Their son, John William, lies under the school; they lie here. Think of John next time you get a free book in the train station office or visit WH Smiths, and think of Helen next time you nip into Boots. John Richards was born in Manchester in 1852. His parents Evan and Elizabeth were both …
“In Loving Memory of Nellie, wife of John W. Richards of 118 Rochdale Rd. Died Jan. 5th 1922 aged 43 years. Also the above named John William Richards, died Jan. 15th 1950 aged 73 years.” This is another one of the few stones buried under the school whose inscription we know in full, thanks to …
Henry was one of the children of James and Alice Sefton, buried under the school; he caught our attention because when he grew up and married, he named several of his children after siblings who had died when young. It touched us, so we wanted to learn more about him. His story is a sad …
Read more “20.19 – Henry, Norah, Edward, Mary and Alice Sefton, and John Holt”
This is one of a very few stones under the school whose faces are visible, and readable, in the few photographs that were taken of the construction site prior to the new extension reburying them from sight. And as with so many of the stones under there, the initial 1980s rough transcription bears little resemblance …
Read more “S4.7 – The Sefton family, Frances Jane Scrivener, and John Stott”
In our post about the Sefton/Scriven family, we asked the question: who’s John Stott? He’s named on the 1980 transcript as being buried here, but we have a photo of their gravestone, and he isn’t on it. Well, the Seftons are at S4.7…and at S5.7, we found Mary Ann, Henry Whittaker and Rosa Ann Stott. …
Read more “S5.7 – John, Mary Ann, Henry Whittaker and Rosa Ann Stott”
We’re quite often drawn to the large and obvious, sometimes the small and quiet can go unnoticed. Every plot though has at least one burial (most have several) and interesting stories can be found wherever we choose to look. Without ordering a death certificate the cause of death for little George Edward is unknown, from …
Howorth is someone whose name took a little bit of figuring out – in the 1980s, his first name was recorded as “Howard/th?” – because if you can’t decide one or the other, why not both? The TAS later determined it was likely Howarth, but really, it was Howorth. And what a Howorth! He would …
If you haven’t read the story of Catherine Armistead, go read that first – this story follows on from there and finishes hers, although it raises a few other questions along the way. We left Catherine’s story with one unanswered question: how did Catherine, whose Todmorden links were unclear, end up being buried here? She …
The farmer’s daughter who became a nurse and was one of several sisters who came to Todmorden. We can’t see her stone, but we can learn a great deal about her life. Catherine was born in 1839 in Arkholme, in the parish of Melling in Lancashire, just south of Kirkby Lonsdale. Her father John was …
Two more names hidden from the eye (for now at least) – John and Christina, whose stone we last saw in 2016. John Barker was born in 1854 to Thomas and Betty (Haigh) Barker. The first child of his parents, John grew up first at Honey Hole in what used to be called Hanging Ditch, …