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The Cemetery Song

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Performer: Ellaway, Arthur
Place Collected: Charlton Kings
Date collected: 1977 (5 Sep)
Collector: Davies, Gwilym

These curious lines are from epitaphs on gravestones in Cheltenham, to which a chorus has been added. It is clearly a local composition.

The second epitaph reads:

To the memory of John Higgs, died 1825.
Here lies John Higgs
A famous man for killing pigs
For killing pigs was his delight
Both morning, afternoon and night.
Both heats and colds he did endure
Which no physician could e’er cure
His knife is laid, his work is done,
I hope to heaven his soul is gone.

Notes by Gwilym Davies 27 June 2015