The Final Resting Place of Pamela Colman Smith
Pamela Colman Smith (1878 – 1951) was buried in St. Michael & All Angels Churchyard on 25th September 1951 by a well-regarded Roman Catholic Priest, Joseph Henry du Moulin-Browne.
Whilst her marker (likely wooden or even unmarked) has long-since been lost, and the original record of plots was lost to a fire, the dates and names of surrounding markers compared to the surviving Parish records do suggest her most likely resting place.
This is in the far corner to one side of the church, from where the video above was taken, and contains three or so marked graves dated 1950-1951, as most of the plots in the entire graveyard are arranged in chronological order.
This area also contains at least three unmarked plots and was proposed by ourselves on a site visit and then independently validated the following day by a local historian who first researched the site thirty years ago.
We were told that the fire was apparently in a builders hut where the parish records were being stored during renovation work on the church, so it is unfortunate we have no record of the exact location.
It is a beautiful location close to the shoreline that Pamela loved so much, and surrounded by woodland and the sound of birds. As the video above was being taken, the church bells rang, which seemed to impart some message of well-being.
The book, Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot (Llewellyn, 2015) by Marcus Katz & Tali Goodwin, contains more information, with new photographs and discoveries about Pamela Colman Smith, Arthur Edward Waite, and their creation of the world’s most popular tarot deck.
We also have a lot more new information, discoveries and photographs for all Tarot Association members. You will find it under your MEMBERS ONLY section, as “The Kiss of the Sun for Pardon: A Memory of Pamela Colman Smith”.
Do join us for the leading research into the facts about the tarot and its development providing a comprehensive basis for new practical innovation.