The Crocker Memorial was repaired over the Winter of 2022/3 and Spring of 2023 by the Friends Volunteers, Sedgemoor District Council and Fine Memorials.
The Crocker memorial, which is at the junction of two paths. This should be in the form of a boulder and scroll, with an ornate rugged cross coming out the top. Unfortunately a holly tree has popped out of it and knocked the whole thing over! The inscription reads:
65/1004 In Loving Memory of George Reginald Crocker the dearly beloved son and only child of George & Emily Crocker who gently fell asleep May 5th 1895 aged 27 years. Burial records show. Emily Rhoda Crocker buried March 27 1899 age unknown. Also George Crocker buried March 7 1919 aged 83 years.
George worked as an accountant and administrative clerk to the Poor Law Union. Their stories can be read here. You can also read about George's parents here.
The memorial was chosen for its prominent location and for its impressive design. Although we would loose an established tree, there are an abundance of Holly trees in the cemetery and we would be planting more around the boundaries in the coming year.
It took a long time to repair this memorial. Here are extracts from our diary:
Sunday 13 November 2022
Chris and Alan started work on the Crocker grave 7-65 that has been earmarked for refurbishment by Fine Memorials. The kerbs with four posts on each side kerb that are log shaped had to be moved and were laid flat nearby. The end kerbs were also removed and laid in a safe manner. This done, will give space for SDC to cut down the holly tree growing out of the grave and for Fine Memorial to re-erect the base stone and large decorated block which sits on top. Both have sunk one side into the grave.
Sunday 20 November 2022
Crocker 7-65 that the Friends have agreed to have re-erected by Fine Memorials plus work by SDC on a Holly tree to enable the ornate memorial to be erected, the team dug around the large block to uncover the inscription and expose a cross in the form of a tree that had sunk in the earth.
A photo was taken of the inscription that only recorded the son Horace who died in May 1895 aged 27 years old. Records show his mother and father are also buried with him, Emily who was buried March 1899 age unknown and George who was buried March 1919 aged 83 years.
Due to a heavy shower of rain the gang had to take cover. The shower was soon over and the sun came out but too wet to continue on the Crocker grave so the gang went over to the wild flower area to plant some plants that Dave had brought in, this done they made their way home.
Friday 23 November
As the weather was fine on Friday Alan decided to go in and work on the Crocker grave. Chris had been in on Wednesday digging around the roots of the Holly tree growing out of the Crocker grave. Alan continued with this work to exposes the roots of the tree. He then worked on the fallen cross which was trapped by the large base stone. An hour of digging and the cross was clear, it was levered out and slid to a clear area in front of the grave. The thick mud was cleaned off revealing a lovely ornate cross in the form of a tree with a bouquet of flowers around it. It was in very good condition, after a good clean, it will look splendid. Alan and Chris both pleased with their efforts to assist SDC to sort out the tree and for Fine Memorial to erect it back to its former glory.
Friday 23 December 2022
To get a bit of exercise Alan decide to go into the cemetery today (23 December 2022) to work on the Crocker grave and tackle the eight small kerbs and posts and remove the old cement joints ready for re-assembling - see pictures from 23-27 November. Good progress was made and the old cement was removed. With the threat of rain, Alan then made his way home.
Monday 2 January 2023
With a break in the wet weather, Alan decided to go in the cemetery to work today (2 January 2023) on the Crocker grave 7-65 and dig out earth around the large block that has to be moved to enable SDC to remove the Holly tree that is growing out of the grave.
Sunday 22 January 2023
Alan then concentrated on the Crocker grave 7- 65, the base tier needs to be moved away from the tree growing out of the grave, this will enable SDC to remove the tree so that Fine Memorial can then re-erect this fine memorial. Another tree will be planted to replace this tree. After a lot of digging, work went well and the base tier was eased out of the way. The next job will be to move the foundation slab that will then leave the tree free of obstruction.
In the meantime Rita was busy cleaning the front of the large ornate cross belonging to the Crocker grave, with brush and water spray the mud was removed and the marble cross is now beginning to look a lot cleaner. Next job is to clean the other side!
Sunday 29 January 2023
Both Alan and Rita popped in on Wednesday 25th and Friday 27th for a few hours, Alan working on the Crocker grave and digging the base stone clear from the roots, He finished this area off today by making it clean, tidy and safe. ready for us to contact SDC to advise them the tree is ready to be cut down so that Fine Memorial can re-erect the very elaborate Crocker memorial.
Sunday 5 February 2023
Astrid and Rita spent most of the morning scrubbing, Astrid working on the large tier block of the Crocker 7-65 and Rita on the ornate cross, both of which are coming up nicely, but a lot more to do yet.
Monday 27 February 2023
Alan & Rita decided to go into the cemetery today (27 February 2023), one, to see if SDC had been in to cut down the holly tree that had encroached into the Crocker grave, and two, to finish cutting back the elder tree branches started on Sunday.
On arriving mid morning, found Chris from SDC with two staff members, who had already cut down the holly tree, removed the stump and treated the tap roots. They had also removed a dead elm tree nearby and were working on a holly tree which was very close between the Stowell and Britton headstones. The Friends intend to plant new trees for those lost.
Sunday 11 March 2023
Dave, Chris, Alan & Rita working in the wet and muddy cemetery today. Astrid unable to work today but came in to admire the work by Fine Memorials which had been done during the week.
Sunday 19 March 2023
The boys worked hard to fit 8 pad stones around the Crocker grave ready to take the ornate posts and kerbs, this was a fiddly job as they all had to be level. When they are back up the memorial will be one of the most impressive in the cemetery.
Tuesday 4 April 2023
They worked on the Crocker grave 7- 65 replacing back the kerbs and posts which are shaped in the form of tree logs. These were first put into place to check that the pins holding them together fitted, then they were all cemented back together. Alan & Rita were pleased how this made such a difference to the memorial now these are in place. There is still more work to be done, tidying around the memorial itself and then sorting the areas in front and behind the actual memorial stones.
Friday 7 April 2023
A lovely sunny day (7 April 2023) and Alan decided to spent a few hours in the cemetery He started working on the Crocker 7-65 grave, which is almost completed. To prevent grass and weeds growing inside the grave he felt it needed a concrete slab to be added and to help rain water drain away he decided a soak away should be added. Digging out a hole 400mm deep, he added broken bricks, tiles and small stones, and fitted a gully at the front and back of the memorial. This done all that is left is to concrete the area. He then worked on the back of the large cross which had been cleaned on the front but not on the back. With a fine wire brush he cleaned up to the ‘arms’ of the cross, the dry earth that was stuck to the cross came off nicely but was slow due to the ornate design of the cross, but he felt it was an hour well spent.
Sunday 9 April 2023
Thursday 13 April 2023
First job was to clean the bottom inscription on the Crocker grave for Emily wife of George, who died in 1899. The lettering was small and quite fragile, with a fine wire brush in the shape of a toothbrush Alan carefully cleaned the wording with water, the inscription is now clearly readable.
