The work of the Friends of Stockport Cemeteries group, which successfully applied for funding to improve cemeteries in the town, is celebrated in a new permanent display at Stockport Museum.
The most significant cemetery is Willow Grove in Reddish, a place steeped in local and military history that now has a number of trails and a dedicated website for visitors and school groups to learn about its importance.
The exhibition has information about death and burial through the ages, as well as records and photographs revealing how Willow Grove came into being. Objects have been taken out of council storage to complement our research and findings during the project.
Members were involved in making a film of the restoration of one monument that features a sculpted angel under a marble portico. We discovered that it was dedicated to Susannah Bogg, a piano teacher in Levenshulme, who left instructions in her will back in the 1920s that “no less than £500” be spent on a fitting memorial at her graveside.
The memorial once stood in a prime position at Willow Grove but had been laid down for health and safety reasons.
The film captures a retired stone mason – another member of our group –replacing the lead lettering on the monument using the same method that would have been employed when it was first put up in 1925.
Our research revealed that large numbers of people had been buried in communal graves without a marker. In one, there were 28 children and six adults buried over a six-month period. This paints a stark picture of those times, when lots of people died young and many families struggled to afford the cost of a funeral.
As a group, we believe cemeteries should be restful and tranquil places that are also ideal for wildlife.
Our work will hopefully preserve their history for future generations.
Sheila Robins is a member of Friends of Stockport Cemeteries
The most significant cemetery is Willow Grove in Reddish, a place steeped in local and military history that now has a number of trails and a dedicated website for visitors and school groups to learn about its importance.
The exhibition has information about death and burial through the ages, as well as records and photographs revealing how Willow Grove came into being. Objects have been taken out of council storage to complement our research and findings during the project.
Members were involved in making a film of the restoration of one monument that features a sculpted angel under a marble portico. We discovered that it was dedicated to Susannah Bogg, a piano teacher in Levenshulme, who left instructions in her will back in the 1920s that “no less than £500” be spent on a fitting memorial at her graveside.
The memorial once stood in a prime position at Willow Grove but had been laid down for health and safety reasons.
The film captures a retired stone mason – another member of our group –replacing the lead lettering on the monument using the same method that would have been employed when it was first put up in 1925.
Our research revealed that large numbers of people had been buried in communal graves without a marker. In one, there were 28 children and six adults buried over a six-month period. This paints a stark picture of those times, when lots of people died young and many families struggled to afford the cost of a funeral.
As a group, we believe cemeteries should be restful and tranquil places that are also ideal for wildlife.
Our work will hopefully preserve their history for future generations.
Sheila Robins is a member of Friends of Stockport Cemeteries
