In a small plot in Frome ground lies the grave which marks one of the greatest campaigners against slavery and colonialism.

The Dissenters cemetery in Frome, on Vallis Road, is a lovely site, which holds the graves and marks the deaths of over 6,000 people.

Much over looked it has put out an appeal for help to restore and keep the graves and stones in better order, so Nub News went to visit and found this very interesting grave.

Katharine Ashworth was the daughter of Sir John Harris of Frome, who with his wife, were possibly the first couple to draw world attention to the harrowing and disgraceful treatment of slaves.

John who was later knighted for his work, had been in the Congo where he and his wife Alice were so appalled at the way slaves were abused there that he returned to the UK and campaigned endless to end the brutal horror.

As Wikipedia writes : Sir John Hobbis Harris (29 July 1874 – 30 April 1940) was an English missionary and to protest at what they saw in Africa, Harris and his wife became active campaigners. They brought these atrocities to the attention of the British government and politicians, gave evidence at hearings, published books, papers and photographs, gave lectures and addressed hundreds of public meetings. Ahead of his time, Harris became a campaigner against the colonial system of the day and promoted the idea of self-determination for native peoples

Harris moved to Frome when, on 6 May 1898 he married Alice Seeley, who with her photography produced what historians consider possibly the first photographic campaign in support of human rights, showing as they do, the violent consequences of human rights abuses in the Congo Free State.

But it was not just African abuse, from 1910 Harris was organising secretary to the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society

They had two sons and two daughters and Katharine's is in the cemetery in Frome.

Harris was knighted in the New Year Honours list of 1933 for his services to the anti slavery society but died suddenly from bronchitis and a cerebral haemorrhage on 30 April 1940 in the garden of his home in Frome, aged 65 years. His death was unexpected as he had been at work only a few days before.

Whilst built principally for the Dissenting Congregations (Baptist and Congregational) the cemetery itself has burials from every church in Frome and further afield. The Cemetery contains over 6200 burials and interred cremated remains

The Frome Dissenters' Cemetery is a fascinating place to visit. It has a charming central mortuary chapel and an Italianate superintendent's cottage

You can find out more who is buried there by visiting web page about the cemetery HERE and how you can get a list of all of the graves on site.