Gallery of Images

Edward Maitland’s Grave

            [Many thanks to the Lady at W. & F. Groombridge funeral service, Tonbridge, and to our friend Gabriel Buist, who kindly helped us in finding the location of the grave; which is in Plot No. 3, grave No. 2197; the grave has a headstone as we can see in the pictures. The grave area was purchased by Col. Algernon Currie, in 1898.]

            A Quotation on Edward Maitland’s Grave:
            “The following letter from Mrs. Currie informed me of his complete withdrawal, which took place on Saturday, 2nd October 1897, at the end of his 73rd year: –

“THE WARDERS,” TONBRIDGE,
“Sunday.

            “Dear Mr. Hart, – Just a few hurried lines to let you know that our dear old friend passed on last night, at 10.15 P.M. 
           “About three weeks ago, he had a very bad relapse, from which he made another of his wonderful rallies, and he has been, comparatively speaking, better the last two weeks, so that the end was quite unexpected at the last. He was very sick yesterday afternoon, and his breathing became gradually laboured. About nine o’clock his extremities were getting cold. An hour later, he breathed his last quite quietly and painlessly, and I think those who knew and loved him should rejoice that his release has come at last. – Yours very sincerely, C.G. Currie.

“The following letter from Col. Currie appeared in Light of 16th October 1897: –

           “You are aware that our friend Edward Maitland has been living with us for the last year. His mind was rapidly going when he came to us, and he soon began to lose all power over his faculties and limbs, and has been bedridden from 1st. January. Since then, he has very gradually grown weaker and weaker, his mind often wandering; but, I am glad to say, he has suffered no pain. For the last six months his mind has been more passive, and only at intervals did he seem to recognise anybody. He has had periodical relapses from which he has recovered in a most remarkable way, but each attack has, of course, left him weaker. During Saturday, 2nd October, he was apparently as well as he had been for some time, but about 8.30 P.M. he showed signs of the approaching end by difficulty in breathing, and at 10.15 he breathed his last. The end was peaceful and without pain. His body was interred on Tuesday, 5th October, in the Tonbridge Cemetery, in a spot specially selected. The day was a glorious one, the sun shining brightly, and he was, as he might have expressed it, ‘clothed with the sun.’ For many months he had not been able to make his speech sufficiently distinct to be understood, though he occasionally tried to utter a word or two.” (p. xv)
[Preface to the Third Edition, by Samuel Hopgood Hart, in Anna Kingsford – Her Life, Letters, Diary and Work. John M. Watkins, London, 1913. 3rd. Edition, edited by Samuel H. Hart. Vol. I, 442 pp.]
 

[click in the photo to see it in greater size]

           Tonbridge is a town in the South-East of England (see the arrow in the above map).
Click in the map to see it in a greater size.

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Edward Maitland’s grave (Life of Anna Kingsford, vol. II, p. 442).

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Picture of Edward Maitland’s grave taken from the same angle as in the above picture.

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Detail of Edward Maitland’s grave: – his name and the five-pointed Star.

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