This unassuming grave, like so many others, had quite a story behind one of the deaths it announced. In chronological order, we shall begin… Arthur Gibson was the first of two of Sam and Elizabeth Ann (Greenwood) Gibson’s children to be buried here. Neither he nor Emily were baptised at Christ Church but their parents …
A married couple named Joseph and Mary – no jokes please! This beautiful cross in the vaults was all but swallowed up by the most incredible, but destructive, crown of ivy. As we cut it back further and further, we realised that the cross itself was this close to toppling forwards – not ideal when …
There was a week in Todmorden where it was noted that there had been a succession of deaths amongst ‘highly respected townsmen’. One of these men, Alfred Barker, is buried at Christ Church. Alfred was a grocer, and his shop was at 51 Halifax Road. He married Ann Greenwood and they had three children : …
This post initially focuses on Jack Clegg, one of the subjects of our 2023 Holocaust Memorial Day tour. Following his story below we will return to the rest of his family – and don’t think it isn’t worth continuing to read, because we’re going to touch on a number of famous (occasionally infamous) figures. It …
Read more “4.2 – Ruth Harcourt, Samuel, Emily, Walter, Clara and Jack Clegg”
“Gone To Rest” “Rest after weariness. Sweet rest at last.” Those epitaphs are for the first two people buried here – Henrietta, who was only eight when she died, and her mother Emma. Thomas Richard Sparks and his wife Emma (maidenly Elston), were both originally from Devon. By 1873 they had moved to Todmorden, and …
Read more “25.32 – Henrietta, Emma, Thomas Richard and Thomas Newton Sparks”
Owners of Todmorden Album Vol. 5 or of many older Almanacks will possibly recognise the name of Bowden. Two generations of Bowden had shops on Water Street and Burnley Road advertising their decorating business, and Anthony John is one of the “sons” in Bowden and Sons. The baptism record for Anthony John Bowden from 3rd …
Read more “V1.4 – Anthony John, Sarah Alice, and Mary Bowden”
Three children, ages 3 to 17, all dead within 19 months of each other. No news to us in the graveyard. These three sisters were the eldest and two youngest daughters of Matthew Wilson and his wife Elizabeth (nee Scholfield). Matthew was born in Dumfries, Scotland in 1793. He married Elizabeth in Haslingden in 1817. …
TEETH! TEETH! TEETH! Thomas Maden is the only person buried in this vault tomb, which is somewhat unusual. Thomas himself is less unusual, and local history enthusiasts will immediately recognise the address – Dental Villa – as being one of the several noteworthy aspects of Maden’s business advertising over the years. That’s because Maden was …
From the Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter, May 25th 1906: “We have to record with very much regret the death of Mr. Ernest B. Stansfield, of Byrom Street, second son of Mr. Henry Stansfield, of Burnley-road, wine and spirit merchant, which took place at Bournemouth, on Tuesday. In addition to his connection with his …
Read more “V3.4 – Ernest B. and Marian Stansfield, and Harriott E. Taylor”
From the Todmorden and District News, March 14th 1913: Death of Mr. Thompson Helliwell, J. P. After a comparatively short period of illness Mr. Thompson Helliwell, J.P., of Holly Bank, Walsden, passed away last Friday, from heart failure. A few months ago the deceased gentleman, who had reached the age of 75 years, had a …