Person:William Goodale (5)

(Research):The Cemetery is Consecrated However, prior to the opening of the cemetery for burials a service of consecration was held. A Bishop of the Church of England can only carry out consecration of a burial ground; the ceremony involves a sentence of consecration being read and the Bishop dragging his crook around the perimeter of the area. The Richmond and Twickenham Times of the 25 November 1905 described the service: 'The Consecration of a cemetery is an event which does not often occur…. Punctually at three o'clock the Bishop of Kingston [Rt. Revd. Dr. Cecil Hook] drove up, and was met at the main entrance to the cemetery by the Revs. B Meredyth Kitson (Barnes), W.C. Furneaux (Mortlake), W.R. Wright, Machean, and Crymes. Those present included Mr Registrar Day, Colonel E.V. Thompson. Messrs Stampa W Lambert, J.P., J Whitcombe, J.P., J.D. Firmston, H. Langdon, Radford, Atkins (Members of the Barnes District Council), J. Eustace Anderson (Clerk to the Council) W.T. Goodale (assistant clerk). G.B. Tomes, (surveyor). Mr. Allen Lay (reader at the Hampton Square Mission), the choristers of Barnes and Mortlake Churches and many others. The petition praying the Bishop to consecrate the ground was presented by Mr. Stampa Lambert. His Grace then declared his readiness to consecrate the ground, and preceded by the clergy and the choristers, the latter singing a hymn and chanting a Psalm, walked through the main drive, and wended his way back by a side path to the main entrance. Here the Registrar read the sentence of consecration, which was signed by the Bishop. The Bishop said he did not suppose it would be right to allow a ceremony so interesting and so solemn to conclude without a few words in regard to the business for which they were assembled that afternoon. He thanked God the sun shone upon them, and he thought it was well, because it made them think of that brighter side of the solemn thing - death - which was especially in their minds whilst they gathered together that afternoon. Generally speaking, when they referred to death that thought of something which caused sorrow; but they should remember that 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.' He hoped that in that ground many would be led to find God whilst taking a last look on the departed friends. The hymn, 'The sower went forth sowing' was then sung, and the service concluded'. Writing about another event to which the bishop attended shortly after the consecration, The Herald of 2 December noted how those attending the consecration were impressed '…by the strong and pleasing personality of Dr. Cecil Hook…'. On the 12 December the Sanitary Committee appointed William George Hill of 15 Alexandra Road Mortlake as superintendent of the cemetery. The terms were as stated above, but with one week's notice on either side. He would occupy the post from 1 January 1906. However, this was brought forward to the 20 December as two interments had been booked for the 21 December. As the lodge at the cemetery had not been completed the Committee agreed that he should live rent-free at his current residence; 8s 3d rent should be debited to the cemetery account and credited to the Workmen's Dwelling Account

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. International Genealogical Index (IGI). (Salt Lake City: Family History Library)
   Recorded 18 Feb 2004.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 The London Times online Archives.
3. ↑ Age 19, Born Mortlake, Surrey
   Occ: Clerk
   
   5 Lancing
   Mortlake, Surrey
   England1891 British Census