Category Archives: Northern Burial Ground

Fanny Ricardo and the Father of Free Trade

Born Wilkinson, Fanny endured a tyrannical childhood at the hands of her father – known to the wider family as ‘curmudgeon Wilkinson’ who had a detestable disposition “which makes him unwilling to give pleasure to any human creature unless he … Continue reading

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How to Empty a Graveyard

Between 1949 and 1951, all three burial grounds were cleared by the council. Some monument pieces were placed around the perimiter of the site, but most were removed completely. The photographs below illustrate the scale of change; the first was … Continue reading

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How to Fill a Graveyard

The Brighton Herald paints a stark picture of life at Brighton in the first part of the 19th C. Small wonder that first the churchyard, then the northern extension (1825) then the Rest Garden (1841) were filled so swiftly. “There are, … Continue reading

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Captain Custard and the Northern Extension

The northern extension to St Nicholas Ground (which now includes the popular children’s playground) received its first occupant in 1825, having been formally consecrated by the Bishop of Chichester the year previous. From the Brighton Gazette July 1824: ‘The Bishop of … Continue reading

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The Great Clearances

The growth of the dead will mirror the growth of the living, and as the population of Brighthelmston increased so did the old ground around the church. Expansion peaked in the 19th century, with the northern extension opening in 1825 and the … Continue reading

Posted in Childrens Playground, Churchyard, Missing Monuments, Northern Burial Ground, Rest Garden, St Nicholas | 2 Comments