I said I'd talk about another cemetery and here we go again...I preferred the monuments in the Ladywell and Brockley cemeteries over the Nunhead cemetery although I loved Nunhead for the park like atmosphere - and general spookiness!
Ladywell and Brockley cemetery were once separated by a brick fence but that has since fallen apart and you can walk from one to the other if you tread carefully.
The most unusual monument is the grave of a young 17 year old girl named Jane Clouson who was murdered in 1871 by her lover. However this was never proved in a court of law and he was never convicted. Poor Jane had a tragic life - losing her sister at a young age and her mother at age 13. At the age of 14 she then went to work as a servantmaid for the Pook family. She soon began an affair with one of the sons named Edmund. When this was discovered by his parents Jane was banished and went to live with extended family. The lovers wrote each other but unfortunately neither kept the letters. Well you know the story, Jane discovered she was pregnant and arranged to meet her lover to run away together,. She was found beaten to death and when discovered named her lover. It took her days to die and she was said to keep repeating "just let me die". Her lover was charged with the murder however her uttering his name was considered heresy and of course being a wealthy family - once again you know the rest. It was a huge controversy in Victorian London and people were outraged as they felt Edmund got off because he was of a higher class, Her funeral was huge and people lined the streets. Her pall bearers were women in maid's uniforms. A committee was formed and money was raised for her memorial. Here it is...
The rest had no story I was aware of although all our lives have stories... just not as dramatic as poor Jane Clouson.
Ladywell and Brockley cemetery were once separated by a brick fence but that has since fallen apart and you can walk from one to the other if you tread carefully.
The most unusual monument is the grave of a young 17 year old girl named Jane Clouson who was murdered in 1871 by her lover. However this was never proved in a court of law and he was never convicted. Poor Jane had a tragic life - losing her sister at a young age and her mother at age 13. At the age of 14 she then went to work as a servantmaid for the Pook family. She soon began an affair with one of the sons named Edmund. When this was discovered by his parents Jane was banished and went to live with extended family. The lovers wrote each other but unfortunately neither kept the letters. Well you know the story, Jane discovered she was pregnant and arranged to meet her lover to run away together,. She was found beaten to death and when discovered named her lover. It took her days to die and she was said to keep repeating "just let me die". Her lover was charged with the murder however her uttering his name was considered heresy and of course being a wealthy family - once again you know the rest. It was a huge controversy in Victorian London and people were outraged as they felt Edmund got off because he was of a higher class, Her funeral was huge and people lined the streets. Her pall bearers were women in maid's uniforms. A committee was formed and money was raised for her memorial. Here it is...
The rest had no story I was aware of although all our lives have stories... just not as dramatic as poor Jane Clouson.
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