Monday, June 4, 2012

Taphophile Tragics # 24

I am now a 'Friend of Rookwood'. This is a group of volunteers who, on the first Sunday of the month, conduct themed tours of the necropolis. Thus far, I have been on the 'History Tour 1', and 'Convicts'. The June tour, which I gave a miss due to the rain and handling a camera AND a walking stick, was on the theme 'Ships & Shipwrecks'. There is another on 'Plague & Pestilence'. The Rookwood Necropolis Open Day is Sunday 23 September. Put it in your diary!

This is Jane who is a really well-informed tour-guide (no, we don't call them docents!) with a dry wit! She rests upon the resting place of three of the sons of our first Post-Master, Isaac Nichols. They weren't convicts - but he was!

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Welcome to the 24th week of Taphophile Tragics.

Your contribution is most welcome. Please ensure that you include some details of the cemetery in which you took your photographs, and link directly to your post, rather than simply to your blog in general. This week, Mr Linky opens at 9:30pm Monday, Sydney time (GMT+10), and closes at 10pm on the Friday. When you can, please visit the other contributing bloggers to show your appreciation of their endeavours. Due to time zone variations and overcrowded schedules, some contributions are made later than Tuesday/Wednesday. As per usual, we are working with the Linky with thumbnails, and displaying the oldest entry first, with no randomising.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Interesting initiative, Julie.

Dina said...

Cemetery tourism seems to be growing. With topics like those, I can see why.

Francisca said...

Oh, I'd be there licketysplit for those themed tours of the necropolis... but for the minor challenge of crossing an ocean. Thanks for hosting this fascinating meme, Julie. You really put your heart (and time!)into it.

Julie said...

Yes, the topics are fascinating and the 2.5 goes just like that. I also am heavily into family history at the moment, so it all melds. I am retired. This is what I do. Besides, I enjoy it immensely.

VioletSky said...

One should do what one really enjoys when one is retired. I am aiming for that full time, soon!

hamilton said...

Cemetery tours are wonderful. We also have one held each Saturday morning in the summer.

Gemma Wiseman said...

The Nepean Historical Society runs occasional tours of Sorrento cemetery and I think I have heard of one for Mornington, but our cemeteries are nowhere near the size of Rookwood. The regular themed tours sound like a great idea!

SeaThreePeeO said...

Wow, what I wouldn't give to go on one of those tours!

Herding Cats

Peter said...

Not sure about wanting to be a friend of Rookwood just yet, many of my relatives are 'friends' there ... permanently. Great post.

Julie said...

There seems to be a lot of cemeteries that provide tours of one sort or another here in Sydney. I received all my membership paraphenalia today. The monthly newsletter is called 'Rookwood in Profile' - check its initials!! It is 8 pages long.

The other tour that I forgot to mention is 'Murder & Mayhem'.

Jim said...

That tour sounds interesting.

Gene said...

They sound much like the tours here at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. Second Saturdays are general tours, but fourth Saturdays are different tours depending on the interest of the guides/docents, from the American Civil War to trees.

I just saw this article from nearby San Francisco. Interesting bit of history with the stones, but hard to imagine a tombstone washing up on a beach.

CaT said...

its late..... :DD
its a double post, sort of, again, combined with the one of yesterday...
and tomorrow i'll check yours and all the others.... :)

Anonymous said...

i have to say. your meme is the best of the bunch and i am infact jealous i did not think of it :-)

i will continue to contribute until i end up in the ground myself.

Julie said...

Raskkolnikov: Thank you. I am pleased you are jealous :-))

I went away for a week, so still have three posts to visit for Week 24. Must get my skates back on ...