I learnt a new word this week and that’s good for a 51 year old! ‘Taphophile: noun. One possessing a passion and enjoyment of cemeteries’. I also picked up another related term, ‘Tombstone Tourist’. I had never considered myself in these terms before…. but as they say if the cap fits. Having said that, of the two terms I must say that I prefer the somewhat more highbrow taphophile, it’s the Greek I suppose!
When I think about my childhood, it was not so unusual to find the family on summer holidays dispersed into the deepest recesses of the graveyard of an isolated country Church, locked in serious competition…. who could locate the oldest tomb?
Indeed, if I browse the photographs on my iPhone I would put good money on the fact that in all probability I have more grave pictures on mine than on yours (305 no less, if you are indulgent and include memorials into the total!). You get the idea.
And thus it was on yet another lockdown Bank Holiday weekend, painfully indistinguishable from any other weekend of the past three months, I ventured out of the house and made for the Church of St James The Great in Thorley (or at least the churchyard, the building being locked up). In my 25 years as a Bishops Stortford resident, this was my first visit!
The lure of yet another cemetery was the olive green and white sign affixed to the wall that denotes that the Church grounds contain Commonwealth War grave Commission graves. These I duly found and photographed (of course!), but it was a trio of older headstones that grabbed my attention on this occasion. Located close by and against the exterior wall of the church are three memorials that concern the Flack family, residents of Thorley Hall.
‘Here lyeth the Body of
Mr ROBERT FLACK
late tenant of Thorley Hall
who Departed this Life
Aug 24th 1750, in ye 63rd
Year of his Age
In Testimony of his regard
to so good a Tenant,
his Landlord,
MATT W RAPER Esqr
Hath Caused this Stone
to be Set up’
To the right of this headstone stands the memorial to Robert’s Father, John Flack.
‘Here lyeth the Body of
Mr JOHN FLACK Tenant
of THORLEY HALL
who departed this life
on the 19th day of December
1717 in the 65th Year of his Age
In testimony of his ______’
The words are her obscured but it can be assumed with some confidence that they reference the fact that the stone was erected by then Lords of the Manor, Moses and Matthew Raper.
Please note that each of father and Son's headstones are topped with the image of the skull and crossbones. Rather than indicating that they were landlocked pirates, the depiction of such was a 'Momento Mori' (common in the 1770's) a reminder to the casual reader that death is coming for you irrespective of wealth or status. God, I love a skull and crossbones!
Curiously, there is a third stone that states the following:
‘In these two Graves
are deposited the Remains of
Mr ROBERT FLACK and MARY
his Wife and also near the place
Mr JOHN FLACK Father of the
said ROBERT
This stone intended only to
indicate where the above
mentioned Bodies are buried
refers the Reader for more
particular information to two
stones erected against the
Church Wall by MOSES and
MATTHEW RAPER ESQR whose
TESTIMONIALS OF RESPECT
to their memory there inscribed
render a further inscription here
superfluous’
This stone I find rather bizarre given that it is effectively an elaborate sign post directing the reader to two graves to which it is practically adjacent! The only new useful information that it imparts to the reader is that the remains of Mary Flack are buried with her husband Robert.
Of the said Lords of the Manor referred to, Moses Raper was a London silk Merchant, whilst Matthew Raper (1705–1778) was a distinguished Gentleman scientist, a Fellow of the Royal Society no less.
What I find extraordinary about this small collection of headstones is that their remarkable state of preservation renders them still legible to your average tombstone tourist some 300 years (in the case of John Flack’s memorial) after the engraver downed his chisel and headed to the inn for a cheeky after work ale. Granted, the situation of the headstones, hard up against the Church wall, would have provided some protection from the elements over the centuries. Nevertheless, to read the epitaph of a man who walked to and from this Church in the mid to late 1600’s thrills me. John Flack, a man who was born as the English Civil war ended and brought Oliver Cromwell to power, a man who was a contemporary of the Great Fire of London and, dare I say it, the Great Plague that so closely preceded it.
