Lawn cemetery

I don't really like this lawn cemetery. Its very stark and empty.

Hello birdie

Another grave decoration at Woronora Cemetery.

She sells sea shells

This older grave was covered in large sea shells. I guess she loved the beach.

Her favourite things

The Macedonian section at Woronora Cemetery.

IHS

I wondered what this marker that looks like a dollar sign was. Its a Christogram consisting of the first letters of the names of Christ in the Greek alphabet. Taken at  Woronora cemetery.

Joadja (9)

Joadja (2)

Hidden in the bush at the end of a dirt track is a small cemetery.

Taphophile Tragics

Agha Khan Mausoleum, Aswan, Egypt

The Agha Khan is the Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan was the 48th hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims and a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, the first Imam, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter. He died in 1957.

More about the Ismaili and the current Agha Khan may be found here.

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Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, London (taken a very long time ago).

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I've pretty much run out of shots (and inspiration) so this week I'm cheating and bringing you something a colleague put me on to during the week. This is a reproduction of a blog post by Elizabeth Farrelly about the launch of an Aboriginal burial site at Woronora Cemetery in Sydney's Sutherland Shire. I though you might be interested in the concept and the beauty. I think it would be worth a trip down south to check it out - Julie?. The reported conversation says a lot about the "Shire".
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Posted on October 14, 2012

Morning tea in the Shire

Funny, I’d always suspected that sprawl and xenophobia went hand in hand, yet I was still surprised the other day to find them ganging up together against natural burial.

It was at the launch of an aboriginal burial site at the Woronora Cemetery in the Shire. It was the brainchild of a friend, an amazing polymath of a man and Dharawal elder, Les Bursill AO. The Woronora Cemetery, of which he is a Friend, makes a point of being multicultural – signposted multiculturalism; RC this way, Greek Orthodox that.

My ideal cemetery is the one in Highgate where Karl Marx is buried, all overgrown to buggery and  dripping romanticism. But Australia eschew romanticism, and most Aussie cemeteries, for reasons that escape me, are either superr-shiny and regimented:

Or a bit random like this:

But both ways. they’re shadeless and overbaked, with all the romance of a .back yard barbie.

So what a delight to find that the indigenous burial place was set in a stand of remaining bushland. What a relief, actually, after all that buffalo grass. We all got mud on our shoes and the Minister, Victor Domicello, seemed in danger, for a moment, of getting mud on his nice pink tie.

And the idea is as lovely as the setting; A little wetland, created in the bush by a stone serpent (aka retaining wall) and making an enchanted spot for the scattering of ashes that i believe is a custom particular to the Sydney basin.

The design is by engineer Ian Baker and the serpent is in the top left. Here’s it’s head, under the heels (sharpish) of a staffer:

Here’s its tail:

And here’s the Minister (left, pink tie) and my friend Les Bursill (right) with the plaque, which reads:

It’s lovely – by far the loveliest spot and sentiment in the place – and makes you want to be an honorary aboriginal.

Which is what made me ask after, over tea on the lawn, if just anyone could be buried there.

“Of course,” answered companion, who introduced himself as a Trustee of the place. “But why would you want to?”

“Because it’s beautiful.”

But it was the rest of the conversation that really blew me away.

“Have you seen our new mausoleum?” said he.

“Oh, no?” I’m interested. Thinking gloom and shadows, incense and flowers, mystery, depth, even.

“You should have a look. it’s for the Macedonians – they’re Orthodox you know. They’ve always buried their dead at Rookwood, but they like to visit the grave every day for a year, and they didn’t want to see all the Muslims at Rookwood…”

“Really?” I’m thinking, this is a bit weird. Do you say these things to strangers? “So you had to build them a place here?”

“That’s right.”

“But – what – there are no Muslim burials here?”

“Oh no. We cater to everyone.”

“But not muslims…Why not?” (Eating sandwiches).

“Well, they don’t use coffins – and we have a policy of coffins.”

“They don’t? What do they use?”

“Shrouds. They wrap their dead in shrouds.”

“A, like Jesus. So why couldn’t they do that here? Bury someone in a shroud? Seems pretty harmless?”

“We have a policy of using only coffins.”

“Why?”

“It’s just policy.” (Smile, eat cake, sip tea.) “Policy.”

Resolve. Bite hard on anzac biscuit. Not, repeat not, going to say anything about policy and train timetables.

“So you could be buried with a tree in your mouth, to grow into a seedling, but you couldn’t encourage that process with no coffin?”

“Well, really, we don’t have room for the trees here. You can see we’ve already got all plenty of trees. The natural burial thing is in England, where you have a tight town and outside that it farmland. You need farmland.”

“They have farmland that’s not lived-on because they have planning that’s not deal-doing.”

“Yes,” smile. “But we have a coffin policy.”

“Right, so no danger of having to see muslims – or hippies – here?”

