Grave Mistakes: October 2016

John Millington - world famous scientist

Bruton Church, Colonial Williamsburg, USA
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Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Episcopal parish.

John Millington (May 11, 1779 – 1868) was an English engineer who became an academic in the USA.

He was a licensed attorney in England before he began his engineering career. He served as professor of mechanics at the Royal Institution from 1817 to 1829 and in 1825 he delivered the inaugural Christmas Lecture. In 1827 he was appointed as Professor of Engineering and the Application of Mechanical Philosophy to the Arts at the new London University. As such he was the first professor of Engineering in England.

He then worked as an engineer with the Anglo-Mexican Mining Association in 1829.

Millington served as Professor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy at the College of William and Mary from 1836-1848 and Professor of Chemistry and Natural Science at the University of Mississippi.

He also obtained a doctoral degree in medicine and served as Professor at the Memphis Medical College.

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Where is the best place to see pictures of other unusual graves?

FACEBOOK SOCIAL HISTORY GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/609806292391471/

FACEBOOK CEMETERY EXPLORATION GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/345000398956884/

Percy was "accidentally killed on the Honeybourne Cricket Field" in 1908.

St Peter, Hinton on the Green, Worcestershire

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The church has a Norman nave with 13th century west tower, both restored by Frederick Preedy in 1862. The chancel was added in 1894 to designs by J D Sedding.

Percy was "accidentally killed on the Honeybourne Cricket Field" in 1908.

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A brother and sister died 2 days apart - possibly during the flu pandemic of 1918..

St Mary the Virgin, Elmley Castle, Worcestershire

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The church of St. Mary dates from the end of the 11th century, the chancel shows herringbone pattern stonework in the external walls, the font has a 15th-century octagonal bowl on a 13th-century square base decorated with stonecarved serpents and dragons and the church was much added to in succeeding centuries. It contains grand monuments to Thomas, 1st Earl of Coventry and 17th century effigies of members of the Savage family.

A brother and sister died 2 days apart - possibly during the flu pandemic of 1918.
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The magnificent memorial to Edward and Joyce Dingley.

St Michael, Cropthorne, Worcestershire

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Parts of the Chancel date from 1100, and the tower is 12th century. A spire was planned, but never built. The rest of the church is 14th century. The church is most famous for the two fine tombs to the Dingley family.

Edward Dingley (1592 - 1646) is depicted with his wife Joyce. They are shown kneeling in mourning dress at a prie-dieu under a canopy supported by black marble columns. Their 4 sons and 3 daughters are shown as weepers below. One son died in infancy and is shown on a strange pedestal.
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The Battle of Nicholson’s Nek was one of two British defeats on what came to be known as “Mournful Monday”.

St Mary, Childswickham, Worcestershire

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The church is 13th century with some 12th century remains and some 14th century additions. It was restored 1870 when the north and south walls were taken down. The Chancel was restored in 1872. The spire is a local landmark and can be seen for several miles.

The Battle of Nicholson’s Nek was one of two British defeats around Ladysmith that came to be known as “Mournful Monday”, or the Battle of Ladysmith. It ended in the biggest surrender of British troops since the Napoleonic Wars. Close to one thousand British soldiers entered captivity after the battle. The defeat at Nicholson’s Nek and the failure of White’s main attack at Lombard’s Kop ended any chance of avoiding a siege.

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How does anybody get over the death of five of their children?

St Michael, Trefeglwys, Powys

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St Michael's church in Trefeglwys, 9 miles to the west of Newtown, was founded in the 12thC but the present building dates only from 1863-5. The timber bell frame and supports (perhaps of the 17thC) were retained from the earlier church, as was a 15thC bell. But otherwise none of the early furnishings and fittings have been preserved.

How does anybody get over the death of five of their children?
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Oh dear - the mason had a few problems!

St David, Newtown, Powys

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The foundation stone of the church was laid by the Countess of Powys on 27th October, 1843. By the early 1870s the building was being described as "most inconvenient" and structural faults had appeared and as a result a faculty was granted in 1873 for major alterations. This entailed the removal of the galleries and the construction of a chancel with organ chamber and vestry, the removal of the reredos, which had been erected using the screen from the old church, and the replacement of the old box-pews by oak pews free to all. Sadly many problems proved insurmountable and the church had to close in June 2006 and the Parish of Newtown merged with the Parish of Llanllwchaiarn.

Oh dear - the mason had a few problems!
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Anne died the day after giving birth to Edward who then died aged 10 days

Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, Powys

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A general view

Anne died the day after giving birth to Edward who then died aged 10 days
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Leonard Lewis "died from the result of an accident in this Church Yard, in the service of the Church".

St Gwynog, Llanwnog, Powys, Wales

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Gwynog was born in Wales in 511 A.D., the son of Gildas, 'a most ancient British historian' and a monk of Bangor. Gwynog was a pupil of St. Ffinnian, an Irish monk. Gwynog left the country to take refuge in Brittany with his father, who had stirred up the wrath of the Welsh princes - especially that of Cyr!las, who was Prince of Powys. Gwynog took orders late in life and became Bishop of Vannes, but after rousing the anger of the King he was sent into exile. He died in Angers at the age of 69, in 580 A.D., just 10 years after the death of his father. He lived in this part of Powys between 540 and 550 AD.

