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Page 32 T ies Advucalt.
ove'nber ^ t)8(,
Exeter Cemetery marks 125th anniversarythjs week
By Yvonne Reynolds
EXETER - A tall white sand-
stone tombstone, its facade sof-
tened and blurred over the years,
marks the grave of Honor Gidley,
aged 26. The young wife was the
first person to be buned in the Ex-
eter cemetery, on December 3,
1864 in the five acres of land pur-
chased that year as a burial ground
for the town.
To commemorate the cemetery's
125th anniversary, the original
minute books and some of the old
record books will be on display in
the council chambers at the munic-
ipal office on Friday, December 1.
Superintendent Harry Knip will
be on hand from 10 a.m until 2
p.m. to answer questions.
. When Goderich eliminated the
position of sexton by amalgamat-
ing the cemetery board with the
parks board, Exeter became the
only municipality that still has a
full-time cemetery superintendent,
living in a caretaker's house right
on the grounds.
Knip is the latest in a long line
of full-time superintendents whose
efforts have made the Exeter ce-
metery one of the most attractive,
and well cared for in .the county.
For the first 30 or so years of
the cemetery's existence, tending
the graves was an individual re-
sponsibility. Efforts were recom-
pensed by the treasurer of the Ce-
metery Committee.
The first caretaker, an L. Davey,
submitted his resignation on Octo-
ber 13, 1894. (The old books do
not record when he was hired.)
His successor, D.A. Alward, ac-
cepted the job for an annual salary
of.$375 plus a free house.
In 1907 the job went to J. Ford.
He was promised a bonus of $25
at the end of each year if his ser-
vices were satisfactory.
The salary dropped $50 for the
four years Charles Gross was in
charge. In return for his annual
stipend, he also had to supply the
horse and transportation to remove
the dirt from the grave sites.
John Ford took over in 1911.
His salary soared to $900 at one
time, then was decreased to $840
annually during the Great Depres-
sion. Bill Smith and Jack Kydd
were hired as his assistants for 250'
per hour. The two men worked
there for 45 years.
During the 10 years Ken Clarke
was superintendent, he lived rent-
free in the house, and was paid $60
per month. Out of this he had to
pay a service charge to the ceme-
tery board for his hydro and the
power to operate the pump that
brought water from the river to
maintain the flower beds. He was
also responsible for dirt removal.
Clarke designed the Third Circle,
and was the first one interred in
that part of the cemetery.
Albert Ostland replaced Clarke.
When he died in 1971, Albert
Hummel took over. Knip was
hired to assist him, and stepped up
to superintendent in 1984.
The house Knip lives in is the '
third associated with the cemetery.
The first burned down in 1902 and
was replaced for an outlay of $700.
By the time the second house was
destroyed by fire, the cost of re-
building had gone,up to $905.
Over the years, more land has
been acquired, and the part now in
First - This monument marks the
grave of the first person buried
in Exeter's cemetery 125 years
ago.
use extends over almost 19 acres. A
small plot of land was bought in
1930 on which a mausoleum was
erected. Those wanting winter bu-
rial could have a grave dug for $1,0
above the interment fee.
Ore nhouse - Cemetery superintendent Harry Knip's duties includes
growing all the plants for beds in the cemetery and the town's
parks.
To guarantee a supply of sod and
topsoil, a 25 -acre parcel of land
was purchased in Hay township in
1933.
The cemetery's most recent ac-
quisition was five more acres for
future use, bringing the total
acreage to about 24.
Reg McDonald, who has served
on the cemetery board for eight
years, has a long association with
the cemetery.
"My grandfather plowed that
property with oxen, he said..
McDonald grew up in what was
then Francistown, in the north end'
of Exeter, and spent many of those
growing -up years at the cemetery.
He remembers Smith and Kydd
very well. He used to help them by
picking up sticks and stones and
other refuse. He remembers, too,
hearing stories of one early superin-
tendent who was fired because he
allowed his flock of chickens to
scratch around among the graves.
