Friends of the dead, or Who you just won't meet in London cemeteries

Cemeteries have a lot of admirers. Goths? Yes, for sure. Music groups from the suburbs shooting their first music videos? Perhaps. Brave couples in love looking for thrills? Perhaps. Plus, the souls of sinners, doomed to wander around the surface of the earth for an eternity, scaring passers—by.

But, in addition to the above, you can meet many different people in cemeteries who, by their efforts, keep the funeral industry afloat. While collecting material for her new book titled Friends of the Dead, London-based photographer Jess Coll met and talked with numerous cemetery employees. Jess shared several photos that will be included in her book, and told about the inhabitants of the places of eternal rest depicted on them.

(6 photos in total)

Source: vice.com

John works as the manager of the Abney Park Cemetery. He moved to the London borough of Stoke Newington seven years ago. At first, being unemployed, John had a lot of free time and regularly walked around the cemetery. Subsequently, he decided to become a volunteer there, and five months later he was offered an official job. To date, John has been working at the cemetery for more than five years.

Dave is a volunteer at Highgate Cemetery, he is engaged in the decoration of green spaces. Volunteering provides Dave with the opportunity to take pictures of buildings and structures built in his favorite architectural style — Victorian Gothic every week. This habit has become an integral part of Dave's idea of well-being. He has always liked cemeteries, and, without exaggeration, Highgate is his favorite place.

Hayley is a volunteer tour guide. She works as a journalist and often writes about death. Her idea to volunteer at Highgate Cemetery is more than 10 years old. Hayley's father illustrated the comic book "From Hell," and she suggests that the roots of her obsession grow from a childhood filled with memories of drawings of dead prostitutes.

Agnes is a volunteer garbage collector. In 2013, Agnes and 30 other volunteers collected 3 tons of garbage accumulated in the cemetery. Ever since then, Agnes has got into the habit of collecting everything that people have thrown out. The windows of her kitchen overlook the cemetery, and Agnes says that she feels very good and calm from this view.

John is the manager. His life has been inextricably linked with the cemetery ever since he visited it at an open day in 1976. He just fell in love with this place. And in 1986, he buried his child here.

Sarah is helping visitors at Highgate Cemetery. She is studying to become a criminal psychologist, and also helps prison staff as a volunteer. Sarah is interested in everything related to death, she likes to visit such places, besides she is fond of taxidermy. She enjoys volunteering at Highgate Cemetery because this activity allows her to communicate with unusual people.