Tag: Hull General Cemetery

Mysteries

by Pete Lowdenin General, History, Volunteers

A couple of years ago I was told that there was to be a talk at the History Centre. It was entitled ‘The Mysteries and Secrets of Hull General Cemetery’. I thought I’ll pop along to that. I’m always open to increase my knowledge of the site

About a couple of months before the talk I was in the History Centre. Chatting to the staff  I was told by the person who usually books the monthly talks that she was sorry. She said HGC was usually my topic and that the booking had happened whilst she was off ill. I was touched by this nod to my idiosyncrasy. I said I was happy to share the topic but I was intrigued as to what the mysteries and secrets were, as to my knowledge, there were very few if any. She nodded.

It was common knowledge amongst the staff there that I had copied or photographed every item that they possessed about Hull General Cemetery and that I had acquired a few things myself that they didn’t possess.

As it turned out the talk didn’t talk about any mysteries or secrets in HGC. Don’t get me wrong here. It was a good, well researched talk and it definitely had lots of visuals to keep the punters happy. But the ‘mysteries and secrets of Hull General Cemetery’, well,  I’m afraid there was little sign.

Not Hollywood

That circumstance lies in the fact that the life of HGC is not a movie script. Harrison Ford does not uncover the catacombs of the ‘lost chapel’. Sam Neil, whilst cutting back the brambles, does not find he’s walked into a velociraptor nest. No, sorry. Highly unlikely. Much more likely is that Harrison Ford would find the remains of a shooting-up drugs gathering or that Sam Neil would tread in some maggot ridden kebab.

Yes, there are stories within the cemetery. Stories of its trials and tribulations. Stories of the people who are buried there. But it is not the Marie Celeste. It is not Area 51. It is not the X-Files. The truth isn’t ‘out there.’ It’s a shame but that’s the way it is.

The real Secrets and Mysteries

The secrets and mysteries, if they exist, are found in far more mundane places. They are written in numerous documents. These documents take a lot, and I mean hundreds of hours,  of painstaking research to extract that small nugget of information you are seeking. And this process takes a number of years. At the end, the result may be as unexciting as finding that a miscalculation on the part of some clerk a century ago can now be cleared up. But to someone with that penchant for ‘the truth’ it;s like gold dust.

I did mention my idiosyncrasy, didn’t I?

So, with my Harrison Ford / Sam Neil hat on, I have entered this dangerously tedious world many times.

There are two mysteries I’d like to put forward. The first one is about the mystery of Thomas Skerrow and, to add background, the rest of his family. The second one could be titled, ‘What did they do with bodies?’ You’ll understand when you read it.

In some ways these mysteries are mundane and perhaps only of interest to someone like me with that specific ‘nerdiness’ mentioned above but they are mysteries. And I can’t confidently say I have solved them. Yes, I know that my solutions are the most likely yet something still bugs me. See what you think.

Thomas Skerrow

Thomas Skerrow was a gravedigger. You should all know by now my affinity with such people. One could say that it’s in the blood but thankfully it isn’t. Other wise I’d probably be dead from tetanus or anthrax by now. Quite nasty soil borne diseases. No thank you.

Not in the blood but I do have some understanding of these under sung heroes’ roles. And indeed the stresses that were placed upon them. A Grave Digger

Thomas Skerrow had been employed by the Company since its inception in 1847.

As I’ve mentioned before, the workforce of the cemetery, received less than star billing in its production. I suppose that’s why I want to highlight them. Without them the Company would have failed, and the citizens of Hull would have had to put up with the horrific conditions of burial that took place prior to the HGC.

His death

We first learn of Thomas Skerrow by his death. Here’s his burial entry in the HGC burial register.

He died on the 9th April 1854 and was buried on the 12th.

t skerrow death cert

Edward Skerrow, his father

The family already had a family grave as his father Edward had died the previous November. This was a particularly sad case as his father committed suicide. His death resulted in a post mortem and the death reached the local press.

E Skerrow pm insanity Hull Packet 3 11 1854

When Edward’s daughter Fanny married later that decade she was still so mortified by the death of her father she refused to provide her father’s name to the registrar. In the burial register of the Cemetery his cause of death is listed as ‘insanity’.

