While running the tea and cake stall at the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Summer Community Fair, we had spotted a new heritage trail map. So for this August's walk, we've set off to explore, a four-legged friend joining us for our wander.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is one of the Magnificent Seven London cemeteries, (the other six are Abney Park, Highgate, Kensal Green, Nunhead, Brompton and West Norwood) opened in 1841 in response to rapid population growth and overcrowded urban burial grounds. Now, it's a leafy place full of human stories.
We started at the Grade 2 listed Westwood monument, then paused at the Barnardo's memorial nearby, to three of his children and the many Barnardo's children buried in the cemetery. Beyond the Masonic graves was the grave of music hall artist and pugilist Alexander Hurley. There were anglicised names; seafaring stories; the victims of the Bethnal Green tube station disaster in WWII kept quiet at the time. In a row of carved angels was the monument to celebrated Poplar publican Charlie Brown, who had a proper East End send-off – on the day of his funeral, the pavements were lined six people deep. And we looked for the primary school teacher and settlement worker Clara Grant, who changed the way her school worked, providing hot breakfasts, clothes, shoes and 'farthing bundles' – tiny toys made from scraps.
As we walked and chatted, we took a closer look at graves' text where it had worn away, wondered about the burials marked only by reference letters and dates, spotted wildflowers, berries, butterflies dancing and admired a magnificent tiger moth perched obligingly on an information board.
Our stop for coffee and delicious snacks was the Mile End Sandwich Bar, where the cheery member of staff coped admirably with the sudden arrival of seven of us.
Fancy joining us for a walk? Look out for our next Coming Up blogpost for news.
Our thanks to Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park for publishing this new way to explore the park. Printed leaflets are available on its shop, or there are free PDFs of the map and text.
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