400 FUNERAL XLII 1902 his niece Elsie Butler)-these were the members of the family; Jason Smith, William Phipson Beale, Alfred Marks, Gaetano Meo, Miss Patten and Nurse Cawley, Charles Gogin, Richard Alexander Streatfeild, Russell Cooke, Edward Tanner (who used to collect the rents of his small houses near London), Alfred, and I; counting the undertaker we were altogether sixteen. We found carriages at Woking and drove to the crematorium. The coffin was put on trestles, there was no pall, there were no flowers, and there was no service. We waited. Presently the doors were opened and the coffin was taken through and put into the furnace. Formerly he used to wish to be buried at Langar, and as I have said at the end of chap. xxiii. he wished to have on his tombstone the subject of the last of Handel's six grand fugues. But he left off wanting any tombstone or epitaph long before he died, and when cremation became practicable he determined to be cremated. The question then arose as to what was to be done with his ashes. At one time he wished Alfred and me to scatter them over the grass plot in Clifford's Inn. But my mother was cremated at Woking in 1900, and I saw her ashes and told him that they did not consist entirely of dust, but that there were pieces of calcined bone among them. I pointed out that we could not scatter calcined bones over Clifford's Inn garden; we should have to borrow a spade and bury them properly, and this might easily lead to trouble. Besides I did not like putting his ashes where the laundresses came to "lose their cats," and the place would no doubt be sold for building purposes sooner or later, and——————. He said I was making difficulties. Alfred then begged to have the ashes, saying he should like to keep them on his mantelpiece. Butler agreed to this and the subject dropped. After a time Alfred said one day: "Do you know, sir, I don't think I care to have your ashes after you are dead." Which landed us back in the original difficulty. So he directed by his will that his body should be burnt and XLII ASHES 401 the ashes not preserved. Accordingly, on the Saturday 1902 after the funeral Alfred and I returned to the crematorium at Woking and received the ashes. We took them into the garden and watched the attendant dig a grave among the bushes. We dropped the ashes in, covered them over, and left nothing to mark the spot. 2 D VOL. II CHAPTER XLIII 1902-1916 ON LIPS OF OTHER MEN 1902 1902 THE following is a short statement of the main provisions of Butler's will which is dated 31st May 1902: He desires that his body shall be cremated and the ashes not preserved He appoints his cousin Reginald Edward Worsley and Richard Alexander Streatfeild his executors He bequeaths the following legacies To Alfred Emery Cathie £2000 and until payment Alfred is to receive his usual weekly wages To Alfred E. Cathie his furniture (excluding his oak chest) his clothing and household effects watch and chain and plate (excluding two silver spoons with "S B" on them and excluding his drawings pictures and books) also his photographic cameras and materials and the negatives of Alfred and his family and any two negatives of the testator that Alfred may select To Alfred E. Cathie and his aunt Ann Cathie his carpets rugs bedding sheets etc To Charles Gogin his picture "The Robing of Joseph To his sisters Mrs. Harriet Fanny Bridges and Miss Mary To each of his executors £200 To each of the daughters of his sister-in-law Mrs. Henrietta To John Taylor Bather £100 To Herbert Robert Clark £100 |