1877 Cemetery Consecration

ISLE OF WIGHT OBSERVER 7th July 1877

 CONSECRATION AT THE CEMETERY

The increasing demand upon the space in the Cemetery having rendered it necessary that a portion hithero set apart for the nonconformists should be consecrated, the suffragan, Bishop McDOUGALL performed the ceremony on Saturday afternoon. The majority of people prefer burial in consecrated ground, and that had caused this portion of the Cemetery to be filled at the much greater rate than was at first anticipated. A large marquee had been erected in the centre of the ground to be consecrated (which lies low at the north east corner) by Mr. CANTLOW, of Hill-street, and here the Bishop and the following clergymen assembled – Canon PROTHERO, the Revs. A. J. WADE, R. H. E. WIX, J. THOMAS, and – SLATTER, the vicar, the Rev. A. POOLE, not being present!  The Mayor, attired in his robes of office, also attended, with Aldermen DASHWOOD and FUTCHER, Councillors MARVIN, ELLERY, SWEETMAN, WHITTINGTON, and The Town Clerk and Town Surveyor; but the attendance of the general public was confined to a few women and children belonging to the neighbourhood, owing to no steps having been taken to advertise the affair. The Bishop having mounted a small platform, the Mayor presented the petition for consecration, which was read by Mr. WOOLDRIDGE, the registrar, when he said he had a request from his lordship, the Bishop of Winchester, that Bishop McDOUGALL should  take his place. Bishop McDOUGALL, having replied that he was there in accordance with the Bishop’s request, the party then walked round the ground, the Bishop reading the 49th Psalm, and the others responding. The Bishop then proceeded to read the consecration service, and, at his request the Rev. A. J. WADE read the sentence of consecration. There was no choir to sing the customary hymn, which was accordingly read by the Bishop, and with a prayer the ceremony ended.

Researched by Ann Barrett