Musical Coffins – Joseph Grimaldi and Charles Dibdin: London #6

I'd already earmarked the grave of the clown Joseph Grimaldi (1778 –1837) as a must to see and then I discovered from the London Remembers website about the keystone representation of him on this building in Pentonville Road, on either side of which is Joseph Grimaldi Park. Originally there was a church here – Saint James, which London Remembers states was 'for a time [...] the official church of the International Circus Clowns' Club'. The website believes this is the original church and that the keystone was added later.

Today the building is called Veolia House and run by Veolia Environmental Services, a recycling and waste management company.

Grimaldi's grave is opposite the Rodney Street entrance to the park.

'JOSEPH GRIMALDI WAS 3 YEARS OLD WHEN HE FIRST
WENT ON THE STAGE AT SADLER'S WELLS WITH HIS
FATHER AND WORKED THERE FOR 45 YEARS AS
PERFORMER AND PART-PROPRIETOR.

FROM HIS DEBUT IN 1806 AT COVENT GARDEN IN
MOTHER GOOSE HE WAS ADORED BY ALL AND COULD
FILL A THEATRE ANYWHERE. THE NAME JOEY HAS
PASSED INTO OUR LANGUAGE TO MEAN A CLOWN.

HE LIVED HIS LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF
CLERKENWELL AND DIED AT 33 SOUTHAMPTON STREET –
NOW CALLED CALSHOT STREET.

ISLINGTON COUNCIL HAS CALLED THE PARK IN WHICH
HE LIES BURIED THE JOSEPH GRIMALDI PARK TO
COMMEMORATE A GREAT ARTIST AND A GREAT MAN.'

The masks in front of the railings around the grave show the two sides of the clown's nature – the laughter and the tears.

 

This coffin-shaped structure is close to the corner of Pentonville Road and Rodney Street, and is inscribed:

 

'R.I.P

Joseph GRIMALDI

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1778 –1837

Henry Krokatsis 2010'

 

At the side of this is a similar structure with the inscription:

 

'R.I.P

Charles DIBDIN

–––––––––––––––––

1748 –1833

Henry Krokatsis 2010'

 

Dramatist and theatre manager Charles Dibdin (not to be confused with his father of the same name) was also buried here, although I have no idea where.

 

An interesting feature of these coffin shapes is that if you dance on them (as Penny and I did, much to the astonishment of people passing on Pentonville Road) the sound of bells comes out: an interesting experience that I'd recommend anyone else to try.

 

The shape of the park benches also interested me: is it my imagination, or are these really carved in the shape of a tear?

 

The pub The Glass Works about half a mile away in the heart of Islington shows a portrait of Grimaldi, a sketch of him as a child with his father, and another representing his final performance.

ADDENDUM: In case the comment below is unnoticed, I include a link below to a young woman dancing on Grimaldi's grave, apparently to the tune of his 'Hot Codlins'. Thanks, Anonymous.

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Dancing on Joseph Grimaldi's Grave