Douglas Adams, the writer of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is buried in the East Cemetery. I thought the cup of pens by his gravestone instead of flowers was a very clever tribute to him.
Karl Marx is also buried in the East Cemetery. After taking this photo, I quickly realised that I was in a cemetery and maybe I should be more somber.
Mary Ann Cross (aka George Eliot), the author of Silas Marner, is also buried in the East Cemetery.
The pop artist, Patrick Caulfield, is also buried here. I'm not familiar with his work but I liked his gravestone.
The West Cemetery is only accessible by a guided tour due to strict security to protect some very valuable gravestones. The photo below features the chapel where Victorian funeral services took place. Because of the strict security at the West Cemetery, the Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko, is buried here. Our guide said that there is a threat of radiation contamination if his lead-lined coffin is tampered with.
George Wombwell of Wombwell's Travelling Menagerie is buried in the West Cemetery. The lion featured on his grave is William, the first to be bred in captivity in Britain.
Wombwell's coffin is made from oak timber from the ship the Royal George, which was given to him by Prince Albert after Wombwell helped him with an issue with his dogs.
Our guide pointed out the symbols that were often used on Victorian headstones. The swords would have represented the person's occupation and the swords facing downward represent that they were deceased. The circle wreaths represented life eternal.
The broken pillar (in the background to the right) represents a life cut short. The three blocks on the grave in the foreground represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This man was a famous wagon teamster so his occupation is represented with the whip on his gravestone and the upside down horseshoes on the pillars surrounding the grave.
For all the Doctor Who fans out there...Don't Blink!
I really enjoyed touring Highgate Cemetery. It was interesting to hear about Victorian funerals and see some very ornate graves.
Dear Rachael,
ReplyDeleteWe are currently preparing an exhibition about Karl Marx’ “Das Kapital” opening in September 2017 at the Museum der Arbeit (Museum of Work), Hamburg, Germany. This exhibition looks into the history and today’s relevance of the book as well as its impact on individuals and society.
For one section, we would like to present photographs, which show the present of Marx – including pictures of people who visit his grave.
I’ve found a picture of you and would like to ask, if it is okay to present this photo in a series of photos in a projection in the exhibition and in the exhibiton’s catalogue. You would help me a lot! I would be happy, if you could answer me: sedef.karakan@museum-der-arbeit.de
With best regards,
Sedef