Joy as Kitty Wilkinson’s damaged tombstone is restored

The damage was reported to the ECHO at the time by Lucy Carew, one of the tour guides for Shiverpool, a ghost and history tour experience company that regularly takes guests through the famous gardens behind the cathedral.

Following our front page story, Lucy reported that Mrs Wilkinson’s grave has now been restored by Liverpool Council as she and a group of others worked to beautify and improve the gardens.

She said: “The front page Liverpool Echo about the damage to Kitty’s memorial in December helped us to generate widespread awareness and sparked public outrage at what appeared to be a case of mindless vandalism of the city’s garden and graves our.

“The publicity served as a catalyst to bring people together and on a bright Sunday morning, December 17 at 10 o’clock, organized by Richard Scott (an original Trustee of the Friends of St James Charity), a group of about 15 strangers they gathered around Kitty’s fallen memorial. .

“With a renewed focus on how we could play an active role in continuing the vital work the charity has undertaken for years, relationships were formed and plans were made.”

Lucy added: “Almost immediately after the meeting a WhatsApp group was formed and organized activities began, including regular meetings kindly hosted by the Anglican Cathedral, litter clearing, snowshoe and tree planting and cleaning of Huskisson’s mausoleum were well attended tasks.

“Excursions to the library archives organized by Anna Nielsson, a PhD student carrying out AHRC-funded research into the archeology of Liverpool cemeteries, were organized to complete an extensive database of graves and people buried in St James.”

Thanking Liverpool Council for restoring the headstone and everyone who helped clean up this important Liverpool site, Lucy said: “We are now looking forward to our Summer Shivers program of Shiverpool trips and are delighted to be celebrating the life of Kitty Wilkinson and working with the great and good buried in St James’.

You can learn more about Shiverpool tours here.

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