From Walsden to Wales – this grand grave holds two generations but the inscription spans three. The story begins with Mary Ogden. Mary was one of many born to her parents, James and Alice (Haigh) of Watty Hole. James died before 1841, and as usual Alice was left being supported by her children. He had …
Read more “43.58 – Mary Ogden and John, Jane and Samuel Fielden”
Two widows, two different experiences – what a difference a handful of half-grown children makes. Everyone in this story were born outside of Todmorden, so be patient and kind, their stories deserve telling too… Up on the Mytholmroyd hills, in 1832, Richard Crossland was born. Richard’s father Joseph was a stonemason from Dewsbury and Richard …
Read more “43.59 – Walter, Richard and Fanny Crossland, and George and Mary Hartley”
Servants to their own families..the women in this grave had a roof over the heads, but how hard were their lives? Not as hard as the wear to this stone would make you romantically assume. Yes, we had to “read” much of this stone by hand and by using geneaology resources to be certain of …
Read more “42.55 – Martha, James and Grace Booth, and Sarah Ann Pilling”
These pillars of the parish suffered great losses and witnessed great things – they’re some of the few here who if their bones could talk would tell us so much about Christ Church and the graveyard. George Stansfield was born in July 1815 in Todmorden, the son of warper John Stansfield and his wife Mary …
Three generations of women in one family rest here, and their story is one of wealth and heartbreak. Mary Hollinrake was born in 1802 in Todmorden to either Samuel and Mary or John and Hannah Hollinrake; unfortunately she was married by banns and so there’s no father’s name on any paperwork. Her marriage came in …
Read more “44.52 – Mary Lord and Mary, Kate, and Amanda Butterworth”
This grave holds two people from very different backgrounds, who both met a sad and early end – and of course, as with so many stories like this, there’s also the story of one person in particular who they left behind… Frank Nuttall, the second person buried here, was the first person born to this …
From Dulesgate to Shoebroad, the Lord family were Victorian farmers who had the sadly usual Victorian struggles with child mortality. There are four sons of John and Sarah (Crowther) Lord here, and we know little about them. Even Walter, the eldest to predecease his parents, didn’t die in a way which required a coroner’s inquest. …
Read more “44.57 – Henry, Thomas, George Henry, Walter, Sarah and John Lord”
This handsome granite monument tells an interesting story – one of wealth, adopted families, and of course loss. Melina Leah – the Melina Stansfield of our story – was born in April 1844, one of the many many children of Robert and Mary (Parker) Leah of Edge Nook, which on the 1851 Census comes just …
Read more “V12.10 – John Clegg, Melina Stansfield and Melina Stoddart”
Like the story of Jane Chalcroft, this is one of a mother who followed her daughter to Todmorden and lived her final days in a school environment. Not noteworthy in itself maybe, but the fact that it’s the second such story is always interesting. Are there any coincidences in the graveyard? Harriot – yes, that’s …
Read more “44.60 – Harriot Yates and Elizabeth and Henry Stansfield”
After many, many days, researchers are stumped; how do these couples connect? The answer sees to be that they don’t. So here’s their stories, and perhaps someone knows the secret reason that they were joined together in death. Editor’s note: the connection has been found; we’ve tacked it onto the end of the post! William …
Read more “V7.12 – William and Ann Oldroyd, and Willie and Olive Marshall”