The General Cemetery is a favourite spot of mine in Sheffield, so I was thrilled when I was asked to review their new updated book on the history of the place.
There's always something oddly romantic about cemeteries for people who enjoy history, I think. In a way cemeteries are a living embodiment of what happens to the past: you can pick out famous names in grand monuments that stand out against the unknowns who have been quietly forgotten to all but a few people - much like we track our own history through the stories of a few charismatic and often very rich and powerful individuals while the more common people fade into the background. In the cemeteries the writing on the graves weather over time, just like in history the details are always softened as stories are passed down through the ages or weathered by the stronger winds of opinions. As you walk around these kinds of old cemeteries you can physically see nature reclaiming the human, just as history will one day be overgrown and fade away as humans do. It's all a beautiful mix and if you're a sap like me you can't help feeling a little poetic and drawn to them.You can find my review over at Opus Independents here.
Also, if you're interested in more history of the place, why not check out my earlier article on Now Then magazine?
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