Cowkeeping

Edward Skerrow had been born at Tadcaster in 1791. He lived at 21, Canning Street and his occupation at his death was cowkeeper. Not as outlandish an occupation as we sophisticates of the 21st century would believe. It was quite common for small entrepreneurs to keep a number of cows. These could be hired out for breeding or when ready, sold for slaughter.

However the major source of income from keeping cows was milk. Milk was sold door to door to the gentry. The poorer classes often bought some too though mainly for weaning purposes. It was a thriving industry. Approximately where the old Edwin Davis Store stood in Bond Street was the site of a street called Milk Street because of the number of cows pastured there in the early 19th century..

Alan Harris, in his The Milk Supply of East Yorkshire, 1850-1950′, quotes F.M.Eden saying that in the closing years of the 18th century, ‘for 2 to 3 miles round‘ Hull  land was devoted to grazing ‘for the convenience of the inhabitants.‘

Harris also states, and this is probably appropriate to Edward Skerrow, that,

‘Within the towns themselves, still smaller pieces of land were used for purposes that, if not strictly agricultural, must nevertheless have created in their vicinity an unmistakeable aroma of the countryside. {…} William Eleanor, another Hull Cowkeeper, occupied in 1851 a yard and a range of outbuildings behind residential property in North Street, Myton.’

Now Edward was in a fairly lucrative business if he kept his herd healthy. Plus he had a sizeable property as the map below shows so his herd may well have been quite sizeable too.

Inked1853 map of canning st_LI

 

Yet, as the newspaper article above shows he was an alcoholic and an opium user.

Opium for the masses

Let’s be clear here. Opium was the drug of choice of many people then, from all classes. Queen Victoria enjoyed her laudanum as much as the workman who bought his pennyworth of opium for his pipe. It deadened the pain of living. It took away guilt, hunger and emotion. In Britain of the 1850s that was something to be cherished.

As for the alcohol, it was as readily available as was the opium. As were the public houses. You may note that Edward’s post mortem was conducted in a public house. This was that a public house was, in essence, neutral territory. It could accommodate the officials and the witnesses for such a gathering. It is only in the recent past that civic buildings have eclipsed the public houses in this role. Coroners, magistrates and other civic officials conducted their affairs from hostelries. It was felt less threatening and more fair.

The downside of that was that they were everywhere. So, if you had an issue with alcohol, then it would be difficult to avoid it.

Hannah

So, Edward Skerrow was dead. In death he left about £100 to his widow Hannah. By the 1861 census her son Edward junior had taken on the cowkeeper role and she disappears from the public eye for about 20 years.

She resurfaces in 1881, living in Hallgate, Cottingham and is described as a ‘property owner’. She died a year later and I’m sure no one could smell any trace of cows or manure at her funeral.

Of interest, the younger brother of Thomas, Edward, took over the Cowkeeping business from his mother some time in the late 1850s as mentioned above.

Prior to that he too worked for the Cemetery Company. In 1858 he found a box laid beside the cholera monument. Inside were two babies, born prematurely and probably dead at birth. The box was handed to the police who investigated but to no avail. Another mystery but probably all too common back then.

Back to Thomas

Back at Thomas. He died of a heart condition. The Company went as far as resolving to buy a headstone for his grave.

11 April 1855 HGC minute books

And now we come to the mystery. Or mysteries shall we say.

Firstly, there is no record of a stone being erected on the grave. From the entry above in the HGC minute books it appeared to be quite straightforward. A stone was to be erected and James Sibree, the Cemetery’s chaplain, was to write an inscription for the stone. Was it just forgotten? Quite unlikely. That the Company wanted to do something to mark Thomas Skerrow’s passing in the first place is unlikely but that they said they would and minuted this gives credence to the fact. So where was the stone? It wasn’t destroyed in the 1970s as far as we know. Did it ever exist?

No, I cannot solve this part of the mystery.

What compounds the mystery is this. In September 1858, the Board had given the tenants at the west end of the Cemetery notice to quit. One of these people, John Hill, sent a sharp letter to the board. The minute book tells the story.

