A CURIOUS CREMATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9867, 25 March 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

A CURIOUS CREMATION.

Just before the last mail left there died a very eccentric Welsh gentleman, called Dr Price, who held some very curious religious ideas, which made him somewhat prominent from time to time. The doctor used to style himself the Arch-Druid, and affected a very strange dress. He was an ardent advocate of cremation, and left minute instructions for tho disposal of his body. A London paper gives the following account of the scene at his cremation;— Just at break of day on Tuesday the remains of the late Arch-Druid were conveyed from his home to Caerlan Fields, and consigned to the flames in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, as expressed in his last will and testament. As early as four o’clock numbers of persons visited the house where the body lay, and took a last look at the venerable face in the open coffin. The body was fully dressed in the curious garb worn by the doctor during life. The outer shell of the coffin was of sheet iron, tapped by nuts and bolts with which to fasten down the lid. The sides were perforated in order that the fire might the more readily do its work. Just before tho coffin was removed the members of the family entered the room for A LAST GAZE AT THE BODY. At the head of the coffin stood Miss Llewellyn with the little boy—‘Jesus'Christ’—and the little girl—‘ Penelope Elizabeth.’ Miss Price — 1 Countess Morganwg ’ —imprinted a passionate kiss on her father’s face and cut a lock from his long grey hair,- which hung in curls by tho face of the dead. The coffin was closed shortly after seven o’clock, and twelve bearers who had been selected from amongst old friends of the deceased took it up. The procession, as it wended its way to Caerlan, was as solemn as any that had ever taken place in the ancient town. Following tho coffin as chief mourners came ‘ Jesus Christ,’ the deceased’s little boy, and his sister, Penelope Elizabeth. Then came Miss Price, and afterwards Miss Llewellyn,, accompanied by two friends. All the family were dressed in Welsh costumes, and the little boy wore Druidic dress, like that which his father used to wear—namely, a green cloth suit and a foxskin cap. The entrance to the Caerlan Fields was guarded by two policemen, who prevented the ingress of any people not possessing tickets. On reaching the top field the procession was met by the Rev Daniel Fisher, curate of Llantrissant, who was accompanied by the Rev J. Williams, curate of Pontyelown. The first-named gentleman read tho Welsh service tor the burial of the dead, and headed the procession from the gates to the crematorium, which was situated about fifteen yards below the huge pole erected some time ago by Dr Price. THE CREMATORIUM consisted of two parallel walls about four feet high, crossed by iron bars two inches thick to hold the bottom of the fire. Another row of bars sustained the coffin when it had been slipped on the fire, after which it was covered with a large pile of coals. The space around the coffin was also filled with fuel, saturated with paraffin oil, three tons of coal and a ton of wood having been used. The service was continued at the cremation, and the words ‘ consigned to the flames ’ were substituted for the usual words. The fire was ignited by Mr Daniel Richards, an old servant of the deceased, on one side, and simultaneously at the other by Mr Anderson, of Carmarthen. The fuel immediately took fire, and the flames leaped up high into the air and burned fiercely. The body was altogether left in the lire for eight hours, and when drawn out a little before four o’clock the sheet-iron coffin had burnt through, the top and sides having caved in. Inside the coffin there remained a few ashes and small bits of bones which had not been thoroughly burnt. These were scattered about the fields, according to the doctor’s desire. Tke large crowds which had congregated around the crematorium broke through the palings, and were with great difficulty kept back by the police. A large number of cinders and burnt wood were carried away by visitors as mementoes of the cremation. The shattered coffin was placed on a bier and carried by the bearers to the house, followed by a strong cordon of police and hundreds of the general public.