box hill cemetery 2 - the best of the rest of

So as well as visiting the Myers' grave Perry and I also did a reasonably thorough stroll through the cemetery overall. It was established in 1875 (so, about to turn 150) but I'd say it had its real boom period in the interwar period, hence the style of this unusual structure which greets you not if you come from the road (which is probably where most people come from?) but from the railway line side. 

There are quite a few rustically styled graves, a form you don't see much of and which I have to say I don't hate. I reckon these were really popular for only a few years in the 20s maybe into the 30s but I am speaking from a position of knowing absolutely nothing. 

I am interested in this practice of putting a big tree (well, a small tree with a future) into these gravesite-sized plots. I suppose they might be graves which have lapsed but surely the tree planting is not accidental (I know what you're thinking but I'm pretty certain the dead person's last meal was not a tree seed). 

Here's Box Hill's greatest shame, and not really a secret shame either - it's out there for all to see. I know everyone always makes these kinds of boring observations (so why can't I) - why do people go into jobs where they are required to make very permanent textual contributions if they don't know who to punctuate or spell? 

I suppose it is possible that whoever Gladys' gravestone commissioner was, they insisted on the apostrophe. I suppose it's also possible, but much less, that she herself insisted on the apostrophe. I think more likely someone fucked up and no-one cared. 

Here's a cheerier enterprise. I am kind of imagining a D Gen Late Show-style scenario where Mick's accidentally had this made because he misheard 'when she died she had terrible bloating' as 'make it a ship'. But maybe not. 

I am not totally against this, but I also don't really get it. 

This one has survived remarkably well, looks as fresh as the day they put it there. 

I love a turreted tombstone. 

Aw shit, this plant we put on Uncle's grave has gone a bit crappy. 

Is it dead? 

No, just a bit crappy.

Well, throw it on the ground on the way out, that way everyone who passes will be reminded of the way we treated him before he died, and also, that life is brutal and fleeting. 

Strangely, P & I passed through Box Hill again yesterday - in fact, we drove right past the cemetery. But we were going somewhere else yesterday. Actually, a few somewheres. Stay tuned. 

box hill cemetery 1 - myers grave

I was sufficiently intrigued by this, in the Journal of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects March 1939 pp. 6-7, that I roped (almost literally) Perry into going to see it in real life with me. 

If you ever wondered why no-one employed me to photograph graves for them, the following pictures might explain. They're not excellent, whereas the ones above have a particular kind of grandeur, mine have a particular kind of too many trees. 

Note also nobody's bothered to maintain/replace the teak slats that gave the original structure a little bit more. Also, the restroom or whatever it is to the rear in the first picture is gone now, though that's not completely obvious from my pictures. 

It was a nice quiet day for the cemetery anyway, invasion day, very few people in the vicinity. 

Oh btw in case you were wondering, the Myers aren't buried in the Jewish section of the cemetery because Sidney converted to Christianity at some point and also, because there is no Jewish section of the cemetery. 

The grave is more or less at the western end of North Drive I think.