Annie Moore

Outside the Cobh Heritage Centre in Ireland we spotted this monument to Annie Moore.

I thought of my convict ancestors Patrick Curry and Ellen Moore when I came across this monument.  Although their emigration was forced they would have had similar thoughts to other emigrants as they sailed away from their homeland. 

Perhaps Annie was related to my Ellen!

Phipps Connection

Wandering down Old Street in London yesterday we came across LSO St Lukes, the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, a deconsecrated church which is surrounded by a garden with seats. As I was footsore we stopped in to give my legs some R&R. 

I thought St Lukes, Old Street sounded familiar and then a penny dropped. It was the parish in which my Phipps ancestors resided in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Some 4x great relations were even baptised in the now deconsecrated Church.

St Lukes, Old Street

After our rest we continued walking towards the Covid Testing Centre to complete the requirements for our impending cruise.

Stumbling across Bunhill Fields

While our current holiday is not a geneajourney we will probably visit a few genealogy related sites like the odd cemetery (or two or more!).

Being mindful of not contracting Covid before our cruise we are spending a fair amount of time walking in the open air away from crowds. Today's walk took us past some interesting sites as we made our way to a Covid Testing Centre to be tested prior to our cruise. 

As we toddled along I spotted a sign to the Bunhill Fields so we took a tiny detour. The former burial ground is situated in a mostly residential area and provides a peaceful space for passive recreation.

Welcome sign

 It didn't take us long to traverse Bunhill Fields, a relatively small site that runs between two streets. Of course I managed to take a few pics as we strolled down the main path.

The information boards related the history of the cemetery and provided a useful map.

As is the case with several old London cemeteries the areas around the graves is rather overgrown but the paths through the cemetery are wide and clear. 

The graves of some more prominent residents were accessible. 

John Bunyan's tomb

Inscription on Bunyan's tomb

Defoe Monument

Daniel Defoe Inscription

More on Defoe

A William Blake inscription

William Blake lies here?

In the middle of the site near the famous graves there was a paved rectangular area with comfortable seating where I sat and contemplated on my good fortune in stumbling across Bunhill. 

A space for reflection