9 Sept 1858 hgc minute books

The Company under attack

Mr Thompson and Mr Todd, chair and secretary respectively of the Company, appeared to be unduly worried at this attack. Why? The man was behind in his rent. He had been given notice to quit. All was above board. That they both, busy men that they were, went to see Mr Hill shows something of the anxiety this letter from Mr Hill caused them. Again I ask why? The Cemetery was in fine shape and often cited as a boon to the town. What would such gentlemen care for the word of a disgruntled tenant? What harm could his tittle-tattle do?

We already know that Thomas Skerrow died from heart failure. He wasn’t crushed by any graveyard calamity was he? What was Mr Hill alluding to? Was the probable cause of death something he caught during this particular job that later affected his heart? Could any damage to Thomas’ heart have been caused during this particular task?

Ordinarily I would dismiss such questions. I have a death certificate and burial entry all saying the same thing. That’s gold plated in my book. But I still have that nagging doubt, simply caused by two of the major players in Hull at the time, going out of their way to discuss an irate tenant’s baseless claim. Both of these men were learned, C.S.Todd was a solicitor and later became the Sheriff of Hull. They could and should have laughed at this or possibly taken legal action. They did neither.

With my Probation Officer head on I find it’s just a little odd. What do you think?

Cholera

And the second mystery is shorter but more difficult. As most of you will know in 1849 cholera hit Hull for the second time.

The Cemetery fulfilled a public duty and buried the corpses in a timely and safe manner. To cater for the great mass of bodies the Cemetery Company set aside two full compartments and two halves. This was recorded in the Minute books of the 9th August 1849.

hgc minute book 9 aug 1849

 

As can be seen from the map below taken from the Cemetery records the compartments chosen were 96,97,122 and 123.

Cholera compartments

The Cholera monument was erected in Compartment 96. All fine so far.

The problem

Now we come to the problem. Many of the people who died from cholera were not buried in those plots. Yes, if a family grave had already been purchased the relative could be buried irrespective of the cause of death. What is more surprising is that many of the burials in the portion assigned to the Cholera ground appear to have been in Compartment 121.

Example of cholera deaths in 121 compartment

Unfortunately there is no Compartment 121 in the Cemetery except for a rump that was sited under what is now the shops on Princes Avenue. So, what’s going on?

That this issue was not noticed for 50 years is surprising. Michael Kelly, the last Superintendent, noticed it and remarked on it during his tenure. But it was obviously a mystery to him too.

Kelly's comment on the plan of C 121

Compartment 121

Let’s look at one of these graves. Grave number 18844 is a public grave. It was first dug for Ann Levitt who died of cholera on September 4th. She was buried that same day. The following day Charles Cheeseman, Elizabeth Gossop and 8 year old Bridget Dunbar joined her. Cholera was the cause of death for all of them. This was the last entry for burials in Compartment 121.

The first burial in Compartment 121 took place on August 12th, grave number 20645. It was filled within two days and a new one opened at 20647. All were cholera deaths.

Now we know that the burials were taking place. They were recorded meticulously by the Cemetery staff at the time. The problem is where are they? The grave numbers do not match any other grave numbers in the cemetery. Quite frankly, they do not exist.

So, we are left with a mystery. Those people were buried in the Cemetery but not in the grave number given, and certainly not in the Compartment 121.

Yes, a clerical error perhaps. I agree with Michael Kelly; they must be in Compartments 122 and 123. I’d just like to know how we could ever find that out.

Over to you to solve this mystery.

 

Anniversary October 1946

by Pete Lowdenin Events, History, Volunteers1 Comment on Anniversary October 1946

This October we celebrate a more recent anniversary. It’s definitely within living memory.

On the 8th October 1946 the Cemetery Company decided to terminate the employment of a grave digger called Borrillwould have . It just hadn’t worked out, Mr Borrill was simply too scared to work in a cemetery on his own. Why he accepted the post of gravedigger is beyond me.

Also on the above date they decided to give a chap called Frank Coulson a start. The wage was £4 8 shillings for a 44 hour week. He would begin work on the 19th. If Frank Coulson proved O.K. the plan was to dispense with Charles Collinson too. A Grave Digger

As it proved Frank was a good worker and the plan went ahead.

However on the 14th December 1948 the Board decided that Frank had to go. Not because of his work but simply because the Cemetery’s finances were so bad they could not afford to employ staff any longer.

