This stone chronicles the "destruction" of a family.

 St Ladoca, Ladock, Cornwall

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 The parish church of St Ladoca has a fine west tower built of granite blocks. The north side of the church is 13th century in date while the south aisle is 15th century and the chancel was much altered by G. E. Street in 1862-1864.

 

This stone chronicles the "destruction" of a family. The father died in January 1795, the mother died in February 1796 and the children died in February 1795, May 1795, May 1796 and May 1798. 

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We have no idea what the last line of this inscription means.

St Mary Magdalene, Broadwas, Worcestershire 

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We were disappointed when we found that the church was locked. Luckily we met two ladies in the churchyard who explained where we could find the key.

 

 

 We have no idea what the last line of this inscription means. 

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Midshipman Neville Martyn died from brucellosis

 St Buriana, St Buryan, Cornwall

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A church has stood on the current site since about the year 930. It was built by King Athelstan in thanks for his successful conquest of Cornwall on the site of the oratory of Saint Buriana (probably founded in the 5th century). 

 

Neville Martyn was a midshipman serving on HMS Inflexible when he died at Malta in 1892. He seems to have died from "Malta Fever' or brucellosis.  

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Four children died of Scarlatina in 6 days.

 St Gomonda, Roche, Cornwall

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 This important china clay area church is Grade 2* listed, and is dedicated to St Gomonda or Gonand. The cult of St Gonand (male in medieval sources) appears to be unique to Roche, but further information is elusive.

It poured with rain just as we arrived so we took refuge in the car for a short time.

 Four children died of Scarlatina in 6 days.
Unusually their ages are given to the nearest day. 

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The death of a "Bal Maiden".

 St Gulval, St Gulval, Cornwall

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The current church building is predominantly 12th century with subsequent additions. Most notable of these are the tower, built in 1440 and containing eight bells and a large stone lych gate that was added in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee. This is one of the very few graveyards where the atmosphere was decidedly "spooky" - walking down one particular avenue was not nice at all.

 

A bal maiden, from the Cornish language bal, a mine and the English maiden, a young or unmarried woman, was a female manual labourer working in the mining industries of Cornwall and the bordering areas of western Devon.

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A husband and wife who died the same day.

 St. Peter's, Weedon, Northamptonshire

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 The church is situated between a canal and a rather noisy railway.

A husband and wife who died the same day.

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Far more people died of the flu after the 1914-1918 war than died in the war itself.

 Spratton Cemetery, Northamptonshire

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I think the people of Spratton need to feel ashamed. Vandalised graves in a poorly maintained cemetery is hardly respectful.

More people died of the flu after the 1914-1918 war than died in the war itself.

All my new discoveries are published first on the social history group on Facebook so if you want to keep up to date with what is happening you will need to subscribe to the group by clicking on the link below.
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A mother and her infant child died on the same day.

St Mary the Virgin, Welford, Northamptonshire

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As you move towards the north of the county the percentage of slate gravestones increases - as does the chance of making an exciting discovery. 

 

A mother and her infant child died on the same day. How dreadful for the rest of the family. 

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Samuel attended the Northampton Society's Reformatory School for Boys!

 St John the Baptist, Tiffield, Northamptonshire

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 Although there were no graves of people that had reached the age of 100 or older there was one stone worth recording.

 

The Northampton Society's Reformatory School for Boys opened on 21 January 1856.

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A routine visit was suddenly made very poignant by one stone.

 St Michael, Weston under Wetherley, Warwickshire

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A routine visit was suddenly made very poignant by one stone.

Our work on census records has shown us that losing so many children in infancy is by no means unusual. It is always very sad nevertheless. 

All my new discoveries are published first on the social history group on Facebook so if you want to keep up to date with what is happening you will need to subscribe to the group by clicking on the link below.
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