Memorial to Dr Robert Stephens McAll, Rusholme Road Cemetery

MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE REV R S M’CALL LLD. Sixteen years have elapsed since the death of this eloquent and lamented preacher; and at length a monument has been placed over his grave in the cemetery in Rusholme Road. It is a gothic stone edifice, or cruciform tomb, of the transitional or early English period, in three stages, the lowest square consisting of a plinth and base; the middle, cruciform, terminating in four crocketted gables, having niches of trefoil headed arches, with a trefoil piercing above, dog tooth mouldings, etc; and the uppermost stage consists of an octagonal pinnacle, crocketted like the gables. The base covers an area of 12 feet square, and the edifice is altogether 28 feet in height. In the four faces of the plinth are as many sunk panels, with crenellated mouldings; and three of these panels contain as many inscriptions, the fourth panel being left to receive obituary records of other members of Dr M’Alls’s family. The first panel, facing the cemetery chapel contains the following:

In this tomb lie the mortal remains of Robert Stephens M’All. LL.D , pastor from January 1827 till his death, of the Independent church and congregation which met in Mosley Street Chapel, Manchester. He was born at Plymouth August 4 1782 and died at Swinton, July 27 1838

The second panel is thus inscribed: Of commanding and attractive bodily presence; of manners combining rare dignity, grace and gentleness; of mental powers acute, brilliant vigorous and profound, enriched with large stores of various knowledge, and gifted with eloquence seldom surpassed, he devoted all with intense ardour to the service of Christ and his church, until, in the prime of manhood, he was found by the Great Master to be meeter for the heavenly crown than for the earthly conflict, and called to his everlasting rest.

And the third panel, fronting the registrar’s house, has the following; Erected AD 1854, by many who loved and honoured him, and in whose souls time has but deepened the sense of separation *** with which they saw him taken from them, and made his memory more fragrant and more precious.

The material is fine Darley-dale stone which retains its hardness for a long time. The total cost is about ,***. The monument is very creditable to the taste and skill of Mr Richard Lane, the architect who furnished the design; and to the constructive skill of Me William Paxton (Buxton?)  stone mason and builder, the contractor for its erection. [Manchester Guardian 10 March 1855 Page 7]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 10 March 1855 Page 7