followed in very close succession by William, six days later, Richard (who must have been a twin to Edward) five days after that, and finally Minnie, one week and one day later in June.
There was a threat of cholera in 1866, and it is possible that this family were greatly afflicted.

I thought this post was going to be a simple reflection on the deaths of so many children of one family in such a short time, but it seems that in spite of this great loss, the Beckett legacy did not end here.

I wondered why the monument had been restored.

Edward and Mary Ann would have another son in 1869 who would be named Samuel Gustavus. He would grow up to be an architect and with his partner, a Mr William Chadwick, would design many of the houses in Lawrence Park as well as banks, clubs, churches and factories. He would also serve in WWI, rising to the rank of Colonel. In 1915 he formed the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion.

H.M King George V Shakes Hands with Lt-Col Samuel G Beckett

Unfortunately, he was killed in a gas attack in March, 1917 in a "Trench Raid near Carency".

There was also an elder daughter who survived the epidemic of '67 and would, in 1877, marry a Thomas Allen who owned The East End Brewery. Interestingly, Edward Beckett was a well known temperance man. Edward was also an iron foundry owner. This library archives photo of the Globe Foundry at Queen and Bay Streets shows the family (and others)

Inscribed on vso of card: Taken about 1881
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Beckett are in the doorway just right of centre; their son Samuel and Anna Coad Butland are in top left window and two of the children in top right window are Emma and Robert Defries.

The land was soon afterwards expropriated and the building demolished to make way for Old City Hall (which was the new city hall at the time), though I believe that Mr Beckett had already passed on by then leaving Mary Ann and 18 year old Samuel to deal with that fallout.

Taphophile Tragics

grave post - Brown

       

Dreadful Accident on the New York Central Railroad.
[From the Albany (N. Y.) Journal, Oct. 16.]

     The local mail train on the Central road, which left Rochester yesterday afternoon at 4:30, and which was due at Syracuse at 8:15 last evening, met with a serious disaster when six miles west of the latter city. Owing to the late heavy rains in that vicinity, a culvert was broken in, and the rail track was carried away. The fact was unknown to either the engineer or the conductor of the train, and while coming along at the usual speed, the locomotive ran into the stream, and a frightful breaking up of the cars instantly ensued.

     The dead and wounded were conveyed to the Globe Hotel at Syracuse, where medical attendance was immediately obtained, and the utmost care and attention paid to the injured.

    We have, since writing the above, learned that the portion of the road carried away, was a high embankment, six miles west of Syracuse. It was caused by heavy rains, and the rush of water through a deep cut made through a hill upon which the track was laid. The train was precipitated down an embankment of twelve feet, into a pool or stream of water six feet in depth. The cars were badly broken, and one of them was submerged to the depth of four feet over the flooring.

      The night was dark and rainy. The place had never given any indications of danger, and was all in order just before dark. The train consisted of an engine, baggage and two passenger cars.

We are indebted to the telegraph operator of the Central road for a list of the killed and wounded, as follows:

MISS BROWN, of Toronto, killed.
CLINTON BROWNSON, Westfield, Conn., fatally wounded.
JOHN OAKSBURY, of Vermilyes, Jefferson county, ribs broken.
SAMUEL PLUMB, of New York, slightly injured.
LIZZIE FRANKLIN, Warren, R. I., rib broken.
PATRICK NOLAN, baggage master, badly injured, his legs and shoulders being badly broken.
P. PENTTINGER, emigrant baggage master, collar bone broken.
R. HASLUP, engineer, bruised and arm scalded.
Fireman, badly bruised.
MR. McMASTER, the recently appointed mail agent, was badly bruised.
MR. DeFOREST, of New Haven, Conn., arm broken.

MISS BROWN, daughter of GEORGE BROWN, editor of the Toronto Globe, was drowned in the cars. She was in company with her father, en route to England. He escaped with a few slight injuries.

[from gendisasters.com]

Catharine Brown was actually George Brown's sister. 

She is buried, with the rest of her family, in The Necropolis.

TaphphileTragics

grave post - Cohen

God only knows how much I love you

Two weeks before Matt Cohen died, his last novel (Elizabeth and After) won the Governor General's Award for English language fiction. He had, during 30 years, written over 30 books, including novels, short stories, poetry, and children's books as well as translations of French-Canadian literature.

Mr Cohen was born December 30th 1942 and died December 2nd, 1999. One of his major accomplishments besides being a founding member of the Writers Guild of Canada was, as president, convincing the government to establish the Public Lending Right that ensured writers were paid each time their books were borrowed from a public library. A literary award In Celebration of a Writing Life is presented each year in his name.

I still have one of his short story books, a satirical telling of Sir Galahad's virtuous character.

Galahad was the perfect knight. He spent his life in search of the Holy Grail. When he died he found it. It happened at the last possible moment. Just as he was losing consciousness an angel appeared to him and said, Galahad, one more thing.

What is it?

The angel whipped out a silver necklace and slipped it around Galahad's neck.
There, said the angel, now you have it.

Taphophile Tragics

grave post - Gilbert

Albert died in the line of duty in the stable of Hall's general store when the floor of the hayloft collapsed trapping him underneath.

Around 10:30 P.M. on July 16th a fire was discovered in a stable at the rear of Hall's Grocery Store at the corner of Parliament and Sydenham Streets. Upon arrival #1 Hook and Ladder was ordered to open up the roof and assist the Hose companies with advancing into the building. While two laddermen operated on the roof, Fire Fighter Albert Gilbert entered the building with a pike pole to help dig at the deep seated flames. All of a sudden the roof collapsed. Several men were trapped,  Chief Ardagh quickly regrouped his men and began rescue operations. Two members of #1 H&L who were operating on the roof were pulled out first. Over the next few minutes the other five men were also pulled out and rushed to the General Hospital or private doctors offices for treatment. As some control returned to the scene, Captain Frank Hall of #1 H&L was taking a roll call of his remaining men when he realized that Fireman Gilbert was missing. Rescue efforts were started anew by the Captain in Charge (Chief Ardagh had left for the hospital to enquire about his injured son, also a firefighter). Almost an hour later Gilbert's body was found. He had died instantly, being decapitated by the falling roof. His hook was still in his hand.     From the Toronto Fire Fighters Assoc. Researched by Jon Lasiuk

Albert Gilbert was born September 14th 1835 in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, England to William and either Leah or Ann (reports differ) and had a brother Charles. The Gilberts were a long line of bakers and Charles took over his father's business. Just what prompted Albert to emigrate to Canada is not known. He and Letitia Whiteside were married in 1856 though whether that was in England or Canada is uncertain. This simple flat stone over Albert's gravesite is at the Necropolis in Toronto.
TaphophileTragics