31 Days of Graves Day 11 Interesting Epitaph

Numerous of the gravestones I looked at could fall into the category of bearing an interesting epitaph, so it was quite difficult to make a choice of what to include.

Below is the memorial to William Howard Rendall Gibbs, found in the old cemetery on Leicester Road. William’s parents, William John and Edith Elizabeth, nee Bromhead, were married at Emmanuel church on 27 April 1887. William was a coal and builder’s merchant, along with some of his brothers, who had their business on Station Street. The family lived at West Leigh, No.115 Ashby Road, a home with 10 rooms. Edith died in 1914, and William married again, to Gertrude, and he himself died in 1938, leaving quite a substantial sum of money. Sadly, their only child, William Howard Rendall Gibbs died in Bedford on 17th November 1905, aged 17.  

Here’s the full inscription

To the

Precious memory of

Our only child

William Howard Rendell Gibbs

Born on Good Friday March 30th 1888

Passed into eternity Nov. 17th 1905

“Thine for ever may we be”

Also sacred to the memory of

Edith Elizabeth Gibbs

Beloved wife of

William John Gibbs

Born July 18th 1855 died July 21st 1914

“His banner over us is love”

In loving remembrance

William John Gibbs

May 26th 1859

August 21st 1938

Also Gertrude beloved 2nd wife of the above

Died November 9th 1952 aged 70 years

The following memorial to Marguerite (Rita) Williams, also in the old cemetery on Leicester Road, says:

In cherished memory of

Marguerite,

(Rita)

The loving wife of the

Rev. W. Charles William

Wesleyan Methodist Minister

Loughborough

Lifter higher

April 3rd 1900.

She was always pleasant.

She “was not. For God took” her.

Over in the churchyard at All Saints with Holy Trinity on Steeple Row is a memorial to Elizabeth, wife of Richard Nicklinson, and to Richard himself. Richard and Elizabeth Chapman were married at All Saints church on 18 June 1809.

Richard had been an apprentice to master grocer, John Toone, a few years earlier. By 1832 he owned a property on Mill Street (now Market Street) which was let out to Edward Chesterton. In 1835 Richard was listed in a trade directory as a brush maker, Secretary of the Permanent (subscription) Library on Baxter Gate, and an oil and colour man working on Baxter Gate. In 1841, Richard was a brush maker, and had a freehold property on Baxter Gate, again let out to Chesterton, although Richard was also conducting his business – as a brush maker, and a dry salter, from Baxter Gate, as well as being an insurance agent for the Manchester, based on High Street. 

A couple of years before his death, Richard was a brush manufacturer, an oil and colour man, and an agent for Pelican Life and Manchester Fire Offices, his business still being based on Baxter Gate.

The full inscription reads:

In memory of

Elizabeth

Wife of

Richard Nicklinson

And daughter of

Samuel and Elizabeth Chapman

After a long and painful affliction

She died at peace with God

And all mankind

An humble following of her Saviour

On the 24th day of May 1850

Aged 603 years

 

Also of

Richard Nicklinson

Husband of the above

Who died March 21 1856

Aged 72 years

 

He was much respected by a nume

rous acquaintance both rich and

poor, the latter of whom he was a

sincere friend and helper.

Also sincerely mourned by

those to whom he had been

a friend and father.

 

The following memorial stone, also in the churchyard of All Saints, needs no explanation. It is hard to read due to weathering and the weather.

Transcription of the inscription

The

Lord gave and

the Lord hath

taken away;

Blessed be the

name of the

Lord

In memory of

HANNAH, wife of John TROTH,

who died in child-bed, July

25th 1826, Aged 30 years

A loving Wife, a Friend sincere,

Seven Babes with her lie Bury'd here;

A Christian faithfull just and true,

who liv'd and die'd with Heaven in view,

In Christ the Lord she put her trust,

Now Earth to Earth and Dust to Dust

But e'er she'd been a Wife seven years,

She was took from this Vale of Tears;

The seventh Infant ne'er was bom,

But caus'd her Death, and Friends to mourn,

But now she's Bless'd, among'st the just,

Earth to Earth and Dust to Dust.

Not all her Friends nor Doctor's art,

Could to her aid or help impart;

But when the Trumpet's hallow'd sound

Shall thro' Death's silent Vaults resound;

She'll rise! triumphant with the just

Awake to life - and quit the Dust

How lov'd how Valu'd once; avail'd thee not.

By whom respected, or by whome begot:

A heap of Dust alone remains of thee

is all thou art - and all ¬the proud shall be

This Stone was erected by her surviving

 ... ... ... solemn …

 

Finally, this memorial stone to John White was originally in the churchyard of the Wood gate Baptist Chapel, but now stands in the grounds of the Old Rectory. I haven’t researched John White of Cotes, so here is my photograph, and my transcription of his memorial:

 

Beneath

Are deposited the mortal remains of

John White of Cotes

Who during a period of more than

forty years was a regular mem

ber of the Christian Church as

sembling in the adjoining Chapel

his attachment to the Redeemer’s

cause was sincere and unabated

his zeal for its advancement was

manifested by personal assertion

and pecuniary sacrifices. In tend

ernes of conjugal and fraternal

affection and the punctual dis

charge of the relative and special

duties few have exceeded him.

The stroke by which he was sep

arated from his affectionate fam

ily, his brethren and a wide circle

of friends was awfully sudden

being summoned to an exchange

of worlds by an apoplectic seizure

under which on the 27th of

January 1825

The remainder of the inscription is beneath the soil, but I did find something on the internet which might be the completion of it:

“in the 62nd year of his age, after an affliction of a few hours only he sank late the arms of death.”

These are just some of the unique memorials to be found in our cemeteries. 

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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