40.9 – Thomas, Mary, Grace, Hannah and Ann Ashworth, and Susan Greenwood

This is a large section of the Ashworth family, parents and four daughters. One son is at Heptonstall and the other is also at Christ Church, but they were the ones who flew the nest…these sisters stayed put, for the most part. Thomas Ashworth was a Stansfield lad and Grace Uttley was a Langfield lass. …

37.2 and 40.11 – Betty, John, Priscilla, John and Annie Lord

Three generations, a “curse” – and a question about who chooses who goes where. Betty Hirst has appeared in some of our stories before – her daughter Ann became Ann Livsey, we learned about her husband John Lord’s career via the story of her mother in law Martha, and probably there are countless other Lords …

40.10 – Robert Hodson Thorp

Another plot marker discerned, although there are many other unlocated Thorps in this graveyard which raises the question…why here? And who here? The Thorp family hailed from Heath Charnock, between Chorley and Bolton, and most of the children of James and Alice (France) Thorp were born there. The couple had a love of fancy names …

40.15 – Henry Holt

Henry was an interesting chap in his own right, but this is yet another grave where side quests are inevitable and unavoidable when you’re trying to piece things together. When we first began clearing the yard we found a saucepan near this particular grave and someone distractedly balanced it on top of the lancet, with …

40.20 – Daniel, Sally, Hannah and Ann Ogden

Farmers, weavers, and spinners – and more importantly, hard workers, not-so-secret lovers, and independent spirits. Daniel Ogden was born in Todmorden in 1789. Seven years later his future wife Hannah Fielding would be born in the town as well. The couple got married in Rochdale in February 1816, seven months before their first daughter Mary …