Shaun Tookey at work on a grave shown before and after
Images: @thegravecleaner
I sincerely wish Shaun Tookey - who has found fame on social media as a part-time grave cleaner - all the luck in the world and congratulate him on being able to now afford his first home due to his hard work scrubbing hundreds of headstones [1].
And I'm pleased that this Essex tree surgeon by trade finds the work deeply satisfying as well as financially rewarding. After all, most people want economic security, a roof over their heads, and to find fulfilment in what they do.
However, I think it gravely mistaken to restore the final resting place of a loved one to a pristine state. For the dead deserve to dwell in a place that has been transformed by the passing of time and illuminated by darkness.
The reason that people find old graveyards so beautiful is in large part due to the natural decay even of stone and the gathering of moss. A pristine grave belongs in a showroom, not a cemetery; the very whiteness of the marble is somehow offensive in its sterility.
And, if I may be so bold as to speak on behalf of the dear departed once more, it's impossible to ever really rest in peace in a grave that shines and sparkles; that lacks the soft lustre or sheen of antiquity that Tanizaki speaks of [2].
Notes
[1] Mr Tookey shares the results of his graveyard labours on social media, where, amazingly, he has gained over 34,000 followers. His handle is @thegravecleaner.
For those interested in Shaun's services, visit his website: thegravecleaner.com Readers might like to note that a deep clean headstone restoration starts at £150 whilst for the full works - including decorative aggregates for the graves - expect to pay between £350 and £450.
[2] See Junichirō Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows (Vintage Books, 2001), p. 20, where he condemns the Western obsession with cleanliness and attempts to eradicate every speck of dirt or sign of decay and ageing.
