Cast-Iron Grave Markers
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ASSOCIATION FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY IilIFIT:TI-r-L Volume 15 Number 3 1988 Etna and Filmer and Mason Cast lron 'Gravestones' recovered trom a rubbish heap at Wisborough Green, Sussex CAST IRO}I GRAVESTOI{ES included 'wife or child of By the mid- FOU N DR I ES AN D SU PPLI ERS 1700s, the headstones had become more elab- Sixteen cast crosses made by Dennings, an Gravestones and Industrial Archaeology What orate, sometimes with a skull and cross-bones agricultural foundry at Chard in Somerset, were is the connection and how can it be justiiied above the inscription This later gave way to found over 500 miles away near Ballachulish on within this discipline? They earn their place in cherubs and symbols of time passing, such as the west coast of Scotland These have the I A much as street furniture, letterboxes and hourglasses and scythes, while musical instru- makers name (Denning & Co Chard)and model milestones do; they are the product of an indus- ments and trade tools were also represented (No 6) cast on them and are dated between try, but are not an industry in themselves, and By the start of the 19th century, it was common 1876 and 1901 This foundry produced 13 dif- have in the past been very much under-re- for the middle classes to mark their graves, and ferent models in three sizes, the largest being searched and under-recorded We have only in the Victorian era the headstone became most eight feet tall They are most common in Devon, been able to trace three articles which deal with elaborate, in keeping with the style of the times Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Wilts and Sus- the subject in any detail(t) The term'iron grave- The not-so-rich, who could not aflord the cost of sex The remains of this foundrv were oulled stone' is used on purpose as grave memorial such engraving, erected much smaller stones down in 1986 does not have quite the meaning intended, bearing just initials and the year, enough for the Our interest in iron gravestones started in 1984 grave to be identified and often to prevent over- at the graveyard oJ the disused church of Tyn- burial ham in Dorset We realised that the cross next During the latter halJ of the 19th century, a to us, carrying the inscription 'Alice Maud number of small foundries, who had been pro- Cooper aged 4 months, Dec 24 1904', was ducing agricultural implements and their spare also marked 'Denning and Co Card B' So parts, and which were often associated with an began our interest in churchyards and foun- ironmongery business, looked around for other dries. To date we have recorded more than outlets for their skills. They began to produce 1500 examples of 200 different patterns of fireolaces, draincovers and other items which metal headstones and identified over twenty were saleable-and from there, rt was but a foundries which produced them This, however, steo to cast-iron headstones Manufacture was represents only a small sample of the total and soon taken up by the larger ioundries such as is but an introduction to the sublect Watson Gow in Glasgow and spread through- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND out the country After the mutilation and destruction of religious The iron gravestones range from a simple cross monuments during the Commonwealth, more to quite elaborate memorials, with the name of plaques and memorials were placed inside the deceased, their date of death and age cast churches to commemorate the death of the into them Cheaper stock items were available, very rich and important lt was not until the late either completely plain, or with 'R I P', 'l H S 'or 17th century that headstones as we know them some other short message cast into them; the began to be used, and then only to record the name and details could then be painted on as gentry or rich merchants required This enabled them to be produced The stones were usually inscribed with the per- quite cheaply and they were often to be found son's name, age and date of death and often many mrles from their foundry of origin Walsingham Foundry in Norfolk A B c ( V (_ 9-( a, A Locatrons of known suppliers of cast iron gravestones; B Locations of graveslones cast by Haddens ol Warminster; C Locations of gravestones cast by Johnsonsof Leicester; DSomecastirongravestones: l,FilmerandMasonolGuildford,model no 1(height4'),2,Hadensof Warminster,model no 3(cost 16/6 in 1860s, weight 56 lbs), 3, Johnsons of Leicester, model no 3 (height 5'6'),4, Siste Viator, model 384 (approx 2'x3'6"\,5, Typical Etna of Glasgow, found from Cornwall to Essex, aoorox 1' 6" x2' 4" The products