Today's shot was taken in the Leeds General Cemetery which is located within the City centre campus of the University of Leeds. The site was created in response to the state of the Parish Church Graveyard (crica 1830).
During heavy rain earth was often washed away exposing shattered pieces of human bone. Understandably this upset the families of the deceased (notbaly the newly rich middle classes) and led to the formation of the Leeds General Cemetery Company in 1833 and the purchase of the site.
The site was planned because such was the state of Leeds' Parish Church graveyard in the 1830s that heavy rain would wash away the earth and expose pieces of shattered human bone.
The Parish Church graveyard was literally full up and in order for bodies to be placed in family plots the gravediggers would remove previous burials, smash the remains and re-inter them alongside the new coffin.
It was these smashed human remains that would sometimes be uncovered by bad weather. The appalling sight upset the sensibilities of the newly rich middle-classes and led to the formation of the Leeds General Cemetery Company in 1833 and the purchase of the site.
The purchase of the site was financed through the sale of shares and a public design competition was held. The historic significance of the site is commemorated with a Blue Plaque.
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