George here was another transplant from Staffordshire who came here for work with his family. He met a wet end whose circumstances were sadly very predictable. George Samuel Morris, or Samuel as he would choose to be known and to call himself, was born in 1820 in Monk Upton in Shropshire. His movements prior to …
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 little plot marker has two sets of initials, and so far we only know the first set’s owner. The owner is, like so many others here buried under small plot markers, only a small child. Her story is brief. Mary Ann Tootill was born on August 1st 1875 to William and Ellen (Brindle) Tootill. …
This grave starts with the story of two offcumden, although the origins of one remains a mystery. Edward Callan, or Collon, was born in 1826 in Bristol. His father’s name was John and was a painter. And that’s all we know. No baptism or census return for an Edward Callan or any such similar spelling …
Just next to Grace Bell along the school path, another plot marker with three initials on that helped us illuminate this otherwise forgotten life. Christopher Wilson Procter was born in Stainforth, near Doncaster, in 1844 to John and Esther (Wilson) Procter. The Procters were North Yorkshire stock who had moved south in search of work, …
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. …
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”
There are two families buried in this vault towards the back of the graveyard, in the corner behind the school fence – this post will focus on the Pickups of Patmos, who make up most of the interments. The Pickups of Patmos didn’t start out as from Patmos, or even Todmorden. Robert was born in …
Read more “42.60 – Robert, Mary, Mary Hannah, Alice and Edith Pickup”
The final (for now, at least) Buckle grave at Christ Church, and yes – it’s a Buckle with a career in beer. This grave is mostly filled with the children of Nathan and Ellen Buckle. Nathan’s story is similar to that of the other Buckles and their extended families found here. He was born in …
Read more “41.3 – Thomas, Ellen, Grace, Mary, Nathan and Ellen Buckle”
Much of Hannah Buckle has already been said in the post about her sister, brother and nephew. Hannah was one of the fourteen children of Anthony and Mary Buckle of Barden, and came here along with her brother Anthony and nephew George Watson at some point before 1851. Hannah never married, and died in 1870. …