One of the largest, if not the largest, monuments in Leamington Spa cemetery at Brunswick Street is that of William Riley.
At the top of the monument there are 3 faces; 2 are engraved and the 3rd is blank. One of the faces shows an engraving of a panoramic view that includes a dog, a horse, a stretch of water, a tree and a hillside or mountain in the distance; perhaps this was a favourite place, so to include this is quite understandable?
The other face is engraved with a ship and a lifeboat in the middle of a storm but what has this to do with Leamington, when we are about as far away from the sea as it is possible to get? For an explanation, please click this link. Click Here to see an article about the Almshouses endowed by the same William Riley.
Allan Jennings and Alan Griffin, October 2016
Images by courtesy of the authors