Tom’s story was told as part of our “Dead for the Holidays” 2023 tour. As you’ll have heard me say before, sometimes our stories seem heavy on the tragedy. This is for two reasons: one, we are talking about people whose lives have ended, so there is always a sad ending; two, it is because …
This story was told on our Remembrance Sunday 2023 tour. This is another tale that is about a family, not just a soldier. As often happens, it is filled with tragedy, and not a little graphic detail. Reader discretion is advised. John Albert Barker was born in 1882 to John and Susannah (Marshall) Barker. Susanna …
This story was told on our Remembrance Sunday 2023 tour. This is a story of not just a soldier, but an entire family that were drastically affected by the events of WW1. But let’s start with the birth of a little boy that would one day die for his country. George William Rohrer was born …
Read more “15.4 – Margaretta, George, Leopold and Sarah Mary Rohrer”
(the following is the text from our coverage of this grave on our Remembrance Sunday 2023 tour, so does not cover all the abovenamed in full detail) I’d like to share the life of Fred Ashworth with you, another of our brave Tod lads who died for his country, fighting to keep us all free. …
Read more “V7.7 – Annie, Fred, Mary, Edith, Richard and Will Ashworth”
Initially thought to read “J. McC.”, this plot marker is actually J. McG. – and that opened the door to John’s story, that of a young man who died early after a very mixed set of life experiences. From a troubled household to sporting fame, this is his story. John McGrail was born in Leeds …
This grave sparked a lively post on our Facebook group, when FOCCer Elaine noticed it one day while tidying and asked “so where’s George?” First things first, the people who are here. Maria Brown was born in 1844 in Coventry to David and Phoebe (Gilbert) Brown. She was baptised at the parish church there, St. …
Thanks to family member Christopher Hiley for contributing this article – you can find his family history blog here. Jesse’s grave Jesse Hiley occupies an unmarked grave, 11.37, in the churchyard at Christ Church, Todmorden. He died on 15th July 1901, aged 8 months, and was buried on 17th July. The death certificate shows the …
This transatlantic grave had a larger story than met the eye at first. Mary Jackson (nee Ashworth) was born in 1813 at Roomfield Lanes, the daughter of Abraham Ashworth, a butcher, and his wife Betty (nee Barker). In 1834 she married Edmund (also known as Edward) Nuttall a cotton weaver, at St. Chad’s, Rochdale. In …
Read more “16.26 – Mary Jackson and Barker, James and William Nuttall”
This grave tells a story of how substance abuse can often be a family affair, and is a sad story of age not necessarily conferring strength against such things. James Hardman was born in 1842. According to the census he was born on the Lancashire side of the border, just as his future wife Emma …
Read more “12.14 – Tom, Emma, James and Clara Hardman, and Betsy Lingard”
This story was initially written up for our 2023 Remembrance Sunday tour, so it will start focusing exclusively on Edwin Hewitt, and then loop back at the end to discuss William, Elizabeth, and John’s lives. Edwin Hewitt was born at 17 East Street on the 18th April 1874, the son of William Hewitt, a labourer, …
Read more “24.31 – Elizabeth, Edwin, William and John Hewitt”