Grave Revelations

William McGonagall: Not even the best poet in this cemetery

William McGonagall and his plaque in Greyfriars Kirkyard, composite

The latest instalment of our strand investigating the denizens of Greyfriars Cemetery marks a departure from previous episodes for two reasons. First: It centres upon not a contemporaneous gravestone but a plaque erected after the fact, alluding vaguely to an otherwise unmarked grave whose exact position is unknown (having been unmarked, and all). Second: The subject happens to be a bonafide CELEBRITY! (Not just the grandfather-in-law of one.) Rest assured, normal service will be resumed in forthcoming episodes (probably).

The Bowes family: Cementing a legacy

The Bowes family headstone, and The Royal Albert Hall (composite)

I'd imagine while you walk through Edinburgh's historic Greyfriars cemetery, you're unlikely to be thinking about the Royal Albert Hall in London and a type of cement named after a British army major's daughter. Well, thanks to our resident genealogist, known in-house by the nom de guerre Cousin David, we have a connection to both.

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