There is a cafe in the Crypt of St Martin -in-the-Field church in Trafalgar Square which I often use to meet friends. Whilst there yesterday I wandered into the gallery where there are memorial stones which I assume were taken from the original graveyard of the church. As I was looking at them I came across this one for Henry Croft who died in 1930. Henry was the original Pearly King as I mentioned in my post on New Year's Day:
http://60andthenext10.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/new-years-day.html
This was the most recent memorial I saw there as the others were hundreds of years old:
These 3 lived in London during the 1600s but survived two of the worst events- the Plague and the Great Fire. There were often outbreaks of the Plague but the worst one was in London in 1665 when more than 100,000 people died, that was one quarter of the city's population. Then a year later there was the Great Fire that destroyed so much property but remarkably there were only five people noted for losing their lives. Seven-eighths of the city burnt down including 13,000 houses and 84 churches as well as St Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren set about designing a new city where the houses were not built so close together.
Linking with 'Our World Tuesday'
The amount of time and money that must have been spent on these is remarkable. One assumes the rest of humanity were just put in the ground, with no less grief, but a good deal less ceremony!
ReplyDeleteStewart M - Melbourne
Amazing that the first two lived into their seventies. It must have been rare in those days. You certainly see some interesting old artifacts. Thanks for sharing them with me. :-)
ReplyDeleteSometimes you are really surprised that people lived to a certain age in those times. I mostly had the idea that many died young of disseases.
ReplyDeleteIt still amazes me to read about all of the horrible diseases and disasters which killed so many people for so many years. In our country, Flu outbreaks killed many.
ReplyDeleteGreat history today, Marie. I always enjoy going to cemeteries and reading the tombstones.. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy
I love the history today, too, but what horrors the diseases and disasters were and so many, many lives lost! Amazing and very moving post for the day, Marie! Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful week! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHope you will post more of these!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteA moving mean to measure time and life indeed. Yet way to important to forget. Please have a good Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteGreat story.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy these snippets of history! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with betty, Love the history lessons a snippet at a time!
ReplyDeleteI think it cool that these have lasted so long.
ReplyDeleteSo fascinating! I must visit next time I'm in London.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! I do like how brief histories were written about the folks who passed and I marvel at how mankind survives the tragedies in their histories to become even stronger in the end.
ReplyDeletea beautiful memorial with a great sense of history.
ReplyDeleteWow! Most interesting post and great photos ~
ReplyDeleteA Creative Harbor) aka ArtMuseDog and Carol ^_^
Lovely to have you 'visit' .
Very interesting to read what happened in those times. Nice photo's
ReplyDeleteInteresting history and born and raised in the newest parts of this new country (Pacific Northwest) I continue to be awed and amazed to think about what you live with every day.
ReplyDeleteI love stories like this! "lyeth" reminds me so much of Bible language (the old English version)
ReplyDeleteFascinating!
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