Monday, July 25, 2011

Alone for eternity . . .

Chapman's Grave
Telegraph Road,
Cobble Hill, BC

I happened upon this grave a number of years ago.  I spotted it by chance in the corner of my eye as I was travelling a backroad near Cobble Hill BC. 
It is very unusual to find lone graves by the side of the road on Vancouver Island.

"William Richard CHAPMAN
Nov 23, 1866 - Nov 1, 1885"



Note: Thanks to Cecil b for providing me with this information from the Chapman Family:

"Richard was helping his father with haying, when the young boy was stricken with severe abdominal pains. There was not a doctor nearer than Ladysmith, and Richard died before help could be obtained.

As was the custom in those days, the grave was dug on the family homestead and a picket fence put around it. As the years went by, the grave became neglected and overgrown.

A Boy Scout troop made inquiries as to the origin of the lonely grave, and made it their project to rebuild the fence and paint it."

No comments:

Post a Comment