There is a 'large vault' under Jesmond Cemetery which I believe was built
in case of plague/war or whatever. 
Can anyone point me to a link for information.
Seems like the kind of thing Steve would know. :o)
-- 
Jim S
        Tyneside UK
     www.jimscott.co.uk

On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:56:30 GMT, Jim S  wrote:

>There is a 'large vault' under Jesmond Cemetery which I believe was built
>in case of plague/war or whatever. 
>Can anyone point me to a link for information.
>Seems like the kind of thing Steve would know. :o)

Hi Jim

Yes I have crept into the crypt with my camera - way back in 2002
during the Heritage Opne Days Weekend ;-)

This is a link to some photographs of the place -
http://www.fototime.com/inv/500EAFD1921D3BF

A little bit of history:

The Crypt or Catacombs are beneath the Chapels at the main entrance to
the Cemetery (Jesmond Roas side) and are currently used by Tyne & Wear
Archaeology Department for storage purposes. 
There are some 22 shelves within the Crypt, which enabled coffins to
be stored prior to burial. This was not a Crypt for the final resting
place of bodies. Indeed one theory is that bodies were secured within
the Crypt for up to 10 days prior to burial, thus allowing
decomposition to take place, this then put off any grave robbers from
disinterring the bodies from their final resting place. There is also
evidence that the Crypts may have been used as air raid shelters
during World War 2.

Cheors

Steve Ellwood
Whitley Bay, North East England
Tyneside & Northumberland Local History Group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tyneside_Northumberland/
For photographs of the Newcastle Upon Tyne area go to:
www.steve-ellwood.org.uk

"Geordie goes beyond mere geography and is a quality of heart"
Skype me at: steve_ellwood

On Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:26:33 GMT, Steve E 
wrote:

>On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:56:30 GMT, Jim S  wrote:
>
>>There is a 'large vault' under Jesmond Cemetery which I believe was built
>>in case of plague/war or whatever. 
>>Can anyone point me to a link for information.
>>Seems like the kind of thing Steve would know. :o)
>
>Hi Jim
>
>Yes I have crept into the crypt with my camera - way back in 2002
>during the Heritage Opne Days Weekend ;-)
>
>This is a link to some photographs of the place -
>http://www.fototime.com/inv/500EAFD1921D3BF
>
>A little bit of history:
>
>The Crypt or Catacombs are beneath the Chapels at the main entrance to
>the Cemetery (Jesmond Roas side) and are currently used by Tyne & Wear
>Archaeology Department for storage purposes. 
>There are some 22 shelves within the Crypt, which enabled coffins to
>be stored prior to burial. This was not a Crypt for the final resting
>place of bodies. Indeed one theory is that bodies were secured within
>the Crypt for up to 10 days prior to burial, thus allowing
>decomposition to take place, this then put off any grave robbers from
>disinterring the bodies from their final resting place. There is also
>evidence that the Crypts may have been used as air raid shelters
>during World War 2.
>
>Cheors

There is a pamphlet that describes the history of Jesmond cemetery. I
don't know who publishes it, but I suspect the city council. 

I don't have a copy, but I recall that the crypt was used to keep the
bodies of several victims of a nearby air raid during the war. Whether
this accounts for the suggestion that they were used as air raid
shelters, I don't know. Presumably, pretty much any suitable
underground room would have been pressed into service as such. 

-- 

Dominic Cronin
Amsterdam

On Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:34:09 +0100, Dominic Cronin
<dominic@ReplaceThisBitWithMySurname.co.uk.invalid> wrote:

>On Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:26:33 GMT, Steve E 
>wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:56:30 GMT, Jim S  wrote:
>>
>>>There is a 'large vault' under Jesmond Cemetery which I believe was built
>>>in case of plague/war or whatever. 
>>>Can anyone point me to a link for information.
>>>Seems like the kind of thing Steve would know. :o)
>>
>>Hi Jim
>>
>>Yes I have crept into the crypt with my camera - way back in 2002
>>during the Heritage Opne Days Weekend ;-)
>>
>>This is a link to some photographs of the place -
>>http://www.fototime.com/inv/500EAFD1921D3BF
>>
>>A little bit of history:
>>
>>The Crypt or Catacombs are beneath the Chapels at the main entrance to
>>the Cemetery (Jesmond Roas side) and are currently used by Tyne & Wear
>>Archaeology Department for storage purposes. 
>>There are some 22 shelves within the Crypt, which enabled coffins to
>>be stored prior to burial. This was not a Crypt for the final resting
>>place of bodies. Indeed one theory is that bodies were secured within
>>the Crypt for up to 10 days prior to burial, thus allowing
>>decomposition to take place, this then put off any grave robbers from
>>disinterring the bodies from their final resting place. There is also
>>evidence that the Crypts may have been used as air raid shelters
>>during World War 2.
>>
>>Cheors
>
>There is a pamphlet that describes the history of Jesmond cemetery. I
>don't know who publishes it, but I suspect the city council. 
>
>I don't have a copy, but I recall that the crypt was used to keep the
>bodies of several victims of a nearby air raid during the war. Whether
>this accounts for the suggestion that they were used as air raid
>shelters, I don't know. Presumably, pretty much any suitable
>underground room would have been pressed into service as such. 

Hi Dom

I've just taken a look through Alan Morgan's book "A Fine and Private
Place - Jesmond Old Cemetery" and he mentions "It may be that the
catacombs were used during World War Two as temprary accomodation for
victims of a local air raid."