HGC minute books 12 12 1948

As you can see the Board decided to use ‘casual labour for grave digging’ from then on. From that point the dereliction of the Cemetery increased until, as we know, it became a wilderness.

What happened to him?

So what happened to Frank Coulson? Well I can fill in a part of his story.

Frank Coulson was born in 1920 in Shoreditch, London. Unlike today Shoreditch was a deprived area then. It was slum territory, soon to be the battleground between fascists and their opponents in the 1930s. His childhood probably could be described as ‘patchy’.

I have no knowledge of what he did in the war, if anything. He was a small man, probably no more than 5 foot 4 inches. His physique may have been a barrier to his enlistment. However, as we can see immediately after the war, he is employed by the Hull General Cemetery Company. After the termination of his contract there I’m certain he began to work for the Corporation in the same role.

By the time I met him, in August 1974, he was the chargehand of Northern Cemetery. He was known as ‘Cocker’ simply because he spoke with a cockney accent. However he had no friends. He sat in the middle of the messroom, on his own, at his table. The gravediggers sat at one end of the room and the gardening staff sat at the other end. He sat in the middle.

My first meeting

I first met him in this way.

I walked into the messroom and, like in all good westerns, the conversation stopped. It was 7.20 a.m. He had his back to me but when he noticed the conversation had stopped and everyone was staring past him he jumped up and turned around. He saw me and asked me what I wanted and I replied. I said I’d been sent as gravedigger and he motioned me to the gravedigger table.

There were probably a dozen people in there. Everyone was staring at me. Ken Wilde, a gravedigger, asked, ‘had I done gravedigging before’ and I said ‘no’ which caused a gust of laughter from all quarters of the room. The viewpoint of the room was obviously that this long haired gawky hippie won’t last long. And judging by their welcome I tended to agree with them.

I lasted 6 years 11 months and so many days before going to University. I outlasted all the gravediggers that were sat at the table that day.

His decline and death

Back to Frank.

Frank began to fail in 1976. He began to make mistakes. Often he’d misread where to set up the digs. Once he forgot all about a funeral and it had to be held back while we prepared it for burial. Management took notice. By the May he was gone. His wife had died the year before. His son lived in London and never visited. To some extent I think he lost interest in what he was doing.

As luck would have it I lived in the next terrace to him in Mayfield Street. I rarely saw him. But I heard him enough times. He had a penchant for playing Hawaiian music. Fine at first but after 3 or 4 hours of it, well I could have smashed his head in with a coconut.

In March 1985 he died. On his own and probably unloved. The neighbours alerted the police. They had seen many flies crawling on the inside of his front window. The police broke down the door and found his body. He’d been dead for a few weeks, sat next to his electric fire. The result was, as you can probably imagine, unpleasant.

A sad end. He was never a person you could like. Too bumptious, too assured of himself with nothing behind it to back it up.

But he was my first chargehand when I became a gravedigger. I know how difficult that job was. I did it for nearly 7 years. He did it for 30. I tip my hat to you, Frank. You earned my respect. I’m sorry I never told you.

.

 

William Henry Moss

by Bill Longbonein Facebook Archive, General, History, Volunteers

William Henry Moss was born in London in 1814 and was articled as a solicitor. He came to Hull in the 1840’s and married Eliza Charlotte Blundell, daughter of Henry Blundell, (founder of Blundell, Spence & Co) and his wife Maria (Porter) in 1840. The marriage resulted in seven children.

The couple are recorded as living in Russell Place, Linnaeus Street in 1841. In the subsequent census’ they are living at 4 Kingston Terrace, Beverley Road, adjacent to the Mariner’s Almshouses (now Kingston Youth Centre). In 1848 he is recorded as being in partnership with Francis Lowe of Moss, Lowe Solicitors, later, Blundell, Moss, Lowe & Co, at 19 Parliament St.

Civic responsibility

William was the company solicitor to the Hull Docks Company, and was very active in local politics. He promoted the Free Library in Hull, and was twice elected Mayor of Hull, firstly in 1856, and again in 1862.

