Annie was born in late 1855 in Mortimer, Berkshire. Her life was rather short and so there’s little to tell, but like so many others here, she is another single child whose parents came to Todmorden and then left again; the story of how she got here is more detailed than anything we could say …
In Loving Memory of…who? Not all of this grave’s sidestones might still be here. The three who are here are only related to each other by marriage. Mary Wadsworth was born around 1838 – we’ve struggled to find a concrete, definite birth record for her. Not for lack of trying! 1838 is based off of …
Read more “14.14 – Mary Stopford, Annie and Abraham Lincoln Heap”
“Gone to be with Christ, which is far better” This stone remember three children of Young and Lydia (Jeffs) Sutcliffe – Albert, Bertha, and an unnamed infant daughter. But who were Young and Lydia? Young was born in December 1834 to John and Betty (Greenwood) Sutcliffe up in Heptonstall. He was one of 11 children …
Read more “37A.28 – Albert, Bertha, Young and Lydia Sutcliffe”
Albert Jackson was born in Burnley on the 24th February 1886, the son of Fergus and Mary Jackson (nee Heys). He was Mary’s birthday present to herself; they shared a birthday 34 years apart. Later records give his year of birth as 1887 but we can be certain that those are in error. Fergus was …
This plot marker was found lying on its back in row 43. We did know where it came from, and will update this post at a later date to explain further. We didn’t know initially, though, who LAD was. Plot markers can be awkward things. Many times the initials on them are the initials of …
George Howorth and Mary Lawson were both from Burnley, Briercliffe and Extwistle respectively, and married in 1824. George worked as a carter, and carted his way down the Burnley Valley towards Todmorden in search of work. He needed it – six children within 15 years, and all of them living! Kids are expensive after all. …
Another one of our eroded stones that needed Ancestry’s help to decipher. Also another suicide contained within. Before we start, a word about holly. Holly is our least favourite plant in the graveyard. Not even ivy is capable of causing such damage. Ivy might crack stones, but holly erases everything it touches. Something to do …
Read more “37.27 – Lydia, George, Grace, Hannah, William and Hannah Lingard Marshall”
It’s tempting to spend a lot of time talking about someone who we think might be buried here but aren’t sure about – John’s second wife, a different Mary – we’ll start with those who are here, though. Ann Coward was born in Knottingley in 1839, and met John Pettyt Barraclough of Pontefract probably sometime …
Although it is in extremely poor condition, we are fairly confident that our researchers have discovered the identities of those on this stone. It’s a good thing we came along because this was previously not transcribed and is on the verge of becoming entirely unreadable. We believe that this is the headstone for three children …
Read more “36A.22 – Peter, Mary and Elizabeth Ann Murray (previously unmarked)”
Ici repose Mademoiselle Maria [Marie-Antoinette L. J.] Vanhoey nee a Malines le 17th Novembre 1877. Pieusement decedee a Todmorden le 5th Janvier 1915. (Refugiee Belge.) Priez pour elle! Todmorden gave refuge to a number of Belgians during WW1 and this lady is one of them. She died from bronchitis three weeks after arriving from Belgium, …