Cheors

Steve E.
Whitley Bay, North East England
Tyneside & Northumberland Local History Group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tyneside_Northumberland/
For photographs of the Newcastle Upon Tyne area go to:
www.steve-ellwood.org.uk

"Geordie goes beyond mere geography and is a quality of heart"
Skype me at: steve_ellwood

"Steve E"  wrote in message 
news:2dk4o35k8fifjkcevgr17u3steeic7i2cf@4ax.com...
: On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:56:30 GMT, Jim S  wrote:
:
: >There is a 'large vault' under Jesmond Cemetery which I believe was built
: >in case of plague/war or whatever.
: >Can anyone point me to a link for information.
: >Seems like the kind of thing Steve would know. :o)
:
: Hi Jim
:
: Yes I have crept into the crypt with my camera - way back in 2002
: during the Heritage Opne Days Weekend ;-)
:
: This is a link to some photographs of the place -
: http://www.fototime.com/inv/500EAFD1921D3BF
:
: A little bit of history:
:
: The Crypt or Catacombs are beneath the Chapels at the main entrance to
: the Cemetery (Jesmond Roas side) and are currently used by Tyne & Wear
: Archaeology Department for storage purposes.
: There are some 22 shelves within the Crypt, which enabled coffins to
: be stored prior to burial. This was not a Crypt for the final resting
: place of bodies. Indeed one theory is that bodies were secured within
: the Crypt for up to 10 days prior to burial, thus allowing
: decomposition to take place, this then put off any grave robbers from
: disinterring the bodies from their final resting place. There is also
: evidence that the Crypts may have been used as air raid shelters
: during World War 2.
:


If a bomb hit, the cemetery would crack open and you'd have rotten corpses 
rain down on you?

Don't fancy it, I just don't fancy it!

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:20:56 -0000, "Cork Soaker"
<spank@themonkey.net.invalid> wrote:


>If a bomb hit, the cemetery would crack open and you'd have rotten corpses 
>rain down on you?
>
>Don't fancy it, I just don't fancy it!
>

Well here's another piece of history for you:

The Cemetery at Albion Road (North Shields) was heavily bombed during
World War 2 as was a lot of North Shields and many gravestones were
smashed, flying through roofs etc.  The remaining stones removed to
Preston Cemetery and stand against Northern perimeter wall, albeit in
rather desperate struggle with the undergrowth. 

The nearest Jesmond Old Cemtery came to action in World War 2 was when
it was straffed by the Luftwaffe and many of the headstones still have
the bullet holes, indeed some still have the bullets embedded.

Cheors

Steve E.
Whitley Bay, North East England
Tyneside & Northumberland Local History Group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tyneside_Northumberland/
For photographs of the Newcastle Upon Tyne area go to:
www.steve-ellwood.org.uk

"Geordie goes beyond mere geography and is a quality of heart"
Skype me at: steve_ellwood

On Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:06:56 GMT, Steve E wrote:

> On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:20:56 -0000, "Cork Soaker"
> <spank@themonkey.net.invalid> wrote:
> 
> 
>>If a bomb hit, the cemetery would crack open and you'd have rotten corpses 
>>rain down on you?
>>
>>Don't fancy it, I just don't fancy it!
>>
> 
> Well here's another piece of history for you:
> 
> The Cemetery at Albion Road (North Shields) was heavily bombed during
> World War 2 as was a lot of North Shields and many gravestones were
> smashed, flying through roofs etc.  The remaining stones removed to
> Preston Cemetery and stand against Northern perimeter wall, albeit in
> rather desperate struggle with the undergrowth. 
> 
> The nearest Jesmond Old Cemtery came to action in World War 2 was when
> it was straffed by the Luftwaffe and many of the headstones still have
> the bullet holes, indeed some still have the bullets embedded.
> 
> Cheors
> 
> Steve E.

Hi Steve
Pity you have to work.
There was a flurry of activity yesterday.
http://www.jimscot.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/River/River_196_Pride_of_Calais.html
http://www.jimscot.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/RN/RN_17_Nato_minesweepers_Quorn.html
http://www.jimscot.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/River/River_299_car_weser_highway.html

Did you see that the City of Sunderland got stuck on a sandbank off Norfolk
:o)
-- 
Jim S
        Tyneside UK
     www.jimscott.co.uk

"Steve E"  wrote in message 
news:uqppo3lbb1tos6jtk81j9qcs83n2ktv08a@4ax.com...
: On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:20:56 -0000, "Cork Soaker"
: <spank@themonkey.net.invalid> wrote:
:
:
: >If a bomb hit, the cemetery would crack open and you'd have rotten 
corpses
: >rain down on you?
: >
: >Don't fancy it, I just don't fancy it!
: >
:
: Well here's another piece of history for you:
:
: The Cemetery at Albion Road (North Shields) was heavily bombed during
: World War 2 as was a lot of North Shields and many gravestones were
: smashed, flying through roofs etc.  The remaining stones removed to
: Preston Cemetery and stand against Northern perimeter wall, albeit in
: rather desperate struggle with the undergrowth.
:
: The nearest Jesmond Old Cemtery came to action in World War 2 was when
: it was straffed by the Luftwaffe and many of the headstones still have
: the bullet holes, indeed some still have the bullets embedded.
:


Oooooh :-D