He remained an Alderman for many years. Whilst Mayor, he paid for the marble statue of Queen Victoria in Pearson Park. The statue had been commissioned in 1861 by Zachariah Charles Pearson to commemorate an earlier Royal Visit. However due to Pearson’s bankruptcy, he was unable to pay for the work. Moss picked up the bill.

Grief for the family

His daughter Maria Blundell Moss died aged only two months in 1858. His son, Bernhard Martin, died two years later aged four.

William died of pleurisy in 1874 aged 60, and his wife Charlotte died aged 71 in 1888.

The family are buried in Hull General Cemetery, but their headstone was removed in the 1970’s. The East Yorkshire Family History Society recorded the inscription.

Moss House

APPRA

by Pete Lowdenin General, News, Volunteers

The Avenues and Pearson Park Resident’s Association, or APPRA as its more commonly called, published an article about the work of the Friends of Hull General Cemetery this quarter. I’m posting it as I think it may as well be covered here. I wrote it some tine ago. I hope you find it interesting.

appra

Next Month

by Pete Lowdenin Events, General, History, Meetings, News, Talks, Walks2 Comments on Next Month

Next month is Heritage Open Day month. The second week of September is your opportunity to see behind the scenes of some places in Hull and the East Riding that are not often fully open to the public. So grab the chance to do a bit of ‘hands-on history’ while you can.

In between times you may want to have read of one or two articles on here.

Firstly there will be more from Bill Longbone’s excellent pieces from the Facebook Archive. Secondly, Helen Bovill will be providing more of her stunning wildlife photographs.

The longer article will be the first part of the story of a remarkable family who are buried in Hull General Cemetery. ‘The Stathers of Spring Bank’ highlights the story of a two brothers who were the model of Victorian inventiveness. I hope you enjoy it.

Of course, there will be an Anniversary item. This will focus on October 1946 and, strangely, how that anniversary involved me to some extent.

And all the news that can safely be reported will be here. Next Month

See you all next month.

FOHGC

by Pete Lowdenin Events, News, Volunteers1 Comment on FOHGC

For those of you lucky enough to live in the Avenues Ward this is old news.

However I thought I’d like to share it with a wider audience. Here’s a copy of a leaflet with the confirmation that any residual issue about the FOHGC working in the Hull General Cemetery has now been resolved.Hull City Council request to the FOHGC

The Council and FOHGC look forward to working in partnership with each other for the foreseeable future. Together we hope to reclaim the site for the community, the wildlife and the history nerd.

We would like to thank the Councillors and the Council Officers for having listened to the arguments, both for and against, on this issue. Having done so they found in favour of the FOHGC. We are happy that they feel they can trust the FOHC and wanted the FOHGC to be their partner in this endeavour.

We would also like to thank the many people who contacted the Councillors and Officers expressing their support for us. To coin a phrase from a somewhat tarnished politician, ‘We are all in it together.’

Let’s all now move forward together.

Here’s the leaflet

Council leaflet

The Quaker burial ground

by Bill Longbonein Events, History, News, Volunteers, Walks1 Comment on The Quaker burial ground

Activities in Hull General Cemetery during August.

Most of the work in the cemetery during August was taken up with upgrading of the Quaker Burial Ground. This work was undertaken on behalf of the Quaker’s Committee.

The Matthew Good Foundation kindly donated £1,000.This was used for the purchase of trees, plants and materials to carry out the work.

The broken perimeter hedge/fence was repaired and new defensive planting installed. This was done to form just 2 entrances/exits. The privet was given a light trim.

Quaker stones in QBG

A kerb and limestone chippings were placed around the 7 stones that originated in the Hodgson St and Owstwick Burial Grounds. This provides a great focal point for these historically important stones. The Quaker’s are looking to provide an information board to explain the origin of the stones. There already is a board explaining the presence of the Quaker burial ground.

The dilapidated headstone of  Joseph Heward, the first Quaker burial in the cemetery, was re-laid and straightened. Several other fallen kerb stones were straightened. Moss was carefully removed from the lettering on the headstones to enable them to be more easily read.

bench in QBG

A ‘Rest and Contemplation’ bench was erected in the SW corner. This was formed from a large sycamore branch that fell near the cholera monument a year or so ago.

