Charles Bacchus (c.1746-31 March 1762):
St Mary’s Church, Queens Street, Culworth OX17 2AT
In a prominent location close by the southern porch of St Mary’s is an elegant headstone mourning the loss of a young black servant, Charles Bacchus.
Charles was a servant to Richard Bond, whose two brothers had sugar and coffee plantations in Jamaica. He was most likely born there, before being brought to England when he was around eight years old. Parish registers record his baptism on 8th October 1754: “Charles Bacchus, a Negro belonging to Richard Bond”.
The grave was restored in the late 1970s by a local woman, Anne Lindsey Brookes, in memory of her parents, her mother having been concerned about decay of the stone. It was later listed.
Inscription:
In Memory of
CHARLES BACCHUS
(an African)
who died March 31. 1762.
He was belov’d and Lamented
by the Family he Serv’d
was Grateful, and Humane
and gave hopes of Proving
a faithful Servant
and a Good Man.
Aged 16′
Here titles cease! Ambitions oer!
And Slave of Monarch, is no more.
The Good alone will find in Heav’n,
Rewards assignd, and Honour giv’n.’
