This grave originally had a notation on it saying that the existing stone – a sidestone lying flush with the ground – was for James William, and the missing one was for Mary Ann Jackson; but when we got there and had a prod, we found not Mary Ann, but John. Who were this family? …
Read more “35.12 – John, James William and Mary Ann Jackson”
This grave is two graves – the real one, and the accidental one. The accidental one is a CWGC marker at the front of the graveyard, and the real one lies further back near the school path. The second one contains two heroes, father and son, and a woman who loved them both dearly. Arthur …
Read more “2.11 and 37.31 – Will and Arthur Marshall and Alice Ada Swindells”
Researcher Holly writes: Samuel Fielden, killed in Mesopotamia on 30th April 1917. The family were originally from Todmorden but by the time of the 1911 census had moved to Burnley. Samuel’s parents were John William Fielden (an insurance agent) and Frances (maidenly Wilson). By 1911 they had had ten children and three that had died …
Read more “24.29 – John William, Frances and Samuel Fielden”
This grave caught the eye of one of our researchers because of Richard and Elizabeth sharing the same date of death. The story was a surprise, and another example of how there is no dignity in death when it comes to popular media. Richard and Elizabeth lived in poverty and may have also had some …
Read more “24.30 – Richard, Elizabeth, John and Mary Ellen Greenwood”
This unassuming grave, like so many others, had quite a story behind one of the deaths it announced. In chronological order, we shall begin… Arthur Gibson was the first of two of Sam and Elizabeth Ann (Greenwood) Gibson’s children to be buried here. Neither he nor Emily were baptised at Christ Church but their parents …
This plot marker was found lying on its back in row 43. We did know where it came from, and will update this post at a later date to explain further. We didn’t know initially, though, who LAD was. Plot markers can be awkward things. Many times the initials on them are the initials of …
Lily and her two brave sons. Was it better for her to predecease them? Lily Webster was born in Halifax in 1864, and married John Whittaker Mitchell at Eastwood Congregational Chapel in 1884. They had two children together, Albert Rufus and Walter. John seems to have exited the scene rather quickly and in 1892 was …
George Howorth and Mary Lawson were both from Burnley, Briercliffe and Extwistle respectively, and married in 1824. George worked as a carter, and carted his way down the Burnley Valley towards Todmorden in search of work. He needed it – six children within 15 years, and all of them living! Kids are expensive after all. …
Another one of our eroded stones that needed Ancestry’s help to decipher. Also another suicide contained within. Before we start, a word about holly. Holly is our least favourite plant in the graveyard. Not even ivy is capable of causing such damage. Ivy might crack stones, but holly erases everything it touches. Something to do …
Read more “37.27 – Lydia, George, Grace, Hannah, William and Hannah Lingard Marshall”
This is one of those graves where the father and/or husband of the interred is the first one to die. In Joseph’s case, this was due to an accident at work. Joseph Teasdale was born in Todmorden in 1852, the eldest of two sons born to Elizabeth Teasdale, who is described in the baptism records …
Read more “32.41 – Joseph, Sarah Jane, Ruth and Raymond Teasdale”