End. Scuttle right back to the ‘Fern.

Taphophile Tragics

Detail from the Adelaide War Memorial. The Spirit of Compassion, bearing aloft the body of a dead soldier, symbolizes and commemorates the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the war and the loss experienced by those who loved them.

The Spirit of Duty appearing before the youth of South Australia, as represented by the girl, the student and the farmer.

Interior of the War Memorial.

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Not a bad way to be remembered.

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Ambush at Slingersfontein

George Allman Griffen, who was the first man to volunteer for the Light Horse was the first of the NSW Contingent to die in South Africa on 16 January 1900 during a Boer ambush at Slingersfontein. His death had such an impact in Australia at a time when the country was celebrating its new found Federation, a committee of his friends and supporters commissioned Achille Simonetti to create a marble tablet in his memory. Simonetti was the most fashionable sculptor in Sydney at the time, having modelled busts and statues of many Sydney luminaries. Simonetti, who died before the tablet was completed, arranged for sculptor James White, the first sculptor to win Sydney's prestigious Wynne Prize, to complete the work. The tablet, inscribed incorrectly to George Griffin, was erected in the Vestibule in Sydney Town Hall, where it can be seen today.

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A lot of local families are buried in St Peters Churchyard at St Peters. This grave belongs to a member of the Gannon family. I was at school in the 1960s/70s with a Gannon or two. There is a Gannon Street in the area and I think that one of the major local arteries, Forest Road, was originally Gannons Forest Road. I have not done very much research this week, however Frederick Gannon was the son of Michael Gannon and the Australian Dictionary of Biography tells me:

Michael Gannon (1800-1881), builder and innkeeper, was born at Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland, son of John Gannon, joiner, and his wife Alicia, née Gelshin. In 1820 he and his younger brother James, both carpenters, were sentenced in Meath, Michael for life and James for fourteen years. In December 1820 they arrived at Sydney in the Almorah.

In August 1824 Michael, then an assigned servant, married in Sydney Mary Parsonage, who later petitioned Governor (Sir) Ralph Darling for her husband to be assigned to her. They lived in the Rocks area where Gannon worked as a carpenter and joiner. By 1829 he had a ticket-of-leave and in June 1836 his conditional pardon was confirmed. Gannon prospered as a builder and accumulated real estate. By 1843 he was undertaker for Catholic burials and had started as an auctioneer and commission agent in Lower George Street but this business was damaged by his brother's insolvency. Michael then obtained a publican's licence for an inn on Cook's River Road, Newtown, and was settled at Tempe by the end of 1845. Bankrupt within two years he was criticized for fraudulent transactions, contradictory evidence on oath and criminal neglect in failing to keep proper accounts.

From 1848 Gannon 'played an active and largely hidden role in Sydney politics'. In November 1850 he bought for £732 in St George parish a heavily timbered estate of 1905 acres (771 ha), known as Gannon's Forest and later renamed Hurstville. Buying and selling property he lived at Tempe until he died aged 81 on 9 August 1881, survived by four sons and two daughters. He was buried in the family vault at Cook's River beside his wife who had died on 25 March 1875. His estate, valued at £9581, was bequeathed to members of his family but challenged by some of his relations.

James was granted his ticket-of-leave in 1828 and married Mary Phelps at Sydney in 1829. From carpentry he drifted into inn-keeping and sporting activities, notably pigeon shooting. Insolvent in 1843, his personal assets were valued at £62 and included his treasured fowling piece and two dogs. On the fringe of politics in 1865 he was fined £50 for personation and double voting but was pardoned by the governor. As a labourer he died aged 68 at Paddington on 19 February 1871, leaving three children.

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The Japanese section of Broome Pioneer Cemetery. A lot of pearl divers are buried here. They used to dive wearing heavy metal helmets and weighted boots. It was extremely dangerous work and many died.

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I came across this tomb tucked into a corner of St Andrews Cathedral and thought it was a very strange place to put a tomb. Turns out its not the real thing but a copy of the tomb of Bishop William Grant Broughton who built the Cathedral. The original tomb is in Canterbury Cathedral as the Bishop died while on a visit to England.

In the year after his enthronement Broughton began to build his cathedral. Macquarie had laid the foundation stone of a great metropolitan church of St Andrew in 1819 but Commissioner John Thomas Bigge had very soon stopped the work on it. Broughton enlisted strong support for his project, and Governor Bourke laid the stone anew near the same place at the old George Street burial ground. In the prosperous times good progress was made, but it faltered with the depression and revived only in 1850. Broughton did not see his cathedral completed, but used St James's until a temporary wooden church, the second on the site, was built in 1842 as the pro-cathedral. Broughton had some success with parish churches and schools, of which he was an indefatigable promoter. Although the Acts of 1836-37 gave material impetus to church expansion, Broughton's organizing ability and lengthy travels proved invaluable in a situation where the population was newly arrived and thinly spread. During his episcopate Broughton consecrated or dedicated almost a hundred church buildings on the Australian mainland.

