Thursday, October 20, 2011

A Plot Both Great and Grand

I walked past the plot where my great-great-grandfather lies buried, the Masonic plot at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, established in 1883 by Brother John Ross Robertson to provide for the internment of indigent Masons . . . my great-great-grandfather, the indigent who in 1894, had arrived in style at the Queen’s Hotel, who’d once sung lead tenor in the “Messiah” at Massey Hall, taught at the College of Music, and seen his brief tenure here end at the Home for the Incurables.
     No stone then for Thomas James Burley, so I stomped around long enough to be pretty sure I’d made contact.

Image: Cold Shoulder by Shawn Jurek.

23 comments:

  1. I'm sad that Thomas James Burley was not here for very long but during the time he was, he sure made his mark.

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  2. Colorful relatives...I have them too.

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  3. Interesting....I want to read more...

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  4. So intriguing and lovely. The last lines are superb.

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  5. been there, used to ride my bike all the time, when they were building all thoseapartment blocks on Balliol ... great memories

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  6. Well done! Precisely how our lives may change without notice, renowned to unknown... Love this one.

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  7. But I think we can link our thoughts at any time, any place, into the time line of thoughts of our relations, dead or alive, for don't thoughts spread out the way ripples on water grow in ever larger circles...Where do they end?

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  8. stomped around to make sure you had made contact...ha...nice break there at the end...

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  9. I didn't know there were any indigent Masons. :-) Well-written post.

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  10. Like that ending! Took a turn I did not expect.

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  11. How sad...life turns out so grand and then a spiral downward...I love the ending...nice work

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  12. It was sad for him to lose his status in that way.I have a side to my family that has extremely lofty ideals and some rather dark endings. Thanks!

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  13. This 100 word thing is interesting.
    Fascinating write here, and to learn of an unmarked burial.
    Jamie

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  14. Thankyou for this... A life summed up well. Thankyou for stopping by and reading my piece. Not unlikely your GGF stopped by at My GGf's tavern for a pint!!!

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  15. smiles...interesting how life changes like that...he did those things but in the end, ended up there...interesting bit of history...

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  16. I bet you made contact...terrific!

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  17. A poigant mixture of light dark and clever in this.

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