Rock Cemetery

[Fynger 841]

Today we went for a walk around Rock Cemetery ( Mansfield Rd ).........Took loadsa pix....will get some put on later...what we wanted to know was....There is a deep hole part with lots of graves in it, mostly laying down flat..There is a steepish path goes down to them which is guarded by a locked gate ( barb wire and spikes )....its on the side of the forest ground.....anyone any ideas why that bit is gated and locked off......people have been in fairly recently as there were some fresh(ish) flowers down there.....its way too big to be one family.....any ideas....Ta.

[katyjay 5,090]

If it's what I think it is, it's the area that has the paupers graves in. Each slab has about 20 names on and their ages. The year is on the slab too, but no actual dates of birth/death. Last time I went there, there was no gate that I can remember, we just walked down a steep path into the 'basin' for want of a better description.

[katyjay 5,090]

Here's a shaky video of the area.

[plantfit 7,580]

Back in the 1700's sand was mined in that area from somewhere near Peel street parallel to Mansfield road unfortunately the miners weren't aware of the ground lowering above them when they got to the other side of Forest road, the result was a collapse of the roof burying the miners and leaving a big hole in the sand stone, there was a bill passed in parliament later in the year banning deep mining for sand hence it is now opencast, this hole in the cemetery could be from that time and used to the cemetery's benefit

Rog

[Fynger 841]

That's it Kath...you see the gate on the vid....it was locked....strange that you cant go down that bit. ??

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Probably somat to do with elf & safety nowdays.

Colin

[mudgie49 401]

The mass graves were the victims of a smallpox or cholera outbreak, that were not uncommon many years ago.

There were several other local cemeteries, that have mass graves, much the same.

Not sure where I read about them, but no doubt a member will come up with the information.

[LizzieM 9,507]

Perhaps the gate is locked now to stop the druggies and winos from congregating down there? I went to a burial in that same area (I think) about 10 years ago. My friend's father was put into the family vault, and they weren't paupers! The ancestor who had originally purchased the plot had lived in that white lodge house at the top of the Forest, on Mansfield Road. There are some amazing monuments and headstones in that cemetery, I think I'll take a walk around there again myself, better take my husband with me though, it's a bit creepy!

[Stan 386]

The mass graves were the victims of a smallpox or cholera outbreak, that were not uncommon many years ago.

There were several other local cemeteries, that have mass graves, much the same.

Not sure where I read about them, but no doubt a member will come up with the information.

Trinity square was one and a cholera one was next to the park on bath street. I`m sure there must be many others. The poor of Nottingham lived in apalling conditions in the 18th and 19th centuries.

[poohbear 1,360]

The rock cemetery was laid out in the 1850s Most of the dead from the cholera outbreak of 1832 were buried in the cemeteries of Barker Gate and St Marys in the Lacemarket.

[katyjay 5,090]

I didn't think it was put there for any outbreak, I have a relative in one of the pauper's graves.

[mudgie49 401]

Thanks' for the correction, I knew there were several sites in the city area, it has to be 40+, years since reading up on the subject.

[katyjay 5,090]

An interesting link about cemeteries, that popped up on Facebook today.

http://nottinghamhiddenhistoryteam.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/a-visit-to-the-local-cemetery/

[annswabey 599]

Details are here, of the paupers graves

http://webspace.webring.com/people/mw/whittakergen_notts/notts/cems/index.htm#Church

[poohbear 1,360]

Details are here, of the paupers graves

Make a note...the way this country's goin'...we'll all need one.

[Fynger 841]

Thanks for all this info.....interesting stuff.

[Sheilastain 7]

Hi Everyone

I have an uncle buried in one of the mass graves in the centre. He died of the Spanish Flu which swept the country after the first world war in 1919 and I believe many of the others there died from the same cause.

Sheila

[DAVIDW 1,681]

Sheila I'm pleased you mentioned that . I still find it hard to believe that my grandma died in 1918 . I don't feel that old to have a grandma dying so long ago.

She died of the Spanish flu too in late 1918 within weeks of one of my Dads elder sisters , who was about 14. My Dad was only 5 at the time and the only other sister left at home , brought up the lads and I presume my Grandad who also died way before I was born.

Not entirely sure where she was buried , my dads brothers said she was buried at Clarborough in North Notts, near her birthplace but wouldnt surprise me if it wasn't at the Rock as it must have been quite a trek in those days to transport a body .

