Wednesday, 18 December 2024

A Haddock Tomb

 I was cheered this morning to see a story about Historic England's listing of an 'exceptionally rare' group of 17th-century chest tombs in the churchyard of St Clement's, Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. This is 'my' period, of course, as readers of The Mother of Beauty will know (and just to say, it's the ideal stocking filler – still available on Amazon, or from me at nigeandrew@gmail.com). One of these Essex tombs is to Mary Haddock, mother of Admiral Richard Haddock, a prominent commander in the Anglo-Dutch wars, and very probably one of the inspirations for Hergé's great creation, Captain Haddock. Alongside her tomb is that of her father, a whaler, and a third tomb commemorates one Mary Ellis, believed to have lived 119 years and died 'a virgin of virtuous courage and very promising hope'. Her tomb, being that of a single, childless woman, 'stands as a remarkable challenge to 17th-century gender norms', according to Historic England. Really? I'm sure I've seen plenty of 17th-century monuments to single, childless women (of impeccable virtue, needless to say). 
Read the whole story here... 

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