The weather for this weekend was forecast to be horrible and so I used my day off on Wednesday to take this week's black and white photo. I decided to go back to where I grew up to take a photo of the church in which I was Christened and married.
It's a really lovely old church and it hasn't changed too much since I was little. In fact between 1963 and 1969 I went to school in the church building right next to it and that building looks very similar to the church! It wasn't the ideal building for a primary school, massively high ceilings, windows very high up so at child level there was little natural light and of course as a historic building it wasn't divided up into classrooms, we just had partitions in between the classes. The church is REALLY old, built in 1190 and I love the fact that it is still regularly used and well maintained. My parents and great-grandparents are buried in the churchyard and as I walked down to the grave to place some flowers, I came across an old grave that is normally well hidden
There are a pair of these stone memorials with a smaller one in the middle. They are memorials to John Watlington, his wife and infant son. When I was growing up I lived near to a road called Watlington Road but never knew who it was named after. Turns out he was the vicar at the church in the late 1800s. His gravestone is inscribed by all manner of celebrations to how wonderful he was and glorifying his life, but I wondered why his wife was only given this particular sentiment that I photographed. "She did what she could". After the wonderful send off that her husband had, it seems a bit unfair that it was all they could say about her!
7 comments:
That's fascinating Deb. This is a really nice post - I love the way it comes right down to one little detail at the end.
Bet they'll say that about me though - just about sums it up lol
I love this post, Deb. Very interesting and the black and white gives it a great feel.
That's funny about the grave inscription. Reminds me of a saying that goes something like: "Behind every great man is a woman telling him how to do it." ;o)
Very interesting post,Deb....and a great photo....it feels really imposing.
Love the black and white photos and the stories behind them xxx
Great post Deb, made all the better by the use of black and white - very intriguing!
My early school days echo yours so closely! I love this story & now you know who he was & all about what he did....you'll have to google his Mrs to get a bigger picture!! TFS :)
Yes, this is a great subject choice for B&W ... and when we say old over here we mean 200 years, not six or seven hundred! Though, that is referring to European civilisation.
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