In the catacombs

The West Norwood cemetery catacombs were open today to members of the cemetery (living ones who support its preservation, rather than the members who are members because they're buried there). The tour was immensely interesting. The catacombs currently hold 1,500 coffins and there's room for 500 more. Unfortunately, a bomb landed on the chapel above the catacombs during World War II and damp has done some damage since then. However, the tour was the start of making some headway to restoring and preserving the area. There's talk of building a new chapel and perhaps having burials down in the catacombs in the future.

However, one hazard of these old tombs is smallpox. We were told not to touch anything and to thoroughly wash and disinfect our hands upon leaving!

The flat slab at the centre of the picture is where the coffin (very heavy - an outer layer of hardwood, a layer of lead and an inner layer of hardwood) came down from the chapel above. The machinery is all still in place.

Many, many interesting folk are buried in the cemetery. Today, I was told about the man who was responsible for the buffet car on trains, the first fitness instructor and a Welshman who founded a city in the Ukraine (and who now has a Ukrainian oligarch funding preservation of his gravestone).