Other fallen branches were chipped and laid as a path leading from the 2 entrances to the new bench.

New planting

The laurel bushes were pruned back to give a more formal appearance. Several shrubs and plants were planted to complement the existing plants. These including Fatsia Japonica, Choisya, Euonymus, Agapanthus and ornamental grasses.

A thousand spring bulbs have been ordered for planting in Autumn.  These include wild garlic, English bluebells, snowdrops, crocus and daffodils. Hopefully these will provide a riot of colour in the spring.

A specimen laburnum was also planted to provide early summer colour after the bulbs have finished their display.

A shallow watering dish was placed in a shady area of the burial ground. This will provide a water source for birds and small mammals.

A short, on-site, talk about the Quakers in Hull and the work of the Friends of Hull General Cemetery, was given by the Quakers on the afternoon of Saturday 21st August.

The volunteers gave a guided tour around the cemetery to the U3A, AWAKE history group during August, generating £36.00 in donations.

John Symons in the Cemetery

by Pete Lowdenin Facebook Archive, General, History, Volunteers, Walks

Sometime in the spring of 1889, Alderman John Symons started on a walk from his home at 15, Coltman Street  He wended his way through the newly laid out West Park. He then strolled down Spring Bank West commenting that the last time he had been that way it was a ‘grassed lane and now was a flagged footpath.’ His aim was to walk around  Hull General Cemetery for a possible article for the Eastern Morning News.

At the entrance to the Cemetery he met William Hodsman, manager of the monumental works for the Cemetery. Together they strolled and John Symons reminisced. Stonemason of the Cemetery; part two.

His reminiscences are a valuable resource now. Through his eyes we can look back to a time over 130 years ago and catch a faint glimpse of Hull General Cemetery in its pomp.

Karen and George

Probably with this idea in mind, some time in the spring of 2021, volunteers Karen and George decided to retrace John Symons’ journey that day.  Here’s what they found.

The walk

Symons’ comments are in bold. Karen and George’s are in italics.

In 1889 Alderman John Symons wrote the book Kingstoniana – Historical Gleanings and Personal Recollections. One chapter, A visit to the Spring Bank Cemetery, is fascinating. I thoroughly recommend buying a copy. “meditations amongst the tombs” – the quotes are from that chapter.

Kingstoniana first and second editions

Today George and I retraced his route, as closely as possible, pausing at the 24 headstones that still remain today. I hope you enjoy.

We retraced our steps many times carefully following John Symon’s route. Over 6,000 steps.

Map of the circuitous route taken

The remaining stones; Clowes to Wilde

“The last time I visited the cemetery…there was scarcely a grave near the tomb of the Rev William Clowes”

William Clowes

“Here is the stone tomb, erected to the memory of Captain Cape…He was a diminutive, delicate-looking man in life”

William Cape

“A little further on, is a neat tomb, denoting the spot where rest the remains of the late Rev. T. Stratten”

Thomas Stratten the elder

“Opposite to Mr. Stratten’s tomb may be seen that of Mr. William Irving, J.P, Mr Stratten’s friend”

William Irving jnr

“The next monument that attracts the eye is that of Thomas Wilde, better known by the familiar friends of his day as “Tom”

Thomas Wilde

Hodge to Fountain

“A granite obelisk adjacent perpetuates the memory of William Hodge who from a humble position rose to considerable social influence”

William Hodge

“While I was standing admiring the foliage of a splendid cypress tree, I discovered the resting-place of the prince of manufacturers, Mr. Alderman Blundell”

Henry Blundell

“The epitaph notifies that it was erected by subscription to the memory of Captain John Gravill, who during a period of forty years, was engaged in the northern whale and seal fishery.”

