eHive Object Details

Name/TitleJames Horatio Nelson Cassell and wife: Old Melbourne Cemetery, c. 1920

About this objectPhotograph of the memorials placed over the remains of the Hon. James Horatio Nelson Cassell, public servant, and his wife. The memorials are at the centre of the image, surrounded by a railing. Paths, small trees, and other memorials can be seen in the background, as well a large building outside the cemetery to the right of the image. According to Selby's "Memorial History of Melbourne", this image has been cropped from a larger view of the Presbyterian section, taken from Franklin Street.

The elaborate monument to James Cassell takes the form of a decorated cube pedestal on a three stepped base, topped with a draped urn and covered by a four columned temple structure, which is itself topped by another urn. The inscription, not seen in this image, is carved on the side of the pedestal base. The low monument with a flat top immediately to the right of the large memorial, covers the remains of the wife of James Cassell.

Selby tells us in his "Memorial History of Melbourne", that "the splendid monument [...] was destroyed in transferring the remains to the Fawkner Cemetery".

This image is attributed to Everard Studley Miller who photographed many graves and tombstones in the Old Melbourne Cemetery (established in 1837) around 1920 as part of a project led by Isaac Selby to record and commemorate all aspects of Melbourne's second cemetery (the first being at Flagstaff Hill). The RHSV holds original glass negatives and albums of the photographs from this project.

One of the many glass slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund. Selby numbered this slide #58.

For more information about this image contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria.

MakerMiller, Everard Studley, 1886-1956.

Maker RolePhotographer

Measurements8.2 x 8.2 cm

Period1910-1920

Object TypePhotograph

Subject and Association KeywordsSelby, Isaac, 1859-1956

Subject and Association KeywordsMiller, Everard Studley, 1886-1956.

Subject and Association KeywordsOld Melbourne Cemetery (Melbourne)

Subject and Association KeywordsCassell, James Horatio Nelson, 1814-1853

Subject and Association KeywordsMonuments and memorials

Named CollectionImages collection

Object numberGS-TM-14

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved