While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.Īnd at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:īut the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ‘Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.Īnd five of them were wise, and five were foolish. There is a famous passage in the New Testament in Matthew 25:1-13 of the parable of the 10 virgins: The symbol of the lamp was later adopted by Christianity as many pagan motifs were and it came to symbolise Jesus as the ‘light of the world’. In this story the lamp was seen as a gateway to another world of mystery and other gods. This mythical being could help or hinder those who were brave enough to rub the lamp as in the story of Aladdin. In Arabian folklore a genie’s lamp contained a magical spirit known as a djinn or genie. The Winfield lamps appear to be oil lamps and these have been used as illumination for thousands of years. Obviously now I’ve said that, I’ll see lamps in every cemetery on every tombstone but so far it’s just been this one. Often it’s represented by the eternal flame or a downturned/ upturned torch but lamps are rare. Lamps are an unusual symbol to see in a cemetery but Light as a motif in itself has been used in many forms. But it’s very lowdown on the stone and the encroaching summer vegetation obscured it making it difficult to read. There is another family member commemorated on the headstone who is called James Alfred Winfield.

The grave is that of Marie Cordelia Winfield who died young at the age of 19. Should I rub one of the Aladdin style lamps and see if a genie appeared to grant me three wishes? I was intrigued as to why they were on the stone and so began my research for this month’s symbol – The Lamp. I was looking for butterflies, the Marbled White to be exact, on a side path in Brompton Cemetery when I found this memorial. Tombstone with sculpted lamps dedicated to Marie Cordelia Winfield who died aged 19