RESTORATION OF GRAVE WTRA  AND BLESSING CEREMONY – SATURDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2023

 

 

Those of you who have shown interest in our project to restore the grave of our violin-making great grandfather, William Thomas Reed Atkinson (WTRA) - and that of our great grandmother, Mary - in Tottenham Cemetery, might be interested to learn that we had the grave Blessed on the 28th October by Father Ian Booth (Rector of St Michael's Wood Green); The Mayor of Haringey, Councillor Lester Buxton, was also in attendance. Other invited guests included Deborah Hedgecock, Carol Hebbs and Alan Swain.

After the Blessing a talented young violinist, Elsa Chung, played an extract at the graveside from Meditation by Jules Massenet on my 131 year old violin which was made by WTRA, in his Church Road workshop, in 1892. As you will see from the photographs the grave is unrecognisable from that which we rediscovered 9 years ago......it didn't even bear his name previously. Credit goes to stonemasons A C Stoneworks who carried out the excellent renovation.

Following the formal part of the proceedings a reception was held for 16 guests at the nearby Antwerp Arms where Elsa entertained us with some altogether more lively tunes.

If anyone is unaware there is a commemorative plaque on a building on the south side of Church Road (number 15). This is where WTRA's home, shop and workshop stood back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Then the building was number 13 Church Road

 




BLESSING OF GRAVE - FATHER IAN BOOTH


NEW GRAVESTONE



ORIGINAL GRAVE

RESTORED  GRAVE


RESTORED  GRAVE - OCTOBER 2023

 

 

 

POST CEREMONY GATHERING AT THE ANTWERP ARMS - CHURCH ROAD TOTTENHAM 

 




ANTWERP ARMS - CHURCH ROAD - TOTTENHAM











ANTWERP ARMS GATHERING

VIOLIN RECITAL BY ELSA CHUNG






ORIGINAL WILLIAM ATKINSON VIOLIN

 

 

 
 HOWARD HILL'S SHOP - WELWYN - HERTFORDSHIRE 17TH NOVEMBER 2023
 

Sue and I visited accomplished professional violinist, Jayne Walker, at Howard Hill's wonderful, almost Dickensian, shop in old Welwyn yesterday. The purpose of the pre-arranged trip was for me to video record Jayne playing a piece for audio/visual use at the upcoming exhibition of 'The Two Williams'. It's six/seven minutes in length.

 The observant among you - and even the 'not so observant' - will probably spot that it is the same piece of music played by Elsa Chung at the grave blessing, it being Meditation by Jules Massenet.

Andy Thomas

 


TO VIEW THIS VIDEO CLIP PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK

 Please Click      HERE


PLEASE NOTE- THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO AN EXTERNAL WEBSITE AND YOU CANNOT GET DIRECTLY BACK TO THIS PAGE.
YOU MAY HAVE TO USE THE BACK ARROW ON YOUR BROWSER TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE

 

Article prepared by Alan Swain November 2023 - Original Words and Photos by permission Peter and Andy Thomas