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 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”
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 …
More members of the Anderton family, this time in a separate plot – another of Theodora’s sons, as well as his wife’s nephew. Or is it niece? Or both? Robert Sherington Anderton was the first child and first son of John and Theodora Anderton, and was born in 1861 in Todmorden. Like his father, he …
Read more “13.37 – Robert Sherington, Mary Ellen and Leonard Anderton, and Bessie Tolley Lingard”
“In Death Not Divided”, as the obituary for Robert and Betsey begins, and as in life so in death. The obituary tells you quite a lot about this couple. Robert was a native of Burnley, who married his wife Betsey Stephenson there in 1869. They had known each other for quite some time; in fact, …
The use of surnames as first names means you might have to pay attention to this one! Betty Greenbank, the grandmother on this stone, was born Betty Barker in October 1805 to John and Hannah Barker of Stansfield. She married John Greenbank at St. Chad’s in Rochdale in September 1823. She might have been John’s …
Read more “47.52 – Betty and Elizabeth Greenbank, and Sarah and Greenbank Law”
The patriarch in this grave outlived everyone else buried here despite his difficult and sometimes dangerous job. Young Chaffer certainly didn’t die young (see what we did there?) and his grave is a bit crooked, so enjoy this tilted photo and the story of this family. Young Chaffer was born in 1838 in Todmorden. His …
Read more “42.58 – Mary, Mary Jane, Albert and Young Chaffer, and Ethel Gill”
“To Mrs. Dean, with kindest regards from the People’s Warden of Todmorden Church, Jn Barker, May 5th /12” This inscription was inside a copy of Ramshaw’s “Concerning Todmorden Parish” belonging to one of our researchers, and they were curious who Mrs. Dean and John Barker were. Mrs. Dean remains a mystery, but John Barker has …
Vault area graves hold a lot of interments, and this is no exception. The entire Hartley family rests here along with Horace’s wife Nellie. The stone itself has a unique, elegant font on it which isn’t repeated anywhere else in the graveyard, and if there wasn’t so much knotweed plaguing the area you would want …
Read more “V12.11 – Richard, Martha, Nellie, Lilian, Sybil, Horace and Ella Hartley”
You know when sometimes you just…know? Well, we didn’t. We had no idea there were two stones side by side here. John Holt Jr. was, according to the lost sexton’s book, buried in the same plot as little Sarah Taylor just below John and Mary Ann. Actually though he was on the side of his …
Read more “40.38 and 40.39 – John, Mary Ann, and John Holt Jr.”