Frederick Gore – The Closing of the Churchyard

The re-imagined story …

I bet there will be a good attendance for the funeral of Mr Gore; he was a popular man and well liked.  Some will be there out of friendship, others in respect, but I can tell you there will be plenty who just turn up out of curiosity. After all, it will be the first funeral at the new cemetery.

Rev. Ponsonby had announced the closure of St Mark’s churchyard in the August edition of the parish magazine. Who would have thought a burial ground could fill up so quickly, the church had only been dedicated thirty years previously. It was rumoured that with the coming of the railway factory the life expectancy in the town had dropped to under 30 years. Unbelievable! That’s worse than in my parents day when the average job was on the land.

I suppose Mr Gore had done well to live to the age of 54. Perhaps if he had died in the middle of winter people would have been less keen to climb up Kingshill to visit the new cemetery. There’s even talk of some bringing a picnic. Unbelievable!

Images are of the churchyard at St. Mark’s Church.

The facts …

The New Cemetery – On Sunday evening last, when giving out the usual weekly notices at St Mark’s Church, the Rev. M.J. Ponsonby took occasion to remind his congregation that in accordance with the order received some time previously from the Local Government Board, the churchyard would be closed for burial on the following day, remarking that as neither the ground or the Church at the New Cemetery were consecrated, any of the congregation wishing to have the first part of the service performed over their dead in a consecrated building, could have it done at the Church, by giving not less than one day’s notion – The first interment in the Cemetery, will, it is believed, take place this (Saturday) afternoon, at half past three, the deceased being a painter named Frederick Gore, recently employed in the GWR Works, who died on Tuesday morning. Gore had often, we are told, during his long illness, expressed a wish to be buried in the Cemetery, if it was sufficiently advanced at the time of his death, and, although a member of the Baptist church, had obtained a promise from the Rev M. Ponsonby, who had visited him, that he would officiate at the funeral, and allow his body to be taken into the church. It is somewhat remarkable that Gore died within an hour or two of the time the order for closing St Mark’s Churchyard came into force.

The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday August 6, 1881.

The Closing of the Churchyard

Dear Friends,

We are no longer allowed to bury in our Churchyard, except under certain circumstances.  It was, we all know, necessary that this regulation should be passed, but this will not prevent the great regret of many that they cannot lay the bodies of their dead in the hallowed precincts of the Church.

Probably no part of the public cemetery will be consecrated; but a prayer authorised by the Bishop, will be said by the Priest over each grave, and that particular spot in the cemetery will thus be solemnly dedicated to Almighty God.

Many who have been accustomed to carry their Blessed Dead into the Church in which they have worshipped, and which is set aside for God’s service, will feel aggrieved at entering an unconsecrated building, such as that which has been erected in the Cemetery. 

I have, therefore, arranged that, where it seems fit, the body may be brought first to the Church, when the usual service will be performed, and may be carried thence direct to the cemetery, where the service will be concluded.

Application for permission to do this should be made to one of the Clergy not later than the day preceding the burial.
I remain,

Your affectionate Friend and Vicar,

Maurice Ponsonby

St Mark’s Parish magazine, August 1881.

Swindon

The first interment in the new cemetery will take place on Saturday afternoon, St. Mark’s Churchyard now being closed. The laying out of the cemetery will not be completed until the end of next month.

The Western Daily Press, Bristol, Saturday August 6, 1881.

Frederick was buried on August 6, 1881. The service was conducted by Rev. Ponsonby. Frederick was buried in plot A140, a public or pauper’s grave. He lay there alone for more than 20 years. In 1902 Ann Bishop, a widow from 16 Stanley Street was buried in the same plot and in 1918 27-year-old Emily Annie Walklett of 188 Beatrice Street was also buried there.

The second burial to take place that day was that of Albert Edward Wentworth, a one month old baby from Gilberts Hill, New Swindon.

You may also like to read:-

Charles Herbert Henry Gore – Swindon Museum’s First Curator