I took the trouble to obtain Robert Flack’s Last Will and Testament from the National Archives and it is reproduced here. You may not care to read it all from start to finish since in its 18th century legalese it is rather repetitive and dry as wills are so often are (I still love the language though!). To read these words of Robert Flack is to gain a view of another world, 250 years distant, that speaks of a Husband and Father’s relationship with his large family and his concerns for their welfare when he is no longer able to provide for them. In this respect it almost feels like a voyeuristic act to read his will. Two things stand out clearly. One, Robert Flack was a farmer of means, aside from the farm, the materials to run it and the cattle there was hard cash in the family (£100 pounds in 1750 equates to about £20,000 in 2020!). The other fact of mid 18th century life that speaks out from the pages of copperplate handwriting is that there existed a very different relationship with death. In a world in which an understanding of disease and its causes was in its infancy, health and longevity was not something to be taken for granted. Within his Father’s memory travelers out of London brought the Great Plague to Bishops Stortford. As a consequence, and pandemics aside, there was no assumption that the Reaper took lives in age order and this is fully reflected in Robert’s will where the eventuality of premature death of his many children is addressed.
So, to Robert Flack, gentleman farmer of Thorley Hall in the County of Hertford and said family, it was a pleasure to spend some time in your world and I will call by to pay my respects again….. in around 2045 at the current rate!
Last Will and Testament of Robert Flack.
‘In the name of God Amen.
I, Robert Flack the Elder of Thorley Hall in the parish of Thorley in the County of Hertford, farmer, being in good health of body and of sound mind, memory and understanding, praised be to God, do make publish and declare my last will and testament in manner following and first I commend my soul to my Heavenly Creator, believing that through his mercy and the merits of my savior Jesus Christ I shall enjoy eternal life and my body I commit to the Earth to deferently but privately buried at the discretion of my Executrix and Executor herein named and as to the worldly Estate with which it hath pleased God to bless me, I bequeath and dispose thereof (that is to say) I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Mary Flack, and unto my son, Robert Flack of the town of Hertford in the County of Hertford _______ all my ready money, money at interest, stock in farming, household goods, cattle chattels and personal Estate of what kind or nature so ever that I shall be possessed of, interested in or intitled unto at the time of my decease for and during their joint lives, in case my wife, Mary, shall continue a widow until the time of her death and my will and meaning is that they shall and may (if they think proper so to do, hold and occupy the farm wherein and make use of (?) if the landlord thereof will permit them and use my said stock effects and personal Estate in carrying on the farming business then or otherwise to sell, use or dispose of the same during their said joint lives in such manner as they shall think proper. But in case my wife, Mary, shall not continue a widow, but marry again, then and in that case I give and bequeath all my said ready money, money at interest, household goods, chattels and personal Estate unto whatever shape the same shall then happen to be turned or converted unto my said son, Robert Flack, his Executors and Administrators, he or they, thereout, paying unto my said wife, Mary, the sum of fifteen pounds a year of lawful money of Great Britain for and during the term of her natural life by four equal quarterly payments, the first quarterly payment thereof to begin and be made on the first quarter day that shall happen next after my said wife, Mary, shall marry again and also paying thereout unto my son, John Flack of Ware Park farm in the said County of Hertford, farme, my son William Flack of aforesaid Thorley, farmer, my daughter, Mary Eve, widow, my daughter Ann, the wife of Thomas Mead of Billericay in the County of Essex, my daughter Martha Flack, spinster, my daughter Elizabeth Flack, spinster and my daughter Sarah Flack, spinster, the several legacys or sums of money herein after by me given unto them respectively at the times herein aftermentioned for the payment of the same and my mind is that on my said wife’s marrying again, she shall upon such marrying have nothing to do with the said farm or stock belonging to the same or with any other part of my said personal Estate or effects and with any interest, advantage or profit that shall be or may be made or arise thereby, but shall only be intitled to have and receive thereout the said annual sum of fifteen pounds a year and in case my said wife shall continue a widow until the time of her death and shall happen to survive my said son, Robert Flack, then after the decease of my said son, Robert, I give and bequeath into my said wife, Mary Flack, her Executors and Administrators all my said ready money, money at interest, stock in farming, household goods, cattle chattels and personal Estate, she or they thereout paying unto the Executors and Administrators of my said son, Robert Flack, within one