eHive Object Details

Name/TitleJoseph Raleigh : Old Melbourne Cemetery, c. 1920

About this objectA photograph of an imposing stone monument marking the remains of Joseph Raleigh, merchant, and his wife Priscilla. The monument comprises of a chest tomb in the shape of an elegant lidded casket which is mounted on six balls, which then stand on large rectangular plinth. Graffiti has been scratched or chalked onto the plinth.

In the background can be seen the cemetery fence and, according to Selby's plan of the cemetery, buildings on the other side of Franklin Street. Currie & Richards were iron merchants and their store yard can be seen in the background.

The inscription reads: (80 in Selby's grave index, p. 378, OPMHoM)

Here Lie The Remains Of
JOSEPH RALEIGH
Died November 26th 1852
Aged 49 Years

According to Selby the other side of the casket reads:
Priscilla, wife of John Raleigh
7th March, 1846, aged 32
"Thou art gone to the grave, but we will not deplore thee,
For God was thy ransom, thy guardian and guide;
He gave thee, He took thee, and He will restore thee,
And death has no sting for the Saviour has died."

Selby tells us that, "At Raleigh's burial were nearly all the tradesmen and leading merchants in Melbourne. His body was brought from his residence at Moonee Ponds." Priscilla died at her daughters' residence in Spencer Street.

Raleigh was a store owner and shipping agent. His name appears numerous times in the newspapers; in advertisements promoting shipping lines including, telling "shippers of gold" to take the "Sydney direct" route; and when his store at Sutton Grange, near Mount Alexander, and his warehouse on the wharf are robbed.

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.

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 KeywordsShipping industry

Subject and Association KeywordsFranklin Street (Melbourne, Vic)

Subject and Association KeywordsMonuments and memorials

Named CollectionImages collection

Object numberGS-TM-39

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved