Curious Epitaphs Part 4

On a gravestone over the remains of William Mather, 1818, are the following lines:--

When he that day with th' Waggon went, He little thought his Gla.s.s was spent; But had he kept his Plough in Hand, He might have longer till'd the Land.

We obtain from a memorial stone at Disley Church a record of longevity:--

Here Lyeth Interred the Body of JOSEPH WATSON, Bur- ied June the third 1753, Aged 104 years. He was Park Keeper at Lyme more than 64 years, and was ye First that Perfected the art of Dri- ving ye Stags. Here also Lyeth the Body of Elizabeth his wife, Aged 94 years, to whom He had been married 73 years.

Reader take Notice, the Long- est Life is Short.

On the authority of Mr. J. P. Earwaker, the historian of East Cheshire, it is recorded of the above that "in the 103rd year of his age he was at the hunting and killed a buck with the honourable George Warren, in his Park at Poynton, whose activity gave pleasure to all the spectators there present. Sir George was the fifth generation of the Warren family he had performed that diversion with in Poynton Park."

We have from Petersham, Surrey, the next example:--

Near the tomb of a Worthy Family lies the Body of SARAH ABERY, who departed this life The 3rd day of August 1795 Aged 83 Years.

Having lived in the Service of that Family Sixty Years.

She was a good Christian an Honest Woman and a faithful Servant.

At Great Marlow a stone states that Mary Whitty pa.s.sed sixty-three years as a faithful servant in one family. She died in 1795 at the age of eighty-two years.

Our next example is from Burton-on-Trent:--

Sacred to the memory of SAMPSON ADDERLY An Honest, Sober, Modest Man (A Character how rarely found;) Whose peaceful Life a circle ran More hallow'd makes this hallow'd ground In Service thirty years he spent And Dying left his well got gains; To feed and cloth, a Mother bent By Age's slow consuming pains: A tender Master, Mistress kind, And Friends, (for many a friend had he) Lament the loss, but time will find His gain through blest Eternity He was near thirty Years a Servant in the Cotton Family and died in its attendance at Buxton the 30th of September 1760 Aged 48.

Also adjoining to him was laid his Aged Parent who died the 21st of February following.

From a gravestone at Sutton Coldfield we have a record of a long and industrious life:--

Sacred to the memory of JOHN FISHER, day labourer, who died May 17th in the Year 1806 in the 91st Year of his Age, having served two Masters at Moore Hall in this Parish, upwards of fifty years, Faithfully, Industriously, and Cheerfully.

He was in his Imployment eight weeks before he died.

This Stone is inscribed to his Memory by his last Master, as a pattern to Posterity.

Our next inscription is from Eltham, Kent:--

Here lie the Remains of MR. JAMES TAPPY who departed this life on the 8th of September 1818, Aged 84.

After a faithful Service of 60 years in one Family, by each individual in which, He lived respected, And died lamented by the sole Survivor.

At Besford, Worcestershire, is a gravestone to the memory of Nathaniel Bell and his wife, both of whom lived over sixty years each in the Sebright family.

At Kempsey, Worcestershire, is a tombstone on which appears the remarkable record of seventy-seven years in the service of one family:--

To the Memory of MRS. SARAH ARMISON, who died on the 27th of April 1817 Aged 88 years.

77 of which she pa.s.sed in the Service of the Family of Mrs. Bell Justly and deservedly lamented by them, for integrity, rect.i.tude of Conduct, and Amiable Disposition.

We have not noted a more extended period than the foregoing pa.s.sed in domestic service.

At Tidmington, Worcestershire, is a gravestone to the memory of Sarah Lanchbury, who died at the age of seventy-seven years; she was the servant of one gentleman fifty-six years.

A stone in the old abbey church at Persh.o.r.e, in the same county, bears an inscription as follows:--

To the Memory of SARAH ANDREWS: a faithful Domestic of Mr. Herbert Woodward of this Place In whose Service she died on the 10th Feby, 1814 Aged 80 having filled the Duties of her humble Station with unblemished Integrity for the long Period of 52 Years.

From Petworth, Suss.e.x, we have the following:--

In Memory of SARAH BETTS, widow, who pa.s.sed nearly 50 Years in one Service and died January 2, 1792 Aged 75.

Farewell! dear Servant! since thy heavenly Lord Summons thy worth to its supreme reward.

Thine was a spirit that no toil could tire, "When Service sweat for duty, not for hire."

