THE LANGLANDS FAMILY
(This article is in six sections, each of which ends with a clickable link to its neighbours.)
Part 6: Memorials
The previous parts of this article have considered the leading members of five generations of Epsom’s Langlands family. This concluding part records their various memorials in the churchyard of St Martin of Tours and, for later generations, in Epsom Cemetery.
Graves at St Martin’s
The first generations of Epsom’s Langlands were buried in four graves in St Martin’s churchyard, as below.
The four “Langlands” graves in St Martin’s churchyard.
(Details of the inscriptions are set out below.)
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2021
Grave 1: Headstone Inscription
Sacred
to the Memory
of JOHN LANGLANDS
who departed this Life
March the 5th 1814
Aged 59 years.
The busy crowd of which thou late wert one
Now hasten past thy burial stone,
Rude footsteps, trample, on the spot
Where, thou art mouldering – not forgot,
For still, thy children’s tender bosom’s weep
In silence, o’er thy last long sleep.
Also JOHN LANGLANDS
Aged 4 Years and 4 months
Son of the above
Also MARY LAWRENCE Relict
of Mr. THOS. LAWRENCE
of Tower Street in the City of
London
who departed this Life
Jan 14th 1827 Aged 95 years
Grave 2: Headstone Inscription
In
Memory of
JOHN AND REBECCA COLE many years Residents
of this Parish
-o-0-o-
Here also lie four pretty birds
Lately made of flesh and blood
The cup of life, just with their lips they pressed,
Found the taste bitter, and declined the rest.
Averse then turning from the face of day
They softly sighed, their little souls away.
JULIA, ELIZA, EDWIN, and JULIA.
Four children of Lawrence and Rebecca Langlands
(As Rebecca Langlands’ maiden name was Cole, John & Rebecca here were presumably her parents and these children’s grandparents.)
Grave 2: Footstone Inscription (These initials match the names on the headstone.)
J.C.
R.C.
J.L.
E.L.
E.L.
J.L.
Grave 3: Inscription on Footstone (as arrowed above – the headstone has been lost)
R.L. 1834
S.L. 1834
(These initials and death dates match 33 year old Rebecca and 75 year old Sarah Langlands – the wife of John Langlands who was buried in Grave 1 above some 20 years earlier.)
Grave 4: Inscription on Slab
SACRED
to the Memory of
EMILY REBECCA LANGLANDS
who departed this life
on the 16th June, 1864,
Aged 38 years.
From this dark world and all its cares
Delusive joys and fatal snares
Our lov’d ones now set free
We hope in realms of endless love
To dwell in peace with saints above
To all eternity.
—————-
Also
LAWRENCE LANGLANDS
of this Parish
who died 19 March, 1867
Aged 70 years.
Memorials in Epsom Cemetery
Later generations of the Langlands were buried in two adjoining plots in Epsom Cemetery, the memorials over which (pictured below) also commemorate a number buried elsewhere.
The two “Langlands” graves in Epsom Cemetery.
(Details of the inscriptions are set out below.)
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2021
Inscriptions on the main Langlands memorial (marked 1 above – over plot B7) in Epsom Cemetery
Front (facing the path)
TOP: In / loving memory of / Elizabeth / wife of / Charles John Langlands / who died 30th July 1881 / aged 52 years / also of / Charles John / Langlands / who died 15th December 1889 / aged 66 years
MIDDLE: Charles John Laurence / Langlands / died 19th February 1981 / aged 89 years
BOTTOM: And / Enid (Polo) Langlands / 15th March 1896 – 2 March 1982
Right side
TOP: In / remembrance of / Oswald Lawrence / Langlands / who died 16th July 1873 / aged 13 years / also of / Percy Langlands / late Major / 1st West Indian Regiment / died 1st February 1914 / aged 47 years. / Interred at Jersey in the / Channel Islands
MIDDLE: And his son / Percy Christopher Langlands / late Major in the Lancashire Fusiliers / 3rd September 1903 – 26th October 1986
Rear
TOP: In/ remembrance of / Lewis William / Langlands / who was drowned at sea / on 7th December 1873 / aged 18 years / also of / Alfred Ernest / Langlands / who died at Melbourne Australia / on 10th August 1888 / aged 30 years
Left side
TOP: In / ever loving memory of / Gerald Walter / Langlands / who passed away / 9th August 1924 / aged 62 years / also of / Rosie Florence / Langlands / who died 3rd November 1945 / aged 75 years
MIDDLE: Cecil Walter / Langlands RFC / F/Lt 57 Squadron 1914-1918 / March 20th 1893 – December 12th 1982
Inscriptions on the other Langlands memorial (marked 2 above – over Plot B17) in Epsom Cemetery
Front (facing the path)
TOP: Had he asked us, well we know / We should cry – Oh! spare this blow. / Yes with streaming tears would pray, / Lord we love them, let them stay.
MIDDLE: in loving memory of / Augustus William Langlands / Who died 7th October 1886 / Aged 56 years.
BOTTOM: Also Eliza wife of the above / who died April 12th 1902 / youngest daughter of the late / Charles & Sarah Bentley
Left side
MIDDLE: Also / Edith Ellen Lucas / Died 6th July 1937
BOTTOM: Also of / Emily Eliza Langlands / Died 7th August 1944
Right side
TOP: Thy will be done
MIDDLE: In loving memory of / Augustus William / Langlands / Who died 21st January 1875 / Aged 2 years and 5 months
Roger Morgan © 2022