Generations and generations on one stone – some stories we know, some we don’t, and some we can only guess at. Zechariah Astin was born in Rossendale in 1782, and Betty…unknown last name…was born in Leeds in 1787. These Astins are the famous Astin and Barker Astins, even though they did live at Harley House …
What a story we have here – a slew of coincidences, international travel, and a reminder from the bottom of this stone to “be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye know not, the Son of Man cometh.” Allen Langthorn, or Langthorne as he appears elsewhere, was born in 1860 in Newchurch …
Read more “38A.33 – Allen, Sarah and John Langthorn, and Matilda and Ernest Barker”
Mourn not my friends, twas God’s decree, That I should leave this world of strife, From earthly danger shall I flee, To share with him eternal Life, Sudden fate so soon to sever, The tender thread of nature’s ties, From Parents, Friends, I’m hid forever, Yet we shall meet beyond the skies. But millions of …
Some names get remembered because of their manner of death being unusual, or – in this case- spectacularly traumatic for a large part of the town. As with so many of these stories, we start with an offcumden and a local lad or lass. For this story the offcumden is William Livsey, who was born …
The Denhams were an unlucky lot, all with early deaths – even by the standards of the day. They’re possibly the most unlucky family in this graveyard, even those who aren’t buried here. The fact that their stone was roughly laid flat by shattering the base only underlines the point. Olive Webster was a year …
Read more “41.58 – John, Olive, Sam, Tom, Sarah and Annie Denham”
There are two names on this stone, a father, and his son, but only the father is actually in the grave. His son, Peter who is named died at sea, so has no known grave, which is why he is remembered here. The sole occupant of the grave, James Stuttard, was born in Oldham in …
More Hiley/Highley graves which link to one another here in the graveyard; this one features the parents and siblings of Charles Hiley at 43.52. This branch of Hileys (or Highleys, depending on who wrote the name down at the time) were firmly Lumbutts and Causey Wood stock, but they hadn’t always been this way. John …
Read more “43.ii – James, William, Thomas, Hannah and John Hiley”
The people above are buried here, under this lancet-laid-flat in the lower yard. Emma Jane is last in the title of this story but she’s the thread that ties everyone else together. This grave contains her first and third husbands and her two sons and a daughter in law, as well as four unnamed infants. …
You often find yourself feeling sorry for the last person into a grave, and this grave is certainly no exception. Ingham Proctor, or Procter, was born in 1815 in Worsthorne, outside Burnley, to Robert and Mary (Ingham – hence the name) Proctor. The area the family lived in was Hurstwood, where the reservoir is now, …
Read more “46.51 – Ingham, Robert and Sarah Proctor, and Mary Heap”
This stone now lies flat, but the grave it marks is one of the “sweetest” graves at Christ Church. This confectioner, his wife, and two of their sons helped keep the town supplied with biscuits and candies. Abraham Crossley was born in Todmorden in 1832 to Abraham and Esther (Haigh) Crossley. Abraham Sr. was a …
Read more “38.14 – Abraham, Margaret, Esther, Mary, Deborah, William, John and Mary Jane Crossley”