From him whose childhood cherished by thy care, Weathered long years of sickness and despair, Take what may haply touch the best above, Truth's tender praise! and tears of grateful love.

In the year 1807, died, at the age of eighty-five years, Mary Baily. She was buried at Epsom, and her gravestone says: "She pa.s.sed sixty years of her life in the faithful discharge of her duties in the service of one family, by whom she was honoured, respected, and beloved."

A gravestone at Beckenham, Kent, bears testimony to long and faithful service:--

In memory of JOHN KING who departed this Life 29th of December 1774 aged 75 years.

He was 61 years Servant to Mr. Francis Valentine, Joseph Valentine, and Paul Valentine, from Father to Son, without ever Quitting their Service, Neglecting his Duty, or being Disguised in Liquor.

From the same graveyard the next inscription is copied:--

Sacred to the Memory of WILLIAM CHAPMAN of this Parish, who died December the 25th 1793 Aged 77 years.

Sixty years of his life were pa.s.sed under the Burrell Family, three successive Generations of which he served with such Intelligence and fidelity, as to obtain from each the sincerest respect and Friendship, leaving behind him at his Death the Character of a truly Honest and good Man.

The poet Pope caused to be placed on the outside of Twickenham Church a tablet bearing the following inscription:--

To the Memory of MARY BEACH Who died Nov. 5th 1725, Aged 78.

Alexander Pope whom she nursed in his infancy and constantly attended for 38 years, in grat.i.tude to a faithful old servant erected this Stone.

When George III. was king, Jenny Gaskoin taught a Dames' School at Great Limber, a rural Lincolnshire village. From the stories respecting her which have come down to us it would appear that her qualifications for the position of teacher were somewhat limited. It is related that in the children's reading lessons words often occurred which the good lady was unable to p.r.o.nounce or explain. She was too politic, however, to confess her ignorance on such occasions, and had resource to the artful evasion of saying, "Never mind it, bairns; it is a bad word; skip it."

Dame Gaskoin had a son who obtained the situation of a "helper" in the royal stables. For a slight offence the youth was whipped by the Prince of Wales, when in a momentary fit of anger. It would appear that the Prince regretted his conduct, for he promoted the boy to give him redress for the dressing he had bestowed. Young Gaskoin had the good fortune to be able to introduce his sister Mary into the service of the princesses. By exemplary conduct she obtained the esteem of the royal family. The maiden on one occasion ventured to observe that the rye-bread of Lincolnshire, such as her mother made, was far superior to that which was used at court. This caused the request to be made, or rather a command given, that some of the aforesaid bread should be forwarded as a specimen. The order was complied with, and gave complete satisfaction. The good schoolmistress was afterwards desired to send periodically up to town bread for the royal table.

During a visit to the metropolis to see her daughter the old lady had the honour of an interview with the princesses. She wore a mob cap of simple form, which took the fancy of the royal ladies to such a degree that it was introduced at court under the name of "Gaskoin Mob-Cap."

We have little to add, save that the daughter remained in the royal service, attending especially upon the person of the Princess Amelia, and the labour and anxiety she underwent in ministering to the princess in her last illness, combined with sorrow for her death, caused her to follow her royal mistress to the grave after a short interval. In the cloisters of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, is a memorial creditable to the monarch who erected it, and the humble handmaid whom it commemorates:--

KING GEORGE 3{d} caused to be interred near this place the body of MARY GASKOIN, Servant to the late P{ss} Amelia And this tablet to be erected In testimony of His grateful sense of the faithful services And attachment of An amiable young woman to his beloved Daughter Whom she survived Only three Months She died the 19th of February 1811 Aged 31 years.

Over the remains of freed slaves we have read several interesting inscriptions. A running footman was buried in the churchyard of Henbury, near Bristol. The poor fellow, a negro, as the tradition says, died of consumption incurred as a consequence of running from London!

"Here Lieth the Body of SCIPIO AFRICa.n.u.s Negro Servant to ye Right Honourable Charles William Earl of Suffolk and Brandon who died ye 21 December 1720, aged 18 years."

On the footstone are these lines:--

"I, who was born a Pagan and a Slave, Now sweetly sleep, a Christian in my grave.

What though my hue was dark, my Saviour's sight Shall change this darkness into radiant light.

Such grace to me my Lord on earth has given To recommend me to my Lord in Heaven, Whose glorious second coming here I wait With saints and angels him to celebrate."

Our next is from Hillingdon, near Uxbridge:--

Here lyeth TOBY PLESANT An African Born.