Cemetery Archives: Manor Park Cemetery

Manor Park's nicely managed by the same company who opened it in 1875. You can see the whole of London's memorial history in this one place: from Victorian angels and solid granite edifices, through grey stone and then black granite slabs, and finally the myriad standard rose bushes that memorialise those who have been cremated here. It's nice, but not all that exciting, and I've seen it before and wouldn't have come again but for one thing: Steve Marsh's astonishing granite BMW.

Steve's daughter told the Daily Mail:

He was a car enthusiast all his life, he loved cars from a child. ... He always drove BMWs, we've all got them. We couldn't just give him a normal headstone. We wanted it to look as realistic as possible. We had a lot of trouble getting it done. We had to order it from China and have it shipped over. It weighs about a ton and was made out of one piece of granite. I think my Dad would absolutely love it.

I absolutely love it too. Rest in peace, Steve: you'll never be forgotten.

Visiting: Manor Park rail station, or walkable (just about) from East Ham tube. Very few livings, one guy washing his car. Has toilets!