Richard and Jessie’s baby son (known as Oliver) died, aged only
twenty months old, whilst the Jefferies’ family were living at 14 Victoria Road,
Eltham (now 59 Footscray Road).
The Eltham Society are placing an inscribed stone to mark where Oliver was buried in St
John’s Churchyard in a grave that was once marked by a simple wooden cross.
Harold Jefferies (Richard & Jessie’s first born son) recounted
the death of his baby brother as ‘a terrible blow to father. His suffering,
which was far greater than that of the child, prevented him from attending the
funeral, and mother and I were, I believe, alone in the coach to Eltham church.
The agonised expression on father’s face, as he stood at the open door watching
the little cortège slowly move away, haunted my mind for many years,’ (Worthing
Calvacade, Richard Jefferies: My Father by his son, 1944, p.19-20).
The Eltham
Society want to mark the occasion by holding a small ceremony in the churchyard
to which, they hope, Members of the Richard Jefferies Society might join them
and perhaps do a reading or say a few words. They have chosen 16th March for the
event - the anniversary of the date the baby died. Whilst in the area, Members
might also like to take a look at the outside of the house where the Jefferies’
family were living (it bears a memorial plaque), about a 15 minute walk from the
churchyard.
