Our latest Notable Burial:-
Robert Rose (ca1806-1849)Robert Rose called himself “The Bard of Colour and Laureate of the Western Isles”. He was described as “a wealthy gentlemen and not a native of Lancashire”. He was believed to have been born in the West Indies although details of his early life are unknown. He lived in St Stephen’s Street, Salford and in the early 1840’s was Vice Chair of a Literary Group which met at The Sun Inn on Long Millgate, opposite Chetham’s Library, known as “Poet’s Corner”. Robert Rose met his untimely death, aged 43, on 19th June 1849 in a Salford police cell. He was arrested a few hours earlier in a drunken state having consumed “an incredible quantity of alcohol”. He was buried at Manchester General Cemetery on 21st June 1849 and his gravestone was inscribed with the following verse:-
"I’d rather have my tomb bedew’d at eve
With the lone orphan’s or the good man’s tear
Who softly stole at twilight here to grieve
And sobb’d aloud — the friend of man rests here
I’d rather have this quiet humble fame
Than hollow echo of an empty name"Unfortunately the team have been unable to locate his gravestone and believe it is no longer in existence. Chetham’s Library however hold examples of his work.
Luzzu
