Old Ross Burial Ground Gravestones
[Enlarge by double click for detail.]
This collage presents eight gravestones found in the Old Ross Burial Ground on a hill above the historic town. Some of these were most definitely carved by Daniel Herbert, the former convict who earned his freedom by building the Ross Bridge. I have numbered them for reference.
The top row contains stones very likely to be carved by Daniel Herbert.
Number 3: This one is positively identified as a gravestone by Daniel Herbert (Greener and Laird, 1971), so it can act as a stylistic template. It is very touchingly “To the memory of our dear MAMMA”. But no name is inscribed.
Number 4: Simply inscribed JD. It has a Tree of Life motif and seems almost certainly Herbert’s work.
Number 1: Too worn to read. It would seem to date from the 1830s or 40s, but the urn carved into the top of the stone is identical to the actual urn carved by Herbert for his family memorial (see the previous photograph). There are also some stylistic elements to link it with numbers 3 and 8.
Number 2: Very worn near the bottom and dates impossible to read. The lovely floral carving is consistent with the sort of work Herbert loved to do.
Number 5: Has stylistic elements and shape similar to number 3, but the dates are not clear and this is also less likely to be by Herbert.
Number 6: This is interesting and has great pathos and simplicity as a memorial for a three year old child, but unlikely to be Herbert’s work.
Number 7: John Dickinson was the original owner of the Ross Bakery Inn. A free settler from Nottinghamshire, he was granted a publican’s license in 1833, but sadly died in 1836 aged just 39. Obviously Herbert was in Ross at the time, but may have been too busy completing the bridge to carve this. However, the quality of work would suggest an artist of comparable ability. A likely Herbert, but not certain.
Number 8: Philip Maher. Barracks Sergeant and a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo. He died in 1847. Although the dates fit, stylistically it doesn’t seem quite like Herbert’s work (especially the script), even though elements of number 3 can be seen here.
Old Ross Burial Ground Gravestones
[Enlarge by double click for detail.]
This collage presents eight gravestones found in the Old Ross Burial Ground on a hill above the historic town. Some of these were most definitely carved by Daniel Herbert, the former convict who earned his freedom by building the Ross Bridge. I have numbered them for reference.
The top row contains stones very likely to be carved by Daniel Herbert.
Number 3: This one is positively identified as a gravestone by Daniel Herbert (Greener and Laird, 1971), so it can act as a stylistic template. It is very touchingly “To the memory of our dear MAMMA”. But no name is inscribed.
Number 4: Simply inscribed JD. It has a Tree of Life motif and seems almost certainly Herbert’s work.
Number 1: Too worn to read. It would seem to date from the 1830s or 40s, but the urn carved into the top of the stone is identical to the actual urn carved by Herbert for his family memorial (see the previous photograph). There are also some stylistic elements to link it with numbers 3 and 8.
Number 2: Very worn near the bottom and dates impossible to read. The lovely floral carving is consistent with the sort of work Herbert loved to do.
Number 5: Has stylistic elements and shape similar to number 3, but the dates are not clear and this is also less likely to be by Herbert.
Number 6: This is interesting and has great pathos and simplicity as a memorial for a three year old child, but unlikely to be Herbert’s work.
Number 7: John Dickinson was the original owner of the Ross Bakery Inn. A free settler from Nottinghamshire, he was granted a publican’s license in 1833, but sadly died in 1836 aged just 39. Obviously Herbert was in Ross at the time, but may have been too busy completing the bridge to carve this. However, the quality of work would suggest an artist of comparable ability. A likely Herbert, but not certain.
Number 8: Philip Maher. Barracks Sergeant and a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo. He died in 1847. Although the dates fit, stylistically it doesn’t seem quite like Herbert’s work (especially the script), even though elements of number 3 can be seen here.