Sir William Atherton at Kensal Green Cemetery – he's got plums!

I do love a wander in a cemetery. I visited all of London's 'Magnificent Seven' last year, some for the first time, others were repeat visits because there's always something new to see each time whether flora, fauna or man made monuments.

Kensal Green Cemetery as designed to resemble Paris's Père Lachaise, indeed some people have memorials at both sites (I say 'some' becausee I know of one, so it's likely there are others). Notable famous name graves at Kensal Green are the Brunels, Thackeray, Pinter, Babbage, Rattigan, Blondin and Pete Burns (who I hope isn't still spinning around).

Last time I was there I spotted an intriguing grave with fruit on it and took a few pics to find out more at a later date (that's now!).

The family vault of Sir William Atherton Knt – so he's a Sir and a Knight?!

I thought at first the motif was a pair of lemons, but when I got home and studied the photos, I decided they better resemble plums. Soft fruit at least. But why?

On closer inspection, it's evident that there is a bird (a cock bird?) at the very top standing on something that looks like an acorn (a nut!) which itself is balanced on two plums. The Latin phrase* underneath says 'NEC TEMERE, NEC TIMIDE' which translates to 'neither recklessly nor timidly' suggesting Mr Atherton was fearless – he had balls!

I mean, surely there a link to this symbolism – or am I simply being peurile? 

So, who was he? I decided he must have been a campaigner of sorts, or a politician, or a pugilist. I first checked the list of notable graves on KGC's Wikipedia page but Atherton is not there which seems odd, seeing as his monument is far from small and the man was a Sir, a Knight.

I then checked Find A Grave which lists his monument and describes it as 'a marble chest tomb with a cross' but there is no mention of the fruity design on the end. However, it does confirm my hunch that Atherton was a politician, also holding the position of Solicitor General and Attorney General. 

Further research, most of which can be found on Wikipedia here, shows he was indeed quite a force for good. He had tenacity. He had balls. Though I wonder what the whole family thought of the motif, if indeed they understood its meaning...?!

As regards Kensal Green Cemetery's own website, Atherton is listed in the Politicians section here but his titles of Sir, Knight and QC have been excluded. I wonder what he'd have to say about that?! 

*The motto's exact origin is unknown but it was recently adopted by this Dutch infantry brigade.

The Great Fire Of London – started 350 years ago today

On September 2nd 1666 a fire started at a bakery in Pudding Lane and spread rapidly, blazing away through the neighbouring streets and eliminating away a great swathe of the city.
The event was commemorated in the 1670s by the erection of The Monument on the site of St Margaret’s, the first church to succumb to the flames. The doric column with a golden urn of fire at the top. It's height of 62 metres echoes its distance from the source of the fire.  
Commemorative events and activities throughout the city this weekend. Find out more here.

Greeting cards featuring some of my photos above and many other London landmarks and observations can be found here.

The Victoria Memorial

At the top of the Mall, in the middle of the road directly outside Buckingham Palace is a Grade I listed monument that most Londoners usually ignore or use as a roundabout, and most tourists just sit on to take selfies.

But stop and have a really good look at it next time you are there, for Thomas Brock's Victoria with her marble surround by Sir Aston Webb, is 25 metres tall and covered with wonderful sculptures and friezes relating to justice, truth, peace and victory, as well as nautical references in the form of mermaids and mermen.

The beautifully rendered gauzy outfits and nudity on almost every character (except Victoria herself) ties in really well with a post I wrote last year about all the perky breasts the Victorians liked to depict on their statuary. But, as you can see, the ladies on this magnificent edifice are more realistic. 

These pics have proved to be be very popular within my Flickr photostream. 

It may be because I have included nipples, tit, breast, woman, naked etc in the tags. Ha ha.