Sometimes we wonder how many tradesmen in Todmorden weren’t tailors; sometimes we wonder if any of them were native to Todmorden, or if they really were all from “north of the north”. This story will not vary from those seemingly universal conditions! James Tyson Postlethwaite was born in Kirkby Ireleth in 1808, although he would …
Read more “41.4 – William, Sarah, James and Ellen Postlethwaite”
This is a short story, since these two people were brief interludes in the life of someone else who is part of a large double vault grave – the Ratcliffs at V11.8 and V11.9. If it weren’t for Betty here though some of those people would never be born, so even though her entry is …
A father, a son, and a daughter in law – and a telling gap in the engraving that raises a question…where’s Sarah? Abram, or Abraham, Stansfield was born in Todmorden in 1811 to parents whose names we can’t be certain of. There are only 14 Abraham Stansfields on a census return in 1841, and thanks …
Read more “41.7 and 33.20 – Charles, Abram, Betty and Sarah Stansfield”
Here are some more members of the Lord family of Canal Street Works fame, but from a slightly lesser known Lord brother: Abraham. The story here starts with his first wife, Emm. It also covers the lives of two of her sons…one to be proud of (or at least not disappointed by), and one to …
Read more “41.12 – Andrew, Emm, Mary Ellen, Sam, Willie and John Lord”
From a tiny village in North Yorkshire to bustling busy Todmorden, this family’s journey was really something. Hammond Geldard Metcalfe was born in 1777 in Carlton, a little ways southwest of Leyburn. The current population is estimated at about 232 people and is also the largest village in Coverdale, so you can only imagine how …
Read more “41.8 – Jane and Hammond Geldard Metcalfe, and James and Alice Stansfield”
These stones, one in the public area and one in the private, contain most of what was once one of Todmorden’s more well off families; mill owners, teachers, railwaymen, and housebuilders (and that’s just to start). Once upon a time, 1787 to be exact, there was a building at the bottom of Ferney Lee Road …
Anyone who stands at the fence between the Garden of Rest and the church will now be able to see the two impressive needlepoint spires of the twin Lord family monuments, which mark two enormous vaults holding family members of the Lord Brothers who once owned and operated most of the mills at Derdale and …
Read more “41.15 – James, Elizabeth, Sarah, Charles Edward, Angelina and Martha Lord”
Another grave with Chartist links – this corner truly does have a fantastic selection of radical townsmen! Jakeh Butterworth was born in Oldham in 1804. He was baptised Jackey, and his name morphs over time and changes back and forth between Jackey, Jackeh, Jacky, Jakey, and finally Jakeh. How was it pronounced? It might be …
Read more “41.16 – Betty, Ann, Jane, Mary and Jakeh Butterworth”
Two people who lived a quiet life – not a lot of story to tell here – and two of their three infants who now have their names back. Sutcliffe Greenwood was born at Rodwell End in 1810 to William and Ginney Greenwood. He was baptised at Cross Stone where the register notes William’s occupation …
Read more “41.27 – Hannah, Sutcliffe, Samuel and Sutcliffe Greenwood”
This is the story of a merry widow who had a second chance at happiness, and her only child. Susannah Mitchell – you guessed, didn’t you – was born in 1795 to Joseph Mitchell and an unknown mother, we know not where. We know only that in June 1818 she married Samuel Holt at St. …