The majority of headstones that remain in Emmanuel Church on Forest Road are laid flat, close to the low wall facing Forest Road.
William Simpkin was born around 1780, and married a lady called Mary Ann. This was a rather popular pairing of forenames at the time, which means I haven’t been able to establish Mary Ann’s surname, nor the date of their marriage.
William and Mary's first child was named Mary Ann after her mother. The children that followed included Harriet born November 2nd 1814; Caroline born 22nd March 1818; Eliza born 23rd November 1821; Charlotte born 20th September 1823, and Edwin born 17th November 1825. The five younger children were all baptised at All Saints, the parish church, on 11 July 1837, some three months before Emmanuel church was consecrated and opened.
Here's the memorial stone:
Despite the stone being broken, the inscription is readable:
Sacred
to the Memory
of
William
Simpkin
who died
Nov'r. 7th 1846,
Aged 66
Years.
He was
formerly auctioneer in this town
and was much
respected by a large circle
of friends.
And of Mary
Ann, his beloved wife
who died Nov'r. 18th 1857, Aged 70.
She lies
interred in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol.
Also of
Harriett
their daughter
who died
Dec'r 22nd 1854; Aged 40.
She lies interred in Sr. Peter's church yard, Derby.
It was reported in the 'Leicester Chronicle' in November 1857, that Mary Ann had died at the home of her son, which was the Britannia Hotel in Bristol, which might explain why she was buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery, which is a Grade II* listed historic Victorian park and garden of about 45 acres. It contains many important monuments, and a wildlife sanctuary. It doesn’t seem to be open 24 hours a day, but does have a cafĂ© in a glass pavilion, and a shop. Harriett was buried in St Peter’s churchyard, St Peter’s church being Grade II listed, and is on St Peter’s Street, right in the centre of Derby.
The top of the
memorial stone bears the insignia of the Freemasons, although I haven’t been
able to establish which lodge he was with. A beautiful rose creates a tasteful corner on the border of the stone.
Thank you for coming along on this journey through our cemeteries.
____________________________________
Posted by lynneaboutloughborough
With apologies for
typos which are all mine!
_______________________________________________
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Dyer, Lynne (2026). 31 Days of Graves Day 19 Masonic. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/10/31-days-of-graves-day-19-masonic.html [Accessed 19 October 2026]
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