Portsmouth’s greatest resident artist in the first part of the 19th Century lies in unmarked East Central Row 3 Grave 2 in Highland Road Cemetery Portsmouth. The enormity of his achievement has recently been revealed in two published books entitled ‘Hampshire’. In view of his achievements it seemed only right that Ubsdell has a proper memorial, and thus with the assistance of Helen Strange and The Friends of Highland Road Cemetery, Cemeteries Manager Mr Gerard O’Brien and Mr Rob Dowdell of monumental masons Alver Stones it is planned to mark his grave with the following memorial.
Ubsdell had a sad end to his life eventually dying from cancer of the tongue, possibly from bringing artists brushes to a point in his mouth, and the involvement of sons George and Thomas in his art and early photography studio may have hastened their ends too.
Ubsdell’s mother, Elizabeth, is buried next to him in East Central Row 3 Grave 1.
Ubsdell’s wayward son Henry Quinton Ubsdell is buried in J Plot Row 12 Grave 41 (31/3/1883), followed by Ubsdell’s granddaughter Amelia Ann aged 9 (9/2/1885) and then her father Thomas Charles (6/3/1885).
Thomas Charles Ubsdell’s wife had pre-deceased (19/10/1883) both husband and daughter and was buried in J Plot Row 9 Grave 3.