St Paul’s Five Miles Away

This afternoon Jackie shopped at Lidl. My contribution was to read while she carried out the task; then to load and unload the car.

Later I scanned the last batch of slides from my visit to

Nunhead Cemetery in September 2008.

These two angelic scenes are different shots, the second converted to black and white. I would be interested in readers’ preferences.

This small classical temple, standing at a major pathway junction, is a ‘Monument for Vincent Figgins (1767-1844). c.1844. Designer: William Pettit Griffith. Portland stone. Vincent Figgins was a “City of London typefounder who worked his way up from apprentice. On his retirement in 1836 he handed over to James and his elder brother Vincent II. . . . James took an interest in City affairs and became MP for Shrewsbury from 1868 to 1874.” ‘ https://victorianweb.org/sculpture/funerary/156.html

This mausoleum was constructed by Doulton of Lambeth, ‘for Mrs Laura Stearns of Twickenham who died in 1900. Her father, William Chillingworth, a wine merchant, is buried next to her in his own sepulchre. They were the owners of Radnor House in Twickenham, known locally as Pope’s Villa because it was built on the site of Alexander Pope’s original house, which still stands and is now an independent school.’ http://thelondondead.blogspot.com/2013/10/stearns-mausoleum-nunhead.html

This, the most expensive tomb in the cemetery, is ‘Monument for John Allan (1790-1865). 1867. Sculptor: Matthew Noble. Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, London SE15. According to a cemetery plaque, “His son and partner, Col. Jon Harrison Allan was an amateur archeologist. It was probably he who designed the massive family tomb based on the Payava tomb at Xanthos.” ‘ https://victorianweb.org/sculpture/funerary/152.html

These 1914-1918 Commonwealth War Graves carry headstones to servicemen from Canada, South Africa’ and New Zealand.

At the time of my visit with John Turpin, volunteers had cleared a viewing spot at High Point in order to open up the vista of St Paul’s Cathedral, 5 miles away.

This evening we dined on second helpings of yesterday’s delicious cottage pie meal, followed by apple and blackberry pie and custard, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank water.

74 comments

  1. Our local Episcopal church is also called St. Paul’s. I have seen several throughout the United States including Key West with that same name. Are you ill or on medication that you are drinking water? Great pictures. The black and white looks like it is from Victorian times.

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  8. Hello there 🙂 Of the two angel photographs I like the colour photo the best – there is something of the lush greens and growth and moss around the place of rest. Life goes on, it seems to say x

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  11. Beautiful! Both colour AND B&W photos speak and evoke emotions…but the colour one you shared really grabs my attention! 🙂
    Love the light and shadows you capture!
    (((HUGS))) 🙂
    PS…I hope your headache goes away soon!

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  12. I would instinctively say I prefer the black and white scene, as it is more atmospheric to me, which suits the subject. But in this case, I think the detail is clearer in the colour image, so prefer that.
    I do hope that your headache is no more.

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  13. My preference echoes Emma’s. Wonderful volunteers at Undercliffe Cemetery in Bradford unearthed my Whitley ancestors headstone from massive overgrowth and I am currently providing potted histories to their Facebook page.

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  14. War Graves headstones seem to have the same design in most countries.

    Jackie, you have made my mouth water with the apple and blackberry pie and custard. Yum.

    Water? Derrick. Maybe I should send you some of our local wines if you have run out. 😉

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  17. Lovely and all very atmospheric Derrick. I’m always more drawn to colour, especially in nature. Hope you’re feeling well.

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    1. Thanks very much, Miriam. You may know that the book was printed in black and white for reasons of cost – a decision taken by the publisher at the last minute

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  18. I prefer the angelic image in color. It looks closer to me than the black and white, and the detail is richer. I like how you and Jackie divide tasks so clearly. Sleep well with sweet dreams and feel better tomorrow.

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  19. I do enjoy the photos in color or B&W, Derrick, but for some reason I prefer cemeteries in black & white. I suppose it fits the other worldly, sleeping residents character of them.

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  20. No wine, oh, no that’s serious! I hope this morning finds you feeling better.

    The black and white images transport me into a Dickensian era, but I prefer the coloured images that look through the foliage at glimpses of the past.

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  21. In monochrome photography, the contrasts are, in my opinion, more striking and prettier.
    But I would like to know if you photograph directly in monochrome (an adjustment that can be made on certain types of camera) or if you make the modification on software?
    PS: when you shoot directly in monochrome by adjusting the camera, you no longer have the possibility of going back to color, so it’s a deliberate choice.

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    1. I make my adjustments later. Mostly it is only then that I am sure that the form or mood demands monochrome. In fact my favourite of the two similar pictures is in this case the green one – a different monochrome, but I know some readers prefer b/w which is why I gave the choice.

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  22. For the first pair of photographs I very much prefer the coloured version,because the colours are so beautiful. It looks like the cover of a late sixties rock album.
    What a pity that those young men from Canada, South Africa’ and New Zealand lie so very far from home. When they came back to fight the mother country’s war for them, they should have been given the option of whether they wanted to be taken back to a graveyard in their own country if they were killed.

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  23. I hope you’re feeling better now, Derrick. I like black and white, but in the case of the angel shot, I prefer the color. I don’t think this particular black and white picks up all the nuances and tones.

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  24. Color. The lush green gives the angel a sense of mystery and melancholy. The black and white photo is too stark for my taste. Sometimes starkness is exactly what a photo needs, but not in this case.

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  25. Is a “cottage pie” like a chicken pot pie? Whatever it is, I bet it’s delicious.
    Your photos give such a mystical sense. In the “angelic” scene, for some reason I prefer the green over the black and white. By being almost all green, the angel stands out so … angelically, but also as if she’s truly walking in the woods.

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  27. I’m glad to hear your headache is better today, Derrick. Of the two angel photos, I like both equally, for different reasons. The color has more detail and contrast, while the black-and-white is more atmospheric. The last photo reminds me of Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Mass, where you can see the Boston skyline through the trees in places.

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