William McKenzie's Tomb

William Mackenzie was born near the town of Nelson, situated to the north east of Liverpool in 1794. After beginning work as a weaver he entered into civil engineering. WILLIAM MACKENZIE’S TOMB A few years back, while visiting Liverpool, I read an article in a daily newspaper about the curious pyramid-shaped tomb of William Mackenzie, which is situated in the graveyard of the former St. Andrew’s Church in Rodney Street. By some strange coincidence, I found myself in a restaurant in Rodney Street, that very evening, situated directly opposite the graveyard and in full view of Mackenzie’s tomb.

William Mackenzie was born near the town of Nelson, situated to the north east of Liverpool in 1794. After beginning work as a weaver he entered into civil engineering. He was first employed as a lock carpenter on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal 1n 1811 and later on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal, Birmingham canals and the Liverpool and Manchester railway.

Mackenzie subsequently became a wealthy man amassing an estate of £340,000, equivalent to £42 million today. However, by all accounts, he became an inveterate gambler. Legend has it he bet and lost his soul in a game of poker with the Devil. Nonetheless, he was said to have contrived a plan to outwit Satan. He figured that if he was never buried, Satan would not be able to lay claim to his spirit. As a result he was said to have been buried sitting upright in his tomb supposedly seated at a table with a winning hand of cards in his bony fingers.