Graves of the famous or quirky tales

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phill.d

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Has anyone got any grave pictures of either the rich, famous or any interesting stories behind them?

The one I think has a great story behind it is this rather plain grave in Woodhouse cemetery in Leeds.
Infact It's so plain you wouldn't look at it twice!

Being for the benefit of Mr Kite, Here lies Pablo Fanque

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While the grave of Eleanor Rigby in Liverpool inspired Paul McCartney. Leeds also boasts a grave stone that played a part in the Beatles song writing history.
The grave of William Darby a.k.a Pablo Fanque can be found in a quiet part of Woodhouse cemetery.
Pablo Fanque had a successful travelling circus in the 1840's. John Lennon bought one of the posters for the spectacular circus show and wrote the song
'Being for the benefit of Mr Kite' on the 1967 Sgt Pepper album.
Pablo's wife Suzanne was killed in a freak accident in 1848.
The big top collapsed while they were playing to a large crowd in the Headrow, Leeds. She was buried in Woodhouse cemetery and Pablo was buried alongside her when he died in 1871.

The song can be listened to here
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uedmGvNBcgc[/ame]

Messrs. K and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none.
A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
And of course Henry The Horse dances the waltz!
:)

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Havent got photos, but I used to tend the graves of a few famous-ish people when I was a sexton in London up at the City of London cemetary. Wish I'd had a camera back then!
 
There are quite a few famous names at Highgate cemetary in London, This rather small grave caught my eye on a tour (a shame you have to follow a tour), that of Richard Smith. Mr. Hovis Bread!

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the new headstone as the original was thiefed :mad: i do have a pic of the original somewhere

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there we go
 
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A little story written on the back of a grave stone near huntingdon
 
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Oxford has the graves of many famous people but this one tucked away in Wolvercote cemetery receives most visits, J.R.R. Tolkien. (not my photo)

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nice thread :)

I'm not sure who we got down here but i'll take look and see who i can find.
 
I got this one in York

The not so dandy highwayman

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The grave of the infamous highway man Dick Turpin can be found outside the city walls in the quiet church yard of St George.
Turpin was a legendary English rogue and a famous historical highwayman. In life Richard Turpin was a violent man who committed offences such as deer stealing, burglary, highway robbery and murder. He became the subject of legend, and was romanticised as the dashing and heroic highwayman in English ballads and popular theatre of the 18th and 19th century, and later in film and television of the 20th century. There is considerable difference between the history and legend of the man. He has been wrongly credited with riding from London to York on his faithful mare, Black Bess, in less than 24 hours. However, the popular Turpin legend contains not a grain of truth. In reality, Turpin's fictitious great ride was made by 17th-century highwayman John 'Swift Nick' Nevison. Time finally ran out for Turpin on the On 7 April 1739. Dick Turpin rode through the streets of York in an open cart, being theatrical and bowing to the gawking crowds. At York Knavesmire, he climbed the ladder to the scaffold and then sat for half an hour addressing the crowd in the manner of an entertainer, chatting to the guards and the executioner before he was hung.
 
Recently visited the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. There's hundreds of famous people buried there, politicians, artists, sportsmen etc. But this one struck me as an impressive headstone.

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At the time I had no idea who was buried there but I was able to translate the name and did some research. Turns out to be a young pilot called Yuri Zykov who was declared a "Hero of the Soviet Union" after being killed in action in 1944; aged just 21.
 
My famous relation: Mr James Byford McCudden, a great Uncle of mine. Some of you may of heard of him, but most probably havent.]

One really needs to ask why more people are not familiar with your illustrious ancestor? This Country is sadly lacking in the Remembrance aspect of 'a life given for one's Country'.

It saddens me that not one commentator, has made mention of probably the most poignant moment in the Cenotaph Service, last Tuesday. As the Last Post sounded, Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC laid a hand on the shoulder of the 108 year old veteran he was escorting. A fleeting moment, nearly missed by the camera, that showed the young soldier knew and understood what was going through William Stone's mind. Two fellow Brothers in Arms, separated by by the years but joined by that unique friendship and loyalty that is borne out of trusting ones life to fellow companions. As civilians we can only guess at the meaning of this fellowship, but we must remember and honour these people. It saddens me to think that in another ninety years, a relative of Lance Corporal Beharry could be repeating your very words.

Remembrance does not glorify war, quite the opposite, if brings home the tragic waste and futility of the act.
 
Highgate

Following on from Mr Bones,we went to Highgate and found these

Harry Thornton,entertainer to the troops during WW1


Patrick Caulfield..artist...love this stone.


Sir Ralph Richardson..actor


Famous activisty guy.



One of my all time fave comedians turned actor



Highgate is a must-see,half of it is quite derelict and the other half has some nice walks...a very interesting place.
 
An area in Wigan known as Pony Dick and how it got it's name. Named after theSquires horse!

Re discovered in the undergrowth,"Old Dick" and his pals!

Info from 'founded on coal' Derek Winstanley, Ray Winstanley
The farm and the mill at Pony Dick have already been mentioned. The wheelwright's shop and the Favourite Pony Dick Inn (also known as the Favourite Pony Inn and Pony Dick Inn, and earlier still The Horse and Jockey)were located where today Ribbesford Road joins Billinge Road. For many years these establishments were run by successive members of the Starkey family,whose descendants still live nearby.

In about 1830 William Starkey came from Cheshire and was put in charge of the horses and stables on Winstanley Estate. Records held by Joseph Starkey include a rent book for the Inn, dating from 1837; so it was probably at this time that William Starkey became landlord. The Inn was previously called The Horse and Jockey, but sometime in the mid-19th Century the name was changed to The Favourite Pony Dick Inn. This was in honour of a white pony that belonged to Squire Meyrick Bankes. When the pony died in 1841, at the grand old age of 36, he was buried in the animal sanctuary near to the Hall.

Meyrick, known affectionately as "th' owd squire" had a reputation as an
eccentric. It is said that on coming home from Scotland he ordered two of his men, riding on the back of his coach, to blow post horns all the way from the present site of Highfield Church to Winstanley Hall, so that all would know that he was back and everything would be in readiness for him.
He was also reputed frequently to wear old clothes, and on one occasion, when he had bought some land a considerable distance from Winstanley and the tenants did not known him, he dressed in his old clothes and asked for money.Those who gave him money were later rewarded by being given ten times the amount in return, but he subsequently refused to acknowledge those who had ignored him.

The ponies and horses became accustomed to turning in to the Pony Dick Inn,where Meyrick was in the habit of calling for a few noggins; but when
distinguished visitors were being chauffered up to the Hall, the coachman had to pull hard on the reins to ensure that the animals turned to the Hall and not to the Inn.

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Catherine Mompesson`s grave

Catherine Mompesson`s grave, Eyam, Derbyshire, the "Plague village"


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History : George Viccars, a tailor who lived in a cottage close to the church (now known as Plague Cottage) was sent some cloth from London in September 1665, the cloth was infected and Viccars died within four days. The Plague spread through the village and the young Rector, William Mompesson, with his predecessor Thomas Stanley, persuaded the villagers to stay in the village and seal themselves off to avoid spreading the infection to the surrounding area. Though a few villagers left (and it is said that Mompesson arranged to send his children out of the village), most stayed, and 257 died (of a total population of perhaps 350) before the Plague died out in October 1666. In August 1666 alone, 78 people died including Mompesson's wife Catherine, who is the only plague victim to be buried in the churchyard
 

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