Grave Humour

PECANS IN THE CEMETERY

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence.
One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight,
And began dividing the nuts.
'One for you, one for me One for you, one for me,' said one boy.
Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle.
As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery.
He slowed down to investigate..
Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'
He just knew what it was.. He jumped back on his bike and rode off.

Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.
'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard!
Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.'

The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.'

When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.

Standing by the fence they heard ,

'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'

The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth.

Let's see if we can see the Lord.'

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything.

The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter

As they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.

At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all.

Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we' ll be done.'

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

Submarine Tragedy ~ An Anchor Update

In my last post on Anchors, I knew that I had another one that could have joined the collection, it comes from San Michele, Venice.
I'm not sure why I held it back from joining the others, but as I flicked through the pages of 'Stories in Stone, a guide to cemetary symbols and iconography' I saw a symbol that I recognised immediately as that of a dolphin.
I had only believed it to be an insignia that related to this particular monument, for around the circle that frames the dolphin, is the word sommergibili (submarine).

However the dolphin represents Salvation, Transformation and Love and this seems a most appropriate symbol given the circumstances.

The anchor is a real one, maybe even from submarine F14 (if they have them that is) and the story is a real tragedy.

For on the 6th Aug. 1928 the F14 was on manoeuvres with student engineers and at 8.40am was accidentally hit and sunk by the ship 'Missori' that was also engaged in the exercise.

The F14 sank in waters of 40 metres in depth and so a rescue of the vessel began. Telegraph contact was maintained between the rescuers and the submarine, but as the oxygen ran out and carbon dioxide increased, battery acid that had escaped became chlorine gas and by 10.50pm all communications had ceased.

Eventually the F14 was brought to the surface and the bodies of all 27 crew members were recovered.

It was said that the bodies of two sailors were found hugging each other and as their tombs show, they will forever more remain by each others side.

      

The F14 Captain Leuitenant Commodore Isador Wiel wrote in his notebook :

"God , Family, Fatherland. And this will be our Gospel. We will bring our hearts, the impact on your graves because everyone knows how to die as the sailors of Italy."

 

Two Horses

I have seen two identical horses on the graves of 'Travellers' elsewhere and at the time I wondered whether it had been just as a personal preference or if it has a more symbolic meaning for these nomads.
Throughout history, the Romany Gypsies have always been one of the greatest traders in Horses and the Appleby Horse Fair is still one of the biggest events on their calendar.
So maybe it is because of this close lifetime bond with the horse, that Travellers adorn the graves of their loved ones with their image.  
Today whilse visiting Chelmsford Cemetery, Essex, in the section for 'Showmen' and other travellers, I found more examples of the two horses used there.

Click on the bold type link above for more info and some amazing photos

     

The Graveyard Rabbit

In the white moonlight, where the willow waves,

He halfway gallops among the graves—

A tiny ghost in the gloom and gleam,

Content to dwell where the dead men dream,

But wary still: For they plot him ill;
For the graveyard rabbit hath a charm (May God defend us!) to shield from harm!

Over the shimmering slabs he goes—

Every grave in the dark he knows;

But his nest is hidden from human eye,

Where headstones broken on old graves lie.

Wary still! For they plot him ill:

For the graveyard rabbit, though skeptics scoff,

Charmeth the witch and the wizard off!

The black man creeps, when the night is dim,

Fearful, still, on the track of him;

Or fleety follows the way he runs,

For he heals the hurts of the conjured ones.

Wary still! For they plot him ill;

The soul’s bewitched that would find release,

To the graveyard rabbit go for peace!

He holds their secret—he brings a boon,

Where winds moan wild in the dark o’ the moon;

And gold shall glitter and love smile sweet,

To whoever shall sever his furry feet!

Wary still! For they plot him ill:

For the graveyard rabbit hath a charm(May God defend us!) to shield from harm.

   by Frank Lebby Stanton

Anchors

On my recent trip to the cemetery at Southend-on-Sea, I noticed quite a few Anchor memorials, in fact I noticed more here than perhaps you would see elsewhere.
At the time, I just assumed that as we were by the coast, there would for obvious reasons, be a larger number of sea-faring folk buried here and the Anchor would represent their connection with the sea.
I have since found out, that the Anchor is a symbol of Hope and assurance that the person awaits safely in heaven.


However, I did find a Master Mariners grave........

that belongs to Master Mariner John Page, whose headstone says that he died 'of pneumonia after only three days of illness' at the age of 55 years on 2nd April 1900.

The Anchor above is in memory of Ronald James Hockley, who lost his life on board P&O S.S. Baradine in Syndey Harbour on 26th Sept 19?? aged 18 years.

The S.S Baradine was a secondary one-class service to Australia via Cape Town and offered departures every two weeks. By 1926, the third class emigrant trade was collapsing, and in 1929 the route via Capetown was abandoned. The ship was scrapped in 1936 after only 15 years in service.

Was poor Ronald a passenger or a member of the crew ?

Another Anchor below is for William George ( Boy ) Chorvil, born 15th Aug. 1915 who died aged 8 years on 21st Jan. 1923 and also his twin sister, Marjorie Florence Chorvil who died aged 17 years on 7th March 1932. Her epitaph says that she 'Attained her desire' - 'God rest their sweet souls'  

Stairways to Heaven

San Michele Cemetery, Venice, Italy 

Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Chelmsford, Essex

Chelmsford, Essex

Chelmsford, Essex

Stairways and Steps are symbolic of the pathway between Heaven and Earth, which the deceased will ascend as they travel from one realm to another.

   

Ghostly Trees

The trees lining the avenues in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, appear a ghostly white, with their branches stripped bare of any foliage and incased in a shroud of white caterpillar silk, which has the texture of cling film. The trees look like a snow covered scene from the Chronicles of Narnia, but this is June and the summer sun is shining.     

It's all due to the work of the work of the Bird cherry tree ermine moth, which has cocooned the trees for the protection of the caterpillars ~ known as web worms ~ until they become adult moths.

An entomologist in the area said that it has happened before on a much smaller scale, but this year has obviously had perfect conditions for them and that the overnight spectacle would be a once in a lifetime occurrence. He said the reason they have covered the ground and surrounding monuments and benches, is due to them starving and falling to the ground in search of food once the supply of leaves had run out.

The local authority has decided not to spray the trees with anything, but to monitor the progress and the moths are expected to hatch in July.