Captain Gravill

“The Hull Guardians of the Poor negotiated with the company for the purchase of a plot of land for the burial of the Workhouse Inmates. Alderman John Fountain was the Governor at that time”

John Fountain

Dr Beck to Flint

“Near these lowly graves is a slate-coloured slab, bearing a coronet, as if in mocking contrast to those around it. It is raised to the memory of Count de Wendinsky, of Worden Castle, in Galicia, a Polish patriot exiled from his home, who resided in Hull, under the assumed name of Dr. Beck”

Dr Beck

“Opposite Mr. Middleton’s grave (no longer exists) is a pyramid, “To the memory of John Lumsden, J.P.” John Lumsden

John Lumsden

“…may be seen the funeral columns to several public men, amongst which may be found the names of “W.B. Carrick J.P., formerly Mayor of this town”

W.B.Carrick

“and “W.W. Darling,” all once men of Mark”

William Darling

“Our attention is attracted to a plain grave with a white marble kerb. Lying in the centre, is a magnificent and chaste sculptured cross. It is placed in memory of one of Hull’s most kind and tender-hearted citizens, who was truly one of nature’s nobility….”T. W. Flint J.P.”

T.W.Flint

Roberts to Rollit

“The next obelisk that attracted my attention was that of the late gifted and eloquent Alderman George Christopher Roberts….who, by the unaided force of a clear intellect, indefatigable energy, and rare talent, rose to the high offices in this, his adoptive town, of Alderman, Town Clerk, and Mayor”

George Roberts

“A few steps onwards brought me to the monument that self-made merchant who, from humble beginnings, became Alderman, Justice of the Peace, and twice Mayor of Hull. I refer to the late Thomas Thompson.” Thomas Thompson

Thomas Thompson

“Nearly every religious denomination in this town have secured allotments for their dead, and here is one dedicated to the Society of Friends. How noteworthy is the simplicity of their memorials, which have the appearance of stone couches. In reading the names of the sleepers, I noticed one to the memory of Mr. Samuel Priestman”

Samuel Priestman

“I have now arrived at that portion of ground consecrated according to the rites of the Church of England. The first vault that attracted my attention was that of the family of our distinguished townsman, Sir Albert Kaye Rollit, M.P.”

A.K.Rollit

Rylands to King

“…a colossal stone obelisk inlaid with marble crests and coats of arms. It is erected to the memory of the late Joseph Rylands, at one time the largest sailing ship owner, and one of the most enterprising merchants Hull has had”

Joseph Rylands

“There is a very pretty sculptured obelisk standing by itself on the extreme right in this vicinity; it is erected to the memory of W. H. Pearson, aged forty-two years, late of the firm of Brownlow and Pearson”

William Pearson

“Opposite is a massive Carrara marble sarcophagus, which states that “Here lieth the remains of Thomas Earle (sculptor, of London), born at Hull June the 5th, 1810; died at London April 28th, 1876.” The statues of her Majesty the Queen, and Prince Albert, in the Pearson Park, were the handiwork of this eminent sculptor”

Thomas Earle

“I next paid a pilgrimage to the high pinnacle in memory of the lamented Dr. Gordon, who devoted his life to the political elevation of the working men of Hull” Dr. William Gordon

William Gordon

“a man who did useful work for the town. There could have been very few of the inhabitants of this borough to whom the late Alderman Abbey was not well known, for during his lifetime extending over fourscore years, he had never ceased from activity in public affairs”

Thomas Abbey

“…the resting place of the late Alderman King, during his life-time one of the most respected medical men in the town. The headstone, which marks his grave, is of Scotch granite, and a cross of the same material stands upon a pedestal of rough rockery stone.”

Kelburne King

A very round about route

This was the extent of Karen and George’s expedition. For anyone who knows the Cemetery it is obvious that many of the stones mentioned are quite distant from the next one described by Symons. Indeed, if he did this route, it was quite circuitous . As Karen said, over 6000 steps, and just in the cemetery.

Let’s not forget that he had walked from Coltman Street and presumably would have gone back home. I think he may have hailed a cab from the stand outside the Cemetery. I know I would have done.

John Symons’s grave

That Symons did this walk is interesting. John Symons was a Jew. His burial place would not have been this cemetery. Why was he doing this walk? Surely not simply to fulfil a promise to an editor. No, I believe it was probably for the reason he cites in his final paragraph,

‘A visit to this Cemetery now and then is good for the soul, for from the sepulchral slabs may be learned sacred lessons.’ 

I can’t argue with that. It works for me.

He was finally laid to rest in Delhi Street Jewish Cemetery on Hedon Road. Karen and George contacted the custodian of that site, Mr Phillip Daniels. He escorted them to John Symons’s last resting place.

