On the laying out, planting, and managing of cemeteries; and on the improvement of churchyards. With sixty engravings / by J. C. Loudon.
- Loudon, J. C. (John Claudius), 1783-1843.
- Date:
- 1843
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: On the laying out, planting, and managing of cemeteries; and on the improvement of churchyards. With sixty engravings / by J. C. Loudon. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
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![desirable; I merely take it as it is, and rearrange it thus. No. of inter- ment; name, description, and residence of the deceased ; age; disease (this will, however, be of no value unless it be certified by a medical man) ; date and'hour of bm-ial; officiating clergyman; sexton; undertaker: all these relate to the past. The following refer to the future: No. of grave ; in what part of cemetery; monumental distinction, purchaser, and date ; amount for interment; sum paid for keeping in order the grave, &c., and time during which, &c. P. 43. Ledger. I think there ought to be a corresponding ledger, showing what duties are to be performed towards each grave, in double form. First, classed numerically. No. I. Stone to be kept in order for ten years ; date at which the liability commences and ceases. No. 5. Flowers to be planted, &c. &c. Again, in another form. Gravestones to be kept in order: Nos. 7. 12., &c., &c. Flowers to be planted : Nos. 5. 9. 13., &c. &c. Or, perhaps, the same end might be obtained by having a map with a distinctive colour for each kind of duty, so that the attendants and managers might see at a glance that the whole was correctly performed. Map Book. The scales adopted should be uniform, and should be some multiple of the scale used in the township plan or government survey. Rides and regulations, &c. If you propose to make your work a manual, then add a code of these rules, compiled from the best existing codes, with additions. Perhaps these details might accompany the collection of monu- ments which I before suggested. P. iQ. Temjjorary cemeteries, &c. The best purpose to apply what you have designated temporary cemeteries to, would be to plant them and keep them in timber, and so insure that the ground need not be disturbed, at any rate not to a depth that would interfere with the interments. P. 50. Shillibeer's hearse was introduced here [Leeds] a few weeks since, and struck me as a great boon to those who wish to reduce the cost of funerals, and yet fear to do what may be considered not respectful towards the deceased. I cannot say whether it has been much used or not, but I have no doubt of its soon being employed when it is fully known, Mr. Jukes's truck-hearse would, I suppose, answer within the cemetery, as I have already suggested. I should think it is susceptible of very great improvement. The retarding ought to be effected by some mode more consistent with the solemnity required. P. 51. Funeral processions &c. I wish you had enlarged more on the subject of funeral processions and attendants. It would be improper to treat the subject with levity ; but it may be safely asserted that the whole of the arrangements are suitable only to a barbarous age. The dresses and deco- rations are even childish, and many of the accompaniments any thing but appropriate. The heavy and ponderous ornaments are intended to convey an idea at once of solemnity and magnificence ; but how badly are they supported by the appearance of the jaded and foundered horses, and the uncouthness of the drivers! This is a part of the subject that I hope you will take up, and illustrate it by drawings contrasting the present modes with others more' consistent with good taste. It is in vain, at present and at once, to advise the middle classes to retrench in these expenses ; but it may be possible to per- suade them to adopt more rational modes of proceeding. P. 53. The soil of the Cambridge Cemetcrt/, Sec. I think borings should have been taken, to the depth of 10 or 12 feet at the least, and the result stated, as well as the direction of the dip, if any, of the strata. P. 57. line 5. Steps to the chapel, &c. I should object to a flight of .steps, even at the risk of injuring the appearance of the building, as unsuitable to the purpose and inconvenient to those who carry the body ; if it must be elevated, let the ground rise gently : but, if you will have steps, let them be not less than 7 ft. broad, that the bearers may have room to stand at each rise. P. G7. line 31. No evil re.wK.i, &c. That is, of course, no appreciable evil; but I mclinc to think that the gas will still escape, and, though in small](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24401213_0137.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
