A stone has been stolen from the grave of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis.
A fan visiting the grave on Saturday noticed that a central “mowing” stone used to hold floral tributes had been removed from the plot at Macclesfield cemetery.
Staff at the cemetery confirmed to Cheshire Live: “A rare mowing stone has been taken or removed, we believe over the weekend. It is about a square foot with a hole for a floral tribute, it is purely there for aesthetics, there is no inscription on it … We have since replaced the stone.”
Fans were concerned that attempts had been made to remove the central stone with an inscription of Curtis’s name, date of death, and the words “Love will tear us apart”, referencing Joy Division’s biggest hit. The original memorial stone with the same inscription was stolen in 2008 – its replacement is now cemented in place.
The top stone on Ian Curtis's memorial has been removed, without the cemetery’s knowledge.
— Joy Division Central (@JD_Central) August 5, 2019
Ian’s inscribed memorial stone was stolen in 2008 and a replacement securely cemented in place. It appears attempts were made to remove this as well.
Photos (C) Ian Seivwright pic.twitter.com/GB8ilUui0e
Curtis died in May 1980, aged 23, but remains an iconic and beloved figure in music for his raw lyrics and dramatic vocals. In 2007, Anton Corbijn directed Control, a biopic about the singer and band, while his wife Deborah published a well-received memoir about their lives in 2014.
