Six-Feet-Down-Under : St Matthews, Windsor

My first trip to the graveyard surrounding the Anglican Church of St Matthews in Windsor, was in the middle of 2008 when I was a member of an Historic Houses Trust (HHT) group tracing the ill-feeling between the architect, Francis Greenway, and the builder, Henry Kitchen. And the towering ego of both these gentlemen, AND the governor of the colony, Lachlan Macquarie. The church was constructed in fits and starts between 1810 and 1820, with the first service conducted in 1821. Andrew Thompson was the first to be interred in the graveyard of this church, in 1810, and interred by none other than the Governor himself.


Even with a two hour wander, there was not enough time to carefully consider each and every gravestone, so I shall return before the end of this calender year. It is unusual in Sydney to see a graveyard, rather than a cemetery, although St Stephen's at Camperdown, and St Jude's at Randwick come readily to mind, both of which are also Anglican Churches. At St Matthew's, though, there has been much freelance renovation! There is a sign at the front of the church requesting that no work be done on the graves without prior authorisation, but I suspect this is honoured more in the breach. Neither St Stephen's, nor St Jude's, has stones with the print re-inked, or stones painted white to hightlight the print. And yet, there are some wonderfully historic resting places within this churchyard. I will research some of them, singularly, for my 'Monday-In-Memoriam' post to this expanding blog.

Is sacrilege like pregancy - you either are or you aren't?

This headstone dates from 1826, and wind, sun, and rain have had their way with it. What to do? What to do?

Bingo! Re-paint the big writing, 'cause that is funny! And then plug a plaque onto the back with all the small, unreadable writing. Tsk! Tsk! Surely, a discreet, adjacent notice-board would have been more respectful and informative.

At the order of Captain Brabyn, JP, Constable William Green came to the aid of Judith Connolly, who was being wooed - and jostled - by Issac Smith. Smith pistol-whipped the young constable, who died soon-after. Three weeks later, on a Friday, Smith was found guilty by Judge Francis Forbes of the NSW Supreme Court. He was hung, by Harry Stain the 'finisher of the law', on the Monday.

This memorial is located within the graveyard of St Matthew's Anglican Church, at Windsor, New South Wales.

Taphophile Tragics # 37

Each of these headstones was photographed at St Matthew's Anglican Church in Windsor, NSW, one of the earliest graveyards in the colony, the church being 'authorised' by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and designed by the reknowned convict architect, Francis Greenway. The foundation stone states 1820.


My issue here: Is it sacrilege to renovate a headstone? A quick definition of sacrilege: the desecration or misuse of something regarded as worthy of extreme respect. The first headstone is showing extreme weathering and is already bordering on unreadable. The smaller pair of headstones have been 'renovated' in two separate styles. The final headstone ... what can one say about this level of vandalism? Each of these methods seem, to me, to be lacking a deft touch. But I do not want the information lost to history. But should history have the final say?

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Welcome to the 37th 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 9:30pm 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.

An unremarkable life

Most of us live unremarkable lives, in the grand scheme of things. We are followers. We are part of the crowd. We matter only to our family and friends. And that is the most that we can ask for. And, that is what is important. To matter to family and friends before 'the lone and level sands stretch far away'. We are not Ozymandias, and we do not aspire to be.

It was the quiet pride in this headstone which caught my eye. 'An ANZAC'. Even the parentheses were emphasising the ordinariness of his achievement.

Reuben Ernest Starkey (known as Ernie) joined the AIF (Australian Infantry Forces) on 21st August 1914, which was 17 days after Great Britain (and her Dominions) declared war on the Kaiser's Germany. He was typical of so many other young men, from small country towns in NSW who heeded their nation's call. A response we find hard to comprehend nowadays. Which was the aim. However, Ernie was already 32. He was short: 5'7". He was stocky: 11.5 stone. He gave his occupation as 'surveyor's cook'. He was in the middle of the large family of Joseph Starkey and Emma Green, who lived on the rivers and gullies between Gosford and the Hawkesbury. They were grafters.

Ernie was allocated Regimental Number 184 and joined the 1st Machine Gun Division of the 4th Battalion. They had 16 Vickers Machine Guns. He embarked from Sydney on HMAT 'Euripedes' on 20th October 1914 and returned to Sydney on 28th October 1918. He served in Egypt, the Dardenelles, the UK, and France. He alternated between being a Private and a Driver. A severe case of pneumonia saw him in hospital in Alexandria when the intial landing at Gallipoli occurred, but he rejoined his Company on that blighted peninsula on 17th August 1915. During his service, he had bouts in hospital for chronic bronchitis, VD, and a septic hand.

Ernie never married, instead living with his father at Spencer on the Hawkesbury River, until his father's death in 1941. He spent most of his life as a labourer, and the last decade of his life as a gardener with rooms in Faunce Street, Gosford. Ernie could read and write (as could his father), but even before he joined the infantry, he was missing 11 teeth. A basic, hard-scrabble of a life.


For the record the images are:

Ernie's grave in Point Clare Cemetery, outside Gosford
A page of his Service Record showing his Gallipoli service
Another page showing his dental problems
A letter from his father to the War Office in 1918
A letter from his younger brother (Herbert Donald born 1889) requesting his Regimental Number to place upon his headstone

Taphophile Tragics # 36

Point Clare Cemetery, maintained and controlled by Gosford City Council about an hour and a bit north of Sydney, would have to be the most organised cemetery I have ever meandered. Not only are there two large maps, one of them being at the entrance, seen here, but there are also stumpy black markers on all the Sections and Rows. I was looking for Anglican Section 8, Row 1, Lots 3 & 4. My own Taphophile post will spin you the yarn.

Point Clare Cemetery 'serves' a working class area, that must be predomninantly Protestant going on the allocation of the Sections among the religions. It has a most beautiful location, backing into the bush as it does, with the clear call of the Bell Bird resounding across the grounds. It also has not one, but three, sections labelled 'Still Born'. I will come to this in the weeks ahead - and promise to give you plenty of warning.

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Welcome to the 36th 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 9:30pm 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.

Taphophile Tragics # 35

These are the main gates to the Gore Hill Cemetery in the northern suburbs of Sydney. Originally dedicated in May 1868, the cemetery covers just under 6 hectares. The first known burial was in 1877, but there are monuments dated earlier than this that were transferred from the Devonshire Sandhills Cemetery when the land that cemetery occupied was reused as Central Station. Gore Hill Cemetery was closed to burials in 1974. The cemetery was declared an historic site in 1984, and is listed on the State Heritage Registry. There is a Memorial Wall that is still in use for the depositon of ashes.

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Welcome to the 35th 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 9:30pm 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.

Taphophile Tragics # 34

Many of the cemeteries that I haunt have imposing entries, usually with brick gate-posts and an ornate wrought iron double entry gate for vehicles, and a side-gate for pedestrians. Today, I showcase the formal entry to Waverley Cemetery in Sydney. There are more exits than entries, with the entries up the top of the hill, and the exits down the bottom. Make of that what you will!

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Welcome to the 34th 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 9:30pm 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.