year after the death of my son, Robert Flack, the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain which some of one hundred pounds I do hereby give and bequeath unto the Executors and Administrators of my said son, Robert Flack, if he shall happen to die in the lifetime of my said wife, Mary Flack, and also paying the said several legacys or sums of money herein after given or bequeathed by me unto my said children, John Flack, William Flack, Mary Eve, Ann the wife of Thomas Mead, Martha Flack, Elizabeth Flack and Sarah Flack at the times herein after mentioned for payment of the same. But if my said wife, Mary Flack shall continue as widow to the time of her death and shall depart this life in the lifetime of my said son, Robert Flack, then after the death of my said wife, Mary Flack, I give and bequeath unto my said son, Robert Flack, his Executors and Administrators all my ready money, money at interest, stock in farming, household goods, cattle chattels and personal Estate (unto whatever shape matters or thing the same may then be converted or turned), he or they paying thereout the said several legacys or sums of money herein after given and bequeathed by me to my said children, John Flack, William Flack, Mary Eve, Ann the wife of Thomas Mead, Martha Flack, Elizabeth Flack and Sarah Flack at the times herein after mentioned for payment of the same and so I do give and bequeath unto my said son, John Flack, the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, unto my said son, William Flack, the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, unto my said daughter, Mary Eve, the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money and unto my daughter, Ann the wife of Thomas Mead, the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money, over and above what I have already given them, my said last four children, for their respective advancements in the world. Also, I give and bequeath unto my said daughter, Martha Flack, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, unto my said daughter, Elizabeth Flack, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds of like lawful money and unto my said daughter, Sarah Flack, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds of like lawful money and I do hereby order and direct the person or persons who shall, by virtue of this will, be intitled to my said ready money, money at interest, household goods, cattle chattels and personal Estate at the time of my said wife marrying again, or in case of not marrying again, at the time of her death to pay onto my said four children, John Flack, William Flack, Mary Eve and Ann the wife of Thomas Mead, the several sums of money or legacys hereby given them respectively within one year next of the decease of my said wife, Mary Flack, and to pay unto my said other three children, Martha Flack, Elizabeth Flack and Sarah Flack the said several legacys or sums of money herein by me given unto them respectively within three months next after the death of my said wife, Mary Flack, and my will and meaning is that if all or any of my said daughters, Martha, Elizabeth or Sarah Flack shall happen to depart this life before her or their legacys of her or them so dying, shall go unto and be equally divided between the survivors or survivor of all of my said daughters, Mary Eve, Ann Mead, Martha Flack, Elizabeth Flack or Sarah Flack, share and share alike and be paid unto them at the time their several legacys are hereby directed to be paid and my mind, will and meaning further is that, if it shall happen that my said personal Estate shall not be at the death of my said wife be sufficient to pay and satisfy unto them, my said seven children, the said several legacys and sums of money herein before by me given them to the full that then they shall make and allow a rateable abatement in their said respective legacys in proportion to the deficiency that their shall be in my said personal Estate at the time of my said wife, Mary Flack, and I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said wife, Mary Flack and my said son, Robert Flack, joint Executrix and Executor of this my will and I do hereby revoke, make null and void all former and other wills and testaments by me hereforetomade and do declare this to be my last will and testament contained in three sheets of paper. In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Flack, the Testator have set my bond and seal to the top and bottom of this my will and to the bottom of the second and third sheets of this will, the twenty eighth day of October in the three and twentieth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty nine.
Robert Flack, signed, sealed, delivered, published and declared to be the last will and testament of the testator, Robert Flack, in the presence of us who have subscribed and set our names as witnesses hereinto in the presence of said testator, _____ Eaton, _____Toller, _____Thorogood.
This will was proved at London on the twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty, before the Worshipful Robert Chapman, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Mary Flack, widow, and Robert Flack the son of the deceased and the Executors named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and credits of the deceased being first sworn only to administrator ______.
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