Oxford has quite a large cemetery, with graves dating back to those who first settled on the Canterbury Plains. Its a nice place to stroll through, and to stop and read some of the headstones.
Every headstone tells a story, of a loved one, of a tragedy or of a life lived well.
And some get me wondering about the story behind the headstone, what lies beneath, if you will.
Headstone of Joseph Weeber
For example, Joseph Weeber, died age 73 in 1916. Whoever erected his stone was obviously expecting Joseph to have company in the grave at some time. What happened to Mrs Weeber? Did she marry again and now lies with her newer husband? Perhaps she moved from the district, or even left the country. Whatever she did, and wherever she went, it seems she did not leave her story with Joseph.
A headstone with more of a story to tell is that of the Watermans.
Frederick Adolphus died in 1906, at the young age of 56, leaving behind a wife, Laura and son Archie. Archie obvioulsy had siblings, as he shares the memorial, but not the grave of his parents and is noted as their youngest son. There is no mention of the siblings,although a search of the cemetery may also unearth their graves.
Archie was kiled in France in 1917, just one more young man (24) sacrificed to that most horrid and squalid of wars. One can only imagine the horror of France and the devestation of his parents when the news was received.
The waterman grave
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