Tomb of Michael Emmanuel Rodocanachi and Family in west Norwood Memorial Park south west of gate to Greek Burial Ground

Tomb of Michael Emmanuel Rodocanachi and Family

This chest tomb, dating to around 1901, stands in West Norwood Memorial Park, south west of the gate to the Greek Burial Ground. It is constructed of white marble on a pink granite plinth.

The tomb takes the form of a marble sarcophagus with a moulded base, flat corner pilasters, and an acanthus-leaf cornice. The coped top features carved pediments and honeysuckle corner acroteria. Inscriptions in both Greek and English commemorate various members of the Rodocanachi family, with Michael's name appearing on the east end and Emmanuel's on the south side.

Michael Emmanuel Rodocanachi was born in 1821 on the island of Chios into a prominent family of Greek merchants. After the Turkish massacres of 1822, his parents fled and eventually settled in London. Michael, together with his younger cousin Peter Pandia Rodocanachi, took charge of the British branch of the family's trading network. He proved highly successful in business, benefiting from trade liberalisation following the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, and diversified into property development and finance. In 1862 he co-founded the Imperial Bank, which later became part of the Midland Bank. He was an influential member of London's Greek Orthodox community and helped oversee the construction of St Sophia's cathedral in Bayswater. His eldest son, Emmanuel Michael Rodocanachi (1855–1932), succeeded him as head of the family business and also served as a director of the Midland Bank and the Bank of Athens. Michael Emmanuel Rodocanachi died in 1901.

West Norwood or South Metropolitan Cemetery opened in 1837 as the second of the seven major burial grounds established on the outskirts of London during the 1830s and 1840s to alleviate overcrowding in urban churchyards. The cemetery was designed by architect William Tite, who also chaired the board of the cemetery company. In 1842, a small area in the north east corner was designated for London's Greek Orthodox community; this was extended and an Orthodox chapel added in 1872. Wealthy Anglo-Greek families subsequently built numerous impressive mausolea in this area, which now contains the cemetery's largest concentration of listed monuments.