Comments on: Music Hall Artistes In Abney Park Cemetery

By: Virginia Heaven

Virginia Heaven — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 03:13:11 +0000

Thanks for another great post. Quite a few of my family are buried in Abney Park Cemetery. I remember visiting in the early 70s just on the off chance I would find my maternal grandparents and my cousin David. When I saw the size of the place I wavered, and thought it would be impossible. But after a short while I found them; it seemed so strange to find their graves amongst so many. Plus, our family sang many of the songs listed at our “knees ups”. So this post was a double memory pleasure for me.

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 13:30:51 +0000

I loved making the acquaintance of these new-to-me thespians. The photo of Herbert Campbell sent me into a reverie of imagination. I could picture him at his crowded dressing table, going through the paces of applying his grease paint, flipping on his wig (failing to straighten it) and pulling on the eternal regal robes. I imagine a back stage dresser, running after him……”Wait up — You forgot your crown, sir!”.

Hurrah and huzzah!

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:28:33 +0000

I lived in a tower block in Cazenove Road the 70’s which is just over the road from this historic cemetery which is well worth a visit. There were a few sad events in the block and it was rumored that the Estate was built over a part of the extended cemetery which was excavated and the remains removed and the land reclaimed for building a long time ago . Apparently the cemetery was much larger . It could possibly have been a separate cemetery as Stoke Newington High Street separates the land . Some residents claimed this as the reason for the sudden cluster of unfortunate events which occurred whilst we lived there.
A chilling story on a rainy day ! All I can say is that my family lived there quite happily for 10 years until we eventually moved.

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 10:47:49 +0000

Thank you GA this has cheered me up on a very wet, dark Monday morning, I enjoy seeing photos of Abney Park Cemetery as several members of my family are buried there and I have, so far, never managed to visit it. The Music Hall Artistes interest me too as my grandfather was a friend of one whose name always escapes me, one side of his face was painted white and the other black, does anyone know who he was and whether he is buried in Abney Park?

By: Jim Keltz

Jim Keltz — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 09:45:36 +0000

Music Hall seemed an incredibly dangerous occupation. Few of your examples lived to be 50. Intrigued to know why they died so young.

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 08:37:53 +0000

Having recently been to a gig at Wilton’s Music Hall I can just imagine all these wonderful characters performing there.

But how sad that some of them died so young – what a waste!

By: Di Corry

Di Corry — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 07:22:01 +0000

Another trip down memory lane …..reminding me of some of the songs sung to me by my great grandmother. ” The boy I love is up in the gallery” was one of my favourites.

By: Marie-Anne Knight

Marie-Anne Knight — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 05:40:24 +0000

Just out of interest, did you also see the white tomb for Frank Bostock? A rather magnificent lion lies on top of it!

By: Lewis Jones

Lewis Jones — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 05:15:25 +0000

Thank you. This is wonderfully evocative.