Mr. Black the Gravedigger

Black

Mr. Black seems to have been an eccentric character, but he had obviously worked hard as a platelayer, roadman and gravedigger. It seems that there had not been a funeral in West Deeping for nigh on two years.

No Work for Gravedigger Since 1951

‘They were swanking in your paper about North and South Witham not having had a funeral for a year.’ said Mr. Edwin Black from the comfort of his lunch-time wheelbarrow. ‘I have been gravedigger at West Deeping for about 23 years, and we can beat that. I have not had a funeral since March 21, 1951.’

Seventy-year-old Mr. Black, a roadman, was taking his ease on Monday when our reported and photographer came across him near Uffington station.

‘There is one thing about these old barrows, they make a good armchair.’ said Mr. Black. He had a sandwich in one hand and a flask of cold tea to his lips.

‘Only tea?’ we queried.

‘Can’t afford anything else,’ came the reply.

‘We had a drop of ‘short’ in for Christmas and this is the bottle,’ said Mr. Black.

He has been a roadman for 25 years, and before that was a platelayer on the Great Northern railway.”

The Stamford Mercury, 22nd May, 1953.