rock of age's

[worfman]

i think this is the right place for this one...
i've just come back from norfolk, lokking at family grave's, and on one headstone it read relation's name death year 1935 age 55, but then said ..ROCK OF AGE'S..
any one got a clue what this might mean??
seem's a bit of a strange thing to have...cheer's

[Clanad]

If it were here in the U.S., especially in the South and especially pre-1900's it would be fairly common to find "mottos" engraved on head stones. They, apparently, include significant events in the deceased's life that don't have a whole lot of meaning out of context. This one could echo the refrains of the old hymn, "...Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee..."

[worfman]

cheers clanad that give's me some where to start looking

[football21]

"Rock of ages" is a hymn; it features in the play & film "Ghost Train". It is used to keep the God fearing people in the wainting-room as diversion from goings -on outside but it all goes arwy.

So a place where you might hear a rendition of said hymn.

[weeal]

i saw a grave of a youngster a few years back and it said "shine on you crazy diamond", strange but yet nice eh

good song too

[taichiperson]

The words were written in the 18th century - long before any film!! The play was written by a member of the cast of Dad's Army (http://www.thechestnut.com/ghost-train.htm)- so doesn't go back very far either.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/r/o/rockages.ht m

[Count_Emmup]

Mr Football didn't in any way imply that "Rock of Ages" originated in the film, he merely mentioned that it featured in it.

[jno]

It is a reference to Christ - someone as old as time and as strong as a rock, able to protect the weak. Some more detail here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Ages_%28C hristian_hymn%29