Doesn't seem much info out there on the Spanish flu in Notts .

[Michael Booth 7,364]

From March, 1918, to June, 1920, the Spanish flu pandemic killed between 50m and 100m people world-wide – many more than perished in the First World War (19m).

An invisible enemy was on the rampage.

Many battle-weary soldiers, who somehow survived the horrors of the trenches, succumbed to the virulent disease on their return home.

In Britain, around 250,000 people perished, pouring untold misery on a nation already traumatised by the terrible loss of life on the battlefields.

It's difficult now to comprehend the scale of the pandemic, heavily laden with statistics.

But behind every death was a personal tragedy.

Enid Beeson, of Clifton, says that both her late mother, Lizzie, and her mother's older sister, Rose Leeming, caught the flu in 1918.

"Fortunately, my mother survived to be 97 years old but, sadly, my aunt Rose died, aged only 18½, on July 12, 1918.

"My grandparents and family never got over the loss. We were brought up to always remember the terrible flu of 1918.

"Apparently, my mother and her sister were side by side in separate beds – seriously ill.

"Mum remembered feeling very ill but her father said he felt she was a lot better and could go downstairs. She only realised later that her loving father had to get her out of the bedroom when it became certain poor Rose was going to die.

"My mother used to tell us how her loving mother got her (still not well) and her sisters and brothers dressed all in black with broad ribbon arm bands for dear Rose's funeral.

"It was an occasion never to be forgotten – with all friends and neighbours attending and no doubt praying they would all dodge the terrible deadly illness."

[DAVIDW 1,681]

Thanks for that Michael . I did try and search the newspaper archive for reports of the time around 1918 but at the time came up with no results when searching for Spanish Flu or influenza . Must try again using different search terms .

That mention in the article of the how they dressed for the funeral reminded me of this family picture below .

It shows my dad and his younger brother and the elder sister that brought them up . I always thought it was a charming picture but then it spooked me a bit as I had a thought that they could have been dressed up for their Mums or their sisters funeral !

As it happens through trying to help someone else on a family history site this last weekend , I found out that another sister got married in 1919 and so maybe this was their outfit for that occasion . Looks more appropriate .

I think the little one at the front also died young though have never found a death record for her . No one in the family ever mentioned her .

[DAVIDW 1,681]

After another search of the old newspapers , did find this in a Taunton paper and more from the Post

"FLU" RAVAGES LIKE BLACK DEATH IN NOTTINGHAM

The influenza epidemic had hit Nottingham badly, and death made sad gaps in many families. A well-known doctor in the town says that parents are often down

with the complaint, leaving only a child to look after them. Neighbours shun the affected, and many deaths have occurred. The mortality which has resulted from influenza makes it imperative that everyone should take the utmost precautions to avoid infection to minimise the serious consequences that may follow an.....

Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser

South West, England

12/03/1919

FLU EPIDEMIC. A Town Out of Bounds for Troops. The London Evening News Nottingham correspondent says the town has been placed out of bounds for troops at big Midland

camps in consequence of the influenza epidemic. A special hospital for influenza has......

Evening Telegraph

Tayside, Scotland

05/03/1919

THE FLU EPIDEMIC. MILD NOTTINGHAM CASES. MORE WOMEN THAN MEN AMONG THE ATTACKED. While influenza is very prevalent in Nottingham, especially among the female section of the

community, it has not, at all events at present, quite reached the epidemic stage

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

03/07/1918

FLU STILL RAMPANT .......Nottingham from 2O7 to 272, Manchester from 311 to 374, and Sheffield from 164 to 166. Greater London the figures decreased by ? from 1.784 the previous week. A SAD STORY.

Southampton yesterday there a double funeral, when the widow of Mr. E. T. Hughes*, daughter. Many deaths are occurring the Coalville district. from influenza and its

after-effects. and sad addition to the list yesterday was the passing of two little daughters of a Coalville woman, who also lies ill.

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

04/12/1918

[piggy and babs 544]

i think my dads father died of the flu about that time dad whould have been 10 at the time the oldest of three children

[zab 47]

A couple of pictures of what is sometimes known as the Paupers garveyard, not sure if I've posted these before. The last time I visited it was also locked - perhaps, special arrangements need to be made to view.

[mick2me 3,033]

Thought this may be of interest?

Nottingham Famous Graves- Watson Fothergill

[poohbear 1,360]

Fortunately his buildings haven't 'settled' like his monument.