And what was so special about them that they got a big monument in the middle of Brixton?
I've been meaning to ask this for ages - I'm sure the local historians on here will know![]()
And what was so special about them that they got a big monument in the middle of Brixton?
I've been meaning to ask this for ages - I'm sure the local historians on here will know![]()
ohh... I know exactly what you mean - their nice mausoleum outside the church. Was wandering a similar thought the other day when I went past it. It's built by a bloke for his father but I think he is also buried there too, along with various wifes/mothers family members ...
Course it doesn't help that this is the only grave left in a graveyard on a traffic island. I imagine, theirs was the grandest but was surrounded by other fairly substantial monuments and gravestones...
The name doesn't seem to be commemorated anywhere else in Brixton...
From the brixton society website. But it still doesn't explain anything about the buddsBUDD MEMORIAL
The first thing you see in the garden is a very large and curious stone monument. Erected by Henry Budd in 1825 it is the burial place of his father Richard Budd and others of the family. It was described by a writer of that time as “without doubt the finest sepulchral monument in the open air in the metropolis, and perhaps not equalled by any one in the kingdom.” You can certainly say that the design of this memorial in the heart of Brixton is unique.
Had a look on another site... not much there. They just had lots of money to throw around and did nothing of importance except leave a grand monument in the middle of Brixton IMO.
I found a cool page for local history geeks:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rep...x?compid=49772
The description of the monument errs on the side of...detailed:
It is of Greek derivation in its parts, with some Egyptian features, and shows the influence of Soane. Square in plan, it is built apparently of Portland stone, in three main stages, on a stepped granite base. The four faces are identical except for a low sunk doorway with a projecting pedimented lintel, which cuts into the base on the west side. The lowest step has vermiculated rustication on its face. The main stage consists of four broad pedimented stele projecting from the central block, with classical urns set in the reentrant angles thus formed. The stele are ornamented with paterae and egg and dart moulding, and contain white marble slabs carrying inscriptions to members of the Budd family. The pediments are surmounted by acroteria at the corners. The second stage has a cornice of considerable projection with scrolled acroteria, the square panels below containing openings with fretted iron grilles and carvings of the serpent with its tail in its mouth, symbol of eternity, and the winged globe, the Egyptian hieroglyph for the Almighty Creator. Flanking these panels are low relief carvings of angels in side panels which are returned on to the adjoining face. The top stage is stepped back and has carvings of the Holy Dove in its four panels. The acanthus-leaved cornice supports segmental pediments topped by two blocking courses and a large anthemion finial.![]()
Last edited by Brainaddict; 05-02-2008 at 14:10.
Those kind of architectual descriptions are rather painful. It would be interesting to put a bunch of artists in the room, read them the description and get them to draw it.... could be interesting.
I tried googling the Egyptian hieroglyph for the Almighty Creator but couldn't find it![]()
This perhaps? Interesting associations....
Almighty creator sounds more like a reference to a single god... which the Egyptians generally didn't do except in the case of Akhenaten who worshipped the aten - the sun god...
Last edited by boohoo; 05-02-2008 at 15:16.
Isn't that zoroastrian?
And where's editor got to? He usually likes these history threads.
Yes, that's what I was thinking of. Which brings us to the zoroastrian fire temple in Yazd, where an 'eternal flame' burns - and has done for the last 800 years, allegedly, though I always reckon some novice let it go out in the night once and quickly relit it so they didn't get in trouble:
But your first one doesn't have the king figure on the wings so maybe its something different.
Both sympbols are similar in form... it is possible that one borrowed from the other... Interestingly the winged globe symbol represents the three persons of the Egyptian trinity. Also it is associated with the Illuminati and the Rosicrucians....
Actually 1825 seem appropiate time for an egyptian influence in the architecture....
I remember that the monument used to stand inside the church yard before they remodelled the railings to create the garden and open it up. As far as I remember, the monument itself is adorned with fairly standard Victorian symbols - snake eating own tail for eternity, downturned torches for a life extinguished - but I'll have a look on the way to work tomorrow.
As for the Budds, I haven't a clue.
You were right about this - it is the symbol on the memorial - I checked this morning as I walked past. It's a slightly simplified version of this, without the seahorses and other details, but definitely the same symbol. Somehow I was expecting it to be more hieroglyphic-looking.
They look like seahorses to me![]()
(ok, maybe I can see some similarity of form.....)
I know who the Budds were. Henry Budd (1774-1853) was a theologian and published tracts and he was also chaplain of Bridewell Hospital. His father Richard (1746-1821) was an eminent physician at Bart's and quite a big noise in the Royal College of Physicians.
edited to add dates (courtesy of the National Dictionary of Biography).
btw, it's NOT Victorian. George IV was on the throne then. Victoria came to the throne in 1837
edited to add
I think the snakes are a reference to the rod of Aesculapius.
I found somethingh very similar to Mrs M, but I wanted to check the 1821 date of death to the inscriptions on the memorial before posting:
But what was the Lambeth/Brixton connection?Originally Posted by The Gentleman's Magazine 1821
Mr Budd senior appears to have resided in Battersea.
Wouldn't his son's sinecure would surely have given him a house closer to the City?
And where was Mr Budd senior interred until the memoral was finished some three years after his death?Bridewell Hospital
This place, which is in Bridge street, Blackfriars, and has lately been much improved, has already been mentioned amongst the prisons; for it is now a house of correction for dissolute persons, idle apprentices, and to maintain vagrants. From the following return, the use and character of the institution may be inferred:—
Vagrants committed by the lord mayor and sitting aldermen........... 764
Apprentices sent to solitary confinement ....................................... 44
Persons to be sent to different parishes ....................................... 362
Apprentices to be brought up to different trades ............................ 28
Source: New Picture of London, Printed for Samuel Leigh, 18, Strand; by W. Clowes, Northumberland Court. 1819