The parish clerk in epitaph

The Parish Clerk (1907)
 Peter Hampson Ditchfield
[Link]

"The virtues of many a parish clerk are recorded on numerous humble tombstones in village churchyards.

The gratitude felt by both rector and people for many years of faithful service is thus set forth, sometimes couched in homely verse, and occasionally marred by the misplaced humour and jocular expressions and puns with which our forefathers thought fit to honour the dead. In this they were not original, and but followed the example of the Greeks and Romans, the Italians, Spaniards, and French.

This objectionable fashion of punning on gravestones was formerly much in vogue in England, and such a prominent official as the clerk did not escape the attention of the punsters. Happily the quaint fancies and primitive humour, which delighted our grandsires in the production of rebuses and such-like pleasantries, no longer find themselves displayed upon the fabric of our churches, and the "merry jests" have ceased to appear upon the memorials of the dead. We will glance at the clerkly epitaphs of some of the worthies who have held the office of parish clerk who were deemed deserving of a memorial".

John George Hawdon Died 21st May 1919



Buried - Kalkara, Malta [Link]

© Godric Godricson

The only John George Hawdon that I can locate seems to have been born in Kent although there is no other material. John seems to have slipped into a sort of post mortem anonymity.

Interviews about the graveyard



"Health of towns":
an examination of the report
and evidence of the Select Committee:
ofcMr. Mackinnon's Bill: 
.... for establishing
cemeteries around the metropolis.
(p:22 1843)



Mr. Moses Solomons, who resided in Vinegar-yard, Drury Lane, said, his " back staircase windows looked into the churchyard."

This son of Abraham, who seemed to be a somewhat malicious witness with respect to the gentlemen of the spade and pickaxe, gave evidence, on the main point, of the most decisive and remarkable character.

He has resided during fifty-seven years on the margin of one of the most crowded and worst managed grounds in the metropolis, and the result of this extraordinary experiment is as follows :

" Does any exhalation or putrid smell arise from it ? -Sometimes, in summer time. "

Is that very great. - "Yes, very great. "

Have you ever found it affect your health ? - "No".

Nor the health of your family ? - "No."

This testimony of Moses quite confounded the Chairman, who,  returned to the point by a general interrogatory, and obtained from the aged Jew an answer which only made matters worse :-

" Is that a healthy neighbourhood ? - Where I live (on the margin of one of the worst graveyards) is very healthy."

Rev. Henry Hart Milman (1791-1868)

"Health of towns":
an examination of the report
and evidence of the Select Committee:
of Mr. Mackinnon's Bill: 
.... for establishing
cemeteries around the metropolis.
(p:24 1843)

The Rev. Henry Hart Milman [Link], now Rector of St. Margaret's, Westminster, and formerly Rector of St. Mary's, Reading, a witness only second to the Bishop of London, - for he, too, lived in a churchyard seventeen years, - was thus interrogated :

" Generally speaking, do you conceive that there is any evil arising from it, [burial in churchyards,] so far as it comes within your knowledge ? - I should say, none whatever."

Saint Michael - Stockton, Norfolk

Saint Michael - Stockton, Norfolk

Saint Michael - Stockton, Norfolk [Link]

© Godric Godricson