Another one of my random posts, but this has become something of a Norfolk & Suffolk LDWA group phrase. I blame Simon…..
Tag: Eyam
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Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Harry Bagshaw)
This grave is located in St. Lawrence’s Church in Eyam, marking the life of Harry Bagshaw who lived from 1859 to 1927. According to Wikipedia, as let’s face it I’m not really a cricket expert, he was a first-class cricketer for Derbyshire and he was also a cricket umpire. He was born in Foolow, a village just outside of Eyam and his gravestone is an impressive affair with some cricketing imagery. During his lifetime he worked as a lead miner and his gravestone has the words:
“For when that one great scorer comes
To write against your name
He writes – not that you won or lost
But how you played the game” -
Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Plague Cottage)
I’m not sure that this must be the most delightful place to live, but what is now known as the Plague Cottage was lived in by George Viccars who was the first person to die of the plague in Eyam in 1665. He worked as a tailor and he brought the disease to the village in a box of cloth that had fleas which were infected with the plague. Reports say that when he opened up the box he commented on how damp it smelled, but he hung the cloth up to dry and soon reported that he felt ill. I have to say, this wasn’t an ideal situation for all concerned.
The house looks beautiful today with its floral displays, but there is a real sense of tragedy to it. As the sign notes, George Viccars, the employed hand who brought the cloth in, was the first to die on 7 September 1665. Mary Hadfield, who had children with her previous husband, saw her son, Edward, die on 22 September 1665 and her son, Jonathan, die aged 12 on 2 October 1665. Alexander Hadfield, her new husband, died on 3 August 1666, a surprising gap between the deaths. Mary Hadfield survived the plague, but she lost thirteen of her relatives during the disaster.