of the Etna foundry (Watson Gow orials The lirm was founded in 1858 and conti- locally at 5/-(11) There are over 150 in the local & Co ) in Glasgow may be found all over the nued as a family concern until they sold out in cemetery to this day. These were produced in country, and to date we have lound more than 1962(6), two sizes, the smaller being eighteen inches twenty different models made by this firm. This The Hedges and King agricultural foundry at wide and the larger twenty six was a large foundry in the Gorbels and later in Bucklebury, Berkshire(z), obtained power from Long Melford churchyard contains over 150 Falkirk, producing items ranging from stove a water wheel in the river alongsrde, and this cast iron memorials, some of them are Etna and water pipes to sugar coolers and other still remains although the buildings are now models Five patterns with 'D Ward Melford' plantation castings, bullion sales and lamp- residences They produced large iron slabs cast into them are identical with the Etna ones, posts(2) Some of their designs were registered resembling gravestones in size and shape, and but had been made by the local loundry Other and examples have been found in the patent a cross in circle design, the latest date found foundries, such as Bakers of Compton, also office records at the PRO at Kew Their designs being 1939, but these have only been found in made Etna models but with their own name cast were also copied by other foundries in other the area near Bucklebury. into them so it seems a fair assumption that they parts of the country, presumably under licence. Filmer and Mason were ironmongers in Guild- used the same pattern under licence (Wards oi Long Melford, Stone and Turner o1 ford and their foundry was where the Yvonne One oJ the NorJolk foundries still working is at .1809 Dorking and Baker of Compton are known to Arnaud Theatre now stands Eight models by Great Walsingham This was started in by have cast Etna designs ) The Etna foundry was this manufacturer have been seen in Surrey, the Cornish tamily, and they made various cast- taken over by the Grangemouth lron Company Hampshrre, Hertfordshire and Sussex; in Cock- ings for the agricultural industry War casualties in 1929 The Falkirk lron Co, also oroduced ing Churchyard there are more than twenty ended the male line in 1919; it was sold to the memorials and a 1920 catalogue shows one examples and three are on view rn the Amber- Wright family and continued trading as a measuring 28" by 3O" for 24 shillings(3) One of ley Chalk Pits Museum They also produced foundry until the 1932 depression. In 1938 it these is in Bothkennar Churchyard and another agricultural and domestic products, and cast- was purchased by Barnhams, and renamed at Madborough in Wiltshire Also manufacturing ings for the Portsmouth railway(8) 'The Walsingham Foundry Co' and continues them in Scotland were Smith and Wellstood of An ironmonger in Leicester, W.F,Johnson, must to this day On a recent visit we were shown the Bonnybridge have had a good sales system as their prod- original wooden and the iron patterns, and they Hadens of Warminster were an ironmongers ucts are seen in graveyards from Yorkshire to have made a metal headstone costing e30, who were bought by Cordens in 1892 and are Essex and across to Dorset Eight variations plus VAT, with 'Tony Yoward'on it, but no date. still in business under that name but not making have been recorded, some of them over five (Mary gave it to me for a Christmas present!) cast iron memorials They produce at least 20 feet tall lt does seem likely that Johnson's Also we were shown the box of letters which are models and examples of nearly all ol these products were made by the Wright's foundry added to the pattern and held in place with have been found from Devon to Shropshire(a) and some of the patterns by Perry and Sons, beeswax in order to make the imoression. and across to Essex In 1860 their memorials both of Leicester Pattisons of Leicester were We had not been able to trace the manufacturer ranged lrom a simple 18" cross at 1/6d to a founders but only one of their memorials has who always put 'Siste Viator' (meaning large 7001b cross costing 19 In a testimonial, a been found so far and that is at Foxton(e) 'Journeys End') on the back of their products clergyman describes them as 'artistic, elegant, The Atlas Works at Earls Colne near Colchester Luckily they also registered the design, and a and everlastrng; but withal economical, eccle- is a working foundry, part of Christy Hunt Engin- recent visit to the PRO at Kew revealed them as srastical, and very easily kept in their place'! eering, and their large pattern shop still con- J.