John Symons and his wife's headstones

Not only us, latter day followers of a true ‘influencer’, should be grateful for Symons’ work.

The day after his funeral his will was read. Included in that will was a bequest. A bequest to the ‘incurable sick’ of Hull. That sum, using the measuring worth website, ranges from almost £2 million pounds up to £18 million today. https://www.measuringworth.com/

Symons bequest

What a thoroughly nice man.

News

by Pete Lowdenin Events, General, News

Here is an update to the news from last month.

Firstly an apology. I wonder how many times I’ve started this item with that phrase. Answers on a postcard please.

Anyway, due to a mix-up, I will not be giving talks on Hull General Cemetery for this year’s Heritage Open Days. I would also like to state that the mix-up was not my fault.

Suffice to say that I noticed that the talks were not in the brochure. I pointed this out and after much apologising by the organisers I was asked if I still wanted to give the talks although they were not in the brochure

I decided not to as it would be confusing to people. The talks will take place next year. To be quite frank I have too much on and not giving these talks was a boon. News

Wrecking Ball, Whitefriargate

I will be giving a talk on the Spanish Flu in Hull 1918-19 on Wednesday, September 15th.

The venue is now The Wrecking Ball. I’m informed that it has no disabled access sadly. I’m also unaware of any booking facility nor how many the people the venue can hold. Many of the regular venues that are usually used for HODS have been found wanting in some way or another. Hopefully by next year those issues should be resolved.

To be able to hold a HODS this year has been an arduous process undertaken, at least in Hull, by just two people. John Netherwood and his wife Christine.

After last year’s events had to be cancelled, and with the uncertainty this year, I think we are lucky that it is going ahead.

Taken from Punch - A recent picture of a family enjoying hgc

Guided Walks

I will also be taking guided walks around Hull General Cemetery. These will take place on Saturday the 11th and the 18th. Both walks will meet at Princes Avenue corner.

The first walk begins at 11.00 a.m. whilst the second walk will begin at 1.30.

Stout footwear is recommended and each walk takes roughly two hours.

I’m hopefully to be accompanied by another of the FOHGC volunteers, Helen Bovill, who will point out the environmental aspects of the site.

I know there’ll be more news later, especially about the work in the Quaker’s site. However that will be written up later.

Thanks

http://www. hullandbeverleyheritagestore.co.uk

John Lumsden

by Bill Longbonein Facebook Archive, General, History, Volunteers

Another Mayor of Hull buried in Hull General Cemetery is John Lumsden.

Scottish roots

Originally from Edinburgh, he married his wife, Jane Sinclair Campbell Coghill there in 1836, moving to Hull soon after their marriage. They had 7 children. The family originally lived in Dock Street, where, in 1851, John was recorded at being a carrier and shipping agent.

With the rapid growth in the trade of Hull, John became a member of The Exchange. He was also an advocate of the railways, particularly the Hull & Selby Railway and was a patron of the Sailor’s Orphanage on Spring Bank.

Death of wife

In 1859 his wife Jane died whilst giving birth to their 4th son Sinclair Campbell.

John was obviously successful, and in 1860 he joined partnership with Brownlow, Pearson & Co shipbuilders, formed by William Brownlow and William Hunt Pearson. The company was now known as Brownlow, Lumsden & Co. and they built many ships both in Hull & Hartlepool.

By 1861 John had moved away from Dock Street to 27 Lister Street, where he is noted a ship owner and agent in the census of that year.

Second marriage

In 1862 he married again. This was to a member of his wife’s family, Agnes Auld Coghill.

He became mayor of Hull in 1863. In 1864 William Brownlow died, and Lumsden took on engineer, CD Holmes, who eventually became a partner in the business.

Southfield House

John had Woodfield’s House built in Southfield, Hessle in 1867, which still remains to this day as the Emmanuel Care Home.  His son John died of heart disease there the following year aged just 28.

Brownlow, Lumsden and Co were eventually taken over by the Ellerman Wilson Line.

Death

John died in 1876 aged 71. His 2nd wife, Agnes Auld died in 1899. He is buried with both of his wives and son John, in Hull General Cemetery, where there is a marble obelisk to their memories.

John Lumsden memorail