Leonard Lewis "died from the result of an accident in this Church Yard, in the service of the Church".
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Silas "died suddenly" while on a "Health Cruise".

Llanidloes Cemetery, Llanidloes, Powys, Wales

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A general view

Silas "died suddenly" while on a "Health Cruise".
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The year of death appears to have been corrected.

Blaenau Ffestiniog Cemetery, Gwynedd, Wales

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A general view

The year of death appears to have been corrected.
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100 years ago - remembering Sidney Nicholson

Sidney Nicholson died 100 years ago today. May he rest in peace.

This is my Great-Uncle Sidney Nicholson - front right in this family portrait of the Nicholson brothers. He served in the 21st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps and was killed in action on October 7th 1916 aged 26.

John William Nicholson and Elizabeth Carroll had ten children: seven sons and 3 daughters. In order there was Arthur, Edwin Stansfield, Emily, William James, John Leonard, Elizabeth, Sidney, Frank Cockroft, Laura and Ernest Carroll (my Grand Father).

Sidney's body was not recovered but he was commemorated on his parents' grave in Barnsley Cemetery. Also remembered there is his sister Elizabeth who died in the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919.

The extremely poignant letter send by my Grand Father to his parents shortly after Sidney was shot has survived.

Friday 12th October 1916

My dear Mother and All

I suppose by now you will have heard from the Sergeant Major & also from the Wesleyan Chaplain that our Sid was shot through the head on Saturday last. I wasn't there as I was kept back at the transport line with the Reserve men but from what I can get to know from the men of his section he was killed instantaneously. He was a section commander and was leading his men on when he was killed. Mummy dear, I hardly know what to write. It's terribly hard on you and all of us but we must try to think of him as just having gone to join Dad, and that we shall all meet again in the days to come. Everybody has been most kind and Lieutenant Brooksbank particularly so. He took me into his tent and was nearly heartbroken. Poor old Rufus was killed just before Sid, so we are gradually losing all our own men. I'll know you'll try to be brave won't you mum? I know it isn't very much satisfaction to any of us to say he died for his country, but there is one thing, he was doing his duty as he saw it and I am sure you wouldn't want any of us to go back on our friends would you?

I have got a few things of his from his valise which I am trying to send home. He left his wallet with to give to Hilda if anything happened to him so I'll send them all together and you can give it her. I can't write any more and you'll understand why don't you? I'll write to the others after a few days. God bless you all and help you to bear this severe blow. We always pray for you at night and ask God to bless you.

With fondest love to you all

Always your ever loving son

Ernest

Sidney Nicholson is also remembered on the Thiepval Memorial,the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, that bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. The memorial also serves as an Anglo-French Battle Memorial in recognition of the joint nature of the 1916 offensive and a small cemetery containing equal numbers of Commonwealth and French graves lies at the foot of the memorial.

Three members of the same family who died in their 20s or 30s.

Dolgellau Cemetery, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales

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A general view

Three members of the same family who died in their 20s or 30s.

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Three unknown sailors who were "probably victims of Submarine outrages".

St Tanwg, Harlech, Gwynedd

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According to Enwogion Cymru, Tanwg was a saint who lived in the early part of the sixth century. He was one of the sons of Ithel Hael and he accompanied St Cadvan from Armorica to Britain in the time of Vortigern who procured wise men and divines from Gaul, now called France, to renovate Christianity in this Island, in consequence of the decay and failure that had befallen the faith in Christ.

Three unknown sailors who were "probably victims of Submarine outrages".
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"Luv you both" - "See ya soon".

Dyffryn and Talybont Cemetery, Gwynedd, Wales

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A general view.

"Luv you both" - "See ya soon".
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Arlington National Cemetery - Army, Navy and Air Force Nurses

Arlington National Cemetery
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A general view

Army, Navy and Air Force Nurses

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Arlington National Cemetery - The Rough Riders of the Spanish American War

Arlington National Cemetery - The Rough Riders of the Spanish American War
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A general view

The Rough Riders Memorial commemorates those members of the "Rough Riders" who died in the Spanish-American War in 1898. The grey granite shaft was erected by surviving members of the Rough Riders and their friends and supporters. Although formally named the "1st United States Volunteer Cavalry", the press nicknamed the regiment the "Rough Riders" because most of the men were cowboys, frontiersmen or similar rough people from the West.
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"... found dead in her bed ..."

St Enddwyn, Llanenddwyn, Gwynedd

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St Enddwyn’s Church is medieval in origin. It is presently situated approximately 1km from the foreshore, adjacent to reclaimed land. It would therefore have been close to the seashore when built.

"... found dead in her bed ..."
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The memorial includes an attractive photograph of the famous Barmouth Bridge.

Minffordd Cemetery, Mynwent, Gwynedd, Wales
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A general view.

The memorial includes an attractive photograph of the famous Barmouth Bridge.

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Philadelphia - The founders of the famous Christ Church.

Christ Church Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

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Christ Church was founded in 1695 by members of the Church of England, who built a small wooden church on the site by the next year. When the congregation outgrew this structure some twenty years later, they decided to erect a new church, the most sumptuous in the colonies. The main body of the church was constructed between 1727 and 1744, and the steeple was added in 1754, making it the tallest building in North America at the time, at 60 meters. Christ Church is considered one of the nation's most beautiful surviving 18th-century structures and a monument to colonial craftsmanship.

The founders of this famous church.
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