There is much more about Bishop Broughton in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

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Isaac Augustus Mobbs, miner aged 22 years, married Edith Mary Crabbe, aged 18 years, at Hill End, 20 May 1873. His father was George Mobbs, a farmer and her father was Henry Crabbe, a miner. By 1877 Isaac was a fruitgrower at Pennant Hills.

Title of Photograph: Grandma's visitor [i.e. Edith Mary Mobbs (nee Crabbe), left, her grandmother Edith Bates and Mrs Bates' slab hut house with bark roof, Germantown Lane, Hill End]. Edith Bates & Edith Mobbs identified by Lorraine Purcell, Hill End & Tambaroora Gathering Group (Sept 2007), from information from Mrs Elaine Barnes, who has a copy of this photograph titled "Grandma's visitor".

On left: Figure with umbrella is Mrs. Edith Mobbs (nee Crabbe) who worked as a journalist on Times newspaper.

Photos from Library of NSW.

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I was taken by the design of these markers.

Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Saturday, 9 June 1906 -
We regret to have to record the death of Miss Emily Dare, a lady whose long residence in Parramatta was characterised by many acts of true, unostentatious charity and good works. The end came at her residence, in Taylor Street, on Wednesday. Miss Dare was the daughter of Mr. Alexander Ellison Dare, who, some 50 years back, ran the flour mill at the foot of Smith Street, Parramatta. At that time the family lived in Smith Street in the cottage afterwards occupied by Dr. Phillips. The family were always staunch supporters of St. John's Church. Her brother is Mr. A. H. Dare, flour merchant, Sydney. Her sister was Mrs. John Harris, who predeceased her, and she was an aunt of Mr. F. H. Dare, the manager of the Granville branch of the Commercial Bank. The funeral, the arrangements for which were entrusted to Messrs. William Motcalfe and Co., took place on Thursday morning in the St. John's burial ground, the Ven. Archdeacons Gunther and Langley officiating, and there being a large attendance at the graveside. During the portion of the service held in St. John's Church, the choir sang a favourite hymn, 'Hushed,blessed are -the dead,' and at the close Mr. Alfred Barry played the 'Dead March in Saul.' Many beautiful floral tributes were sent in.

Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday, 6 May 1937 -

Mr. Francis Henry Dare, of Elderslie, Harris Park, who died at the age of 74, was the eldest son of Mr. Alexander Dare, and a grandson of Mr. Alexander Ellison Dare, a pioneer of the Parramatta district. He was educated at All Saints' College, Bathurst, and later joined the staff of the London Chartered Bank. He transferred to the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, in whosj service he continued until his retirement nine years ago. For 33 years he was manager of the Granville branch. Mr. Dare is survived by his wife, a son. Mr. H. S. Dare, manager of the Commercial Bank at Bogan Gate, and two daughters. His elder son was killed In the war.

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I'm not sure whether this is Samuel Marsden's resting place, I couldn't see his name at all, but it seemed to be in the right location on the map and its certainly the Marsden family tomb.

Reverend Samuel Marsden, 1833, by Richard Read Junior
Watercolour

Samuel Marsden (1764–1838) was born at Farsley, Yorkshire, England on June 24, 1764. In 1790 the Elland Society, an evangelical group within the Church of England which sponsored the education for the ministry of promising youths, sent him to Magdalene College, Cambridge. In January 1793 he accepted an appointment as assistant to the Chaplain of New South Wales. Marsden arrived in the colony on March 10, 1794 with his wife and young child.

Marsden became the first rector of St John's Church Parramatta from its opening in 1803 until his death on May 12, 1838. Marsden's religious activities included the establishment of an orphanage and school in Sydney in 1801. He undertook a range of missionary activities amongst the Aborigines and organized the first Christian mission to the Maoris. He traveled across to New Zealand on a number of occasions.

This Yorkshire chaplain was a man of strong personality and deep religious conviction. He was appalled at the vice and immorality displayed by the convicts in the settlement and was determined to establish moral order in the colony. Acting as both a clergyman and civil magistrate he was at times a controversial figure. His reputation for extreme severity as a magistrate earned him the title of the" flogging parson".

Marsden was also involved in many aspects of colonial life including farming. By 1802 he had acquired 201 acres in grants and had purchased an additional 239 acres from other settlers. His holdings gradually increased to 3,631 acres by grant and 1,600 by purchase in 1827. In 1803–05 he made several reports to Governor King and to Sir Joseph Banks on the prospect of sheep breeding and wool growing.

Samuel Marsden was Senior Vice-President of the Agricultural Society which was formed on 5 July 1822. As early as 1811 he sent the colony's first commercial shipment of wool to England and continued to play a prominent role in the development of agriculture in New South Wales.

A lot more information on Samuel Marsden may be found in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

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