Interesting People of Ryde Cemetery

Below are just a few examples of the many fascinating people buried in Ryde Cemetery.

Near to the cross marking the Roman Catholic  Section of the cemetery is the grave of Father John Telford.  He was born on 25 January 1814, ordained in 1838 and appointed Chaplain at St Georges-in-the-Fields, London, in August 1840.

He was friends with the famous Victorian Gothic Architect, Augustus Pugin, and he assisted in laying the foundation stone of the new Southwark Cathedral in London on 26 May 1841.

He came to Ryde in 1845 and became Rector of the new St Mary’s Church until his death on 7 November 1865.

On the southern edge of the cemetery is a granite obelisk commemorating some of the Brigstocke family.

Many members of the Brigstocke family are buried in St Thomas’ Church graveyard and are commemorated on plaques inside of that church.

However this obelisk remembers the following members the family:

George Campbell Henville Player Brigstocke who was joint Lord of the Manor of Ashey and Ryde and who died on 13 October 1880, also Robert Benett Player Brigstocke who died 31 December 1943, Adelaidewidow of G C H P Brigstocke who died 30 January 1924, William George Player Brigstocke who died of wounds received at Portland 4 July 1940 aged 30 years, George Robert Brigstocke the last Lord of the Manor of Ashey and Ryde who died 2 July 1956 and his wife Ann Cecilia who died 10 November 1952.

In the north east corner of the cemetery is the vault of Thomas Hellyer, the local architect who designed Holy Trinity Church and the County Hospital, Ryde.   Hellyer’s vault was very overgrown and for a long time obscured with brambles.  Efforts made by RSHG in 2002 to clear this growth revealed a tomb of unique design.  There was damage to the Crucifix, which was in fact being held in place by the ivy. The grave was transcribed, and then left to revert to the care of nature, until it can be carefully cleared and restored by experts.

Mr Michael Maybrick (1844-1913) has an imposing marble tomb on the northern edge of the cemetery.  He was a prominent singer-songwriter who composed under the name of Stephen Adams.  Michael Maybrick was elected Mayor of Ryde in 1900, going on to serve four further terms of office until 1911. His most famous composition, under the name of Stephen Adams, is ‘The Holy City’ and it is possibly one of the most popular religious songs of all time.

Cannons linked with an iron chain have been found on several graves; one of these was cleared by the Friends of Ryde Cemetery, and found to be the tomb of Sir John LEES.

A monument, consisting of a tall broken marble column a plinth, situated close to the twin chapels, commemorates George Douglas Harris, Esq., an Army Captain.

Just to the south east of the twin chapels there is a Masonic grave, which commemorates William Spearing, Past Provincial Grand Secretary of the East Medina Lodge.

Well known Ryde families represented in the cemetery include the following: Barkham – business people in the town. Carter – sometime owners of Knighton Manor. Fowlers – owners of a Department Store on Union Street. Lake – proprietors of the Eagle Brewery and of various public houses including the ‘Lake Huron’ and ‘Lake Superior’. Langdon – builders. Stainer – proprietors of a local dairy. Valvona – scrap merchants from Oakfield. Vanner – ran stagecoach service from Ryde to Newport.