Lafayette's Tombstone, Piershill Cemetery

Category

Library Item

Item no

16474

Title

Lafayette's Tombstone, Piershill Cemetery, Edinburgh

Description

A tall column marks the grave of The Great Lafayette in Piershill Cemetery. The gravestone is decorated at the top and stands in front of bare trees and smaller gravestones. The engraving on the tombstone reads, 'Sacred to the memory of The Great Lafayette, born 25 February 1871, died 9 May 1911'. Lying flat in front of the grave is a stone slab engraved with the inscription, 'Dedicated to the loving memory of my dearest Beauty, The Great Lafayette'.

Artist / maker

Chrystal, Francis M.

Date

1912

Size

20.6 x 15.1 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Little is known of the origins of Sigmund Neuburger, the Great Lafayette, who died, aged 40 on 9th May 1911 in a fire at the Empire Palace Theatre in Nicolson Street.

Born on 27th February 1871, the son of a silk manufacturer in Munich, he went as a young man to the West of America, where he became a gold digger in the early days of Cripple Creek. Having run a dance hall there, he formed a theatre company and travelled to England, becoming known as a great illusionist. He was reputed to have been unsociable, but was devoted to his dog, Beauty, a gift from his friend Harry Houdini. Beauty wore a collar edged with diamonds and had her own room with adjoining bathroom in his London home.

Whilst in Edinburgh to perform his illusionist's show at the Empire Theatre, Lafayette's beloved dog Beauty died. Lafayette reached an agreement with Piershill Cemetery that, when the time came, he would be also buried there, in exchange for a burial lair for the dog. In a tragic twist of fate, Lafayette was to die only a few days later in a fire which started during his performance at the Empire Theatre. Lafayette's body was cremated in Glasgow and the ashes returned to Edinburgh for the funeral which took place in Piershill Cemetery. Crowds lined the streets to watch the procession go by. Lafayette's ashes were placed next to the body of his dog Beauty. A white marble monument stands in Piershill Cemetery, in memory of the Great Lafayette.

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