Graham Smith's birthday. My grandfather [Mr X of the 1973 diary] is celebrating his 81st birthday quietly today. [He died Sept 9, 1973]. Ally and I shattered. Paid a lunch time visit to the Ref. Lib. No luck for the whereabouts of John Rhodes in 1891. I re-checked Otley. He was definitely not there.
Home at 6 to Ally and fish. Mum phoned to say she and Dad visited Bramley and found John and Christiana's grave in the cemetery there. Dad was appalled at the devastation of the cemetery, upturned grave stones, others daubed in nazi slogans, but my great-grandfather's grave was intact, black marble, gold lettering, green chippings. John Rhodes, I am told, purchased the family grave in 1914, on the death of his son, Henry [Harry] Rhodes, who died June 9, 1914, aged 21. The next inscription on the stone is John Edward Rhodes, a private in the Royal Engineers [no. 57512], killed in action on Aug 7, 1918, also 21. Christiana Rhodes died aged 73, on June 19, 1939, and John Rhodes died aged 81, March 8, 1948. The final occupant is Nellie Rhodes, John and Christiana's spinster daughter, who died Nov 30, 1955, aged 60. A real hive of information, eh? Dad cleaned the grave and says it now stands out like a 'sore thumb'. Sadly, the powers that be are to flatten the cemetery later this year, and grass over the whole site, removing the headstones to the outskirts, and no doubt making a playing field of the place. I'd better get up there with a camera before the end comes.
Phoned Steve Sanderson tonight. Saturday is still on. Ally and I took to our beds quite knackered.
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