"As kids, we were never allowed
to walk on the graves. We stayed
on the two feet of grass. between
them," McDonald recalled.
One inscription in the old part of
the cemetery stands out to his
mind. It states that the deceased
was "stabbed with a pitchfork".
McDonald is very proud of the
Exeter cemetery, claiming "It is
one of the best: I've never seen
one kept like it, and it's been like
that for years."
That was not always true. At
the turn of the century, the Exeter
Union Burying Grounds, as it was
then known, had deteriorated to
the point that the Exeter Times de-
scribed it as "a disgrace to the
community". '
This prompted a group of people
to improve the grounds. A new
board was soon formed, with trus-
tees from Exeter, Usborne, Ste-
phen and Hay townships. The vil-
lage council assumed full
responsibility in 1903.
That year Charles Southcott be-
queathed $100 toward permanent
maintenance. This was the begin-
ning of the Perpetual Care Fund.
By 1931 the first perpetual flower
beds were offered for $50. The
current price is $85.
The budget has grown considera-
bly over the years. It was in excess
of $80 for 1989. This is quite a
contrast from 100 years ago; one
of the early audits, conducted eve-
ry three years, revealed that in-
come was $478 and expenditures
were $426.
At present, the cemetery contains
about 1,200 beds among the esti-
mated 12,000 to 13,000 burials and
3,700 monuments. Just keeping
the flowers watered takes four men
two full working days. -
The first greenhouse was erected
in the forties to grow flowers for
the cemetery, rather than purchas-
ing them- from_ other growers. Ad-
ditions have expanded the growing
space to 3,000 square feet. The ce-
metery superintendent supplies all
the plants for the cemetery, and all
the town parks. Right now one
greenhouse contains 5,000 gerani-
um cuttings that will brighten the
scenery next spring.
In order to keep the beds uniform
in appearance, people can no long-
er bring their own plants to the ce-
metery. Artificial flowers and
wreaths are only permitted from
November until April. Potted -
plants or cut flowers can be left on
a grave, and the cemetery staff will
remove them after they have dried
up.
Knip said monument sprays are
becoming popular, but they leave
rust stains if the plastic coating
comes off the wires.
Knip is an Exeter native. At 17,
he moved to Hamilton to work for
a landscaping firm. He had risen
to foreman in 1982, before accept-
ing the job of assistant superinten-
dent in 1982.
Knip admits he is teased some-
times. He has received letters ad-
dressed to the Mayor of Silent
City, or Chief of the Underground.
He recalls with amusement the
first night he and his family spent
in the house that goes with his job.
The family retired to bed after an
evening listening to ghost stories
told by some of Harry's brothers.
He was awakened twice, first by
the sounds of a cat screaming from
what seemed right outside the bed-
room window, and again by the
light in the hall suddenly turning
on all by itself.
The next morning, there was no
sign of a cat anywhere. However,
he did discover that the hall light
had a short in the switch. .
Knip's duties include general up-
keep, burials, maintenance, greet-
ing the public, attending all com-
mittal services, selling lots, and
helping people researching family
trees.
Knip credits Exeter's secretary -
treasurer Liz Bell with doing a
great deal of work, for the ceme-
tery.
"I really appreciate her. If I'm in
a bind, the first thing 1 do is call
Liz," Knip said.
Knip thoroughly enjoys his job.
"There hasn't been a day in the last
eight years when I woke up and
didn't want to go to work," he said
recently.
Knip's job does provide a con-
stant awareness of his own mortal-
ity. He has helped bury an uncle,
grandparents, his wife's grandpar-
ents, and "a lot of dear friends,
young and old".
"Being a Christian, 1 know the
soul goes to heaven, and these are
the bodies left behind," Knip said.
"I hope I'm a comfort to people. I
try to help as much as possible."
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