Karen

This memorial at Wardsend has the following inscription: IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOSEPH, THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF ELIZABETH CRESSWELL WHO DIED MARCH 6TH 1949, AGED 63 YEARS. I MISS YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, YOU WERE DEARER THAN SILVER OR GOLD.

'I miss you because I love you.
You were dearer than silver or gold.'

'In loving memory of Joseph, the beloved husband of Elizabeth Cresswell'

Joseph died on 6th March 1949. He was 63 .

A memorial to a young girl in a Tonbridge cemetery

Love where you live, and honour your ancestors

Paperback copy of Taking Flight: How animals learned to fly and transformed life on Earth by Lev Parikian.

Treated myself to a birthday book from @foxlanebooks.bsky.social

Really good selection of natural history and nature writing, took me a while to choose. #booksky

A graveyard covered in snowdrops

Forever young, sisters Mabel and Emma are host to an ever increasing cover of wildflowers

They fell asleep days apart, comforted by their eternal bond, embraced by their closeness to nature’s finest

A most enjoyable evening was spent on Christmas Eve at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hubball, Hollywell Avenue. (Mr. Hubball has recently returned from the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, after a stay of some months, following an accident at Ormonde Colliery, in which he sustained a broken leg and other injuries.) During the evening Santa Claus (Mr. Edwin Sharp) presented each guest with a present. A collection was made and realised £1. 2s., which has been given to Codnor Red Cross Funds.

On Christmas Eve 1944, my great-grandparents Tom and Elsie Hubball hosted a party to raise money for the local Red Cross branch. My grandad’s brother dressed as Santa. My grandparents had been married around 14 months. #familyhistory #localhistory #Derbyshire

Made a tiny Christmas tree out of fossils: the stars are crinoid ossicles, the trunk dinosaur bone & the branches are sharks’ teeth 🎄🦴

On this day in 1848, Emily Brontë was interred in the family vault in Haworth church. Here’s a photo I took of a copy of the burial record on display in the church in 2018. It’s signed by the Curate, Arthur Nicholls, Charlotte’s future husband.

Saw this in Ripley Cemetery today. At some point in time the headstone has fallen backwards and now the tree is growing around it, holding it fast.

#cemetery #gravestone #cemeterywandering

You can often find snippets of oral history to add to your research by searching newspaper archives for terms like nonagenarian, golden/diamond wedding, grand old lady/man. Older residents were often asked what their town/village was like when they were young. #oneplacewednesday

Same gravestone, better lit but not perfectly. Inscription: Seeth Andrew daughter to William and Seeth Andrew aged 10 years died September ye 21 1700

The problem is that juuuuust as the light is about to be perfect, the sun goes behind a decorative peak on the church next door. This is the shot a minute before the block - might be the best I can do.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK STAFF WHERE DRACULA’S GRAVE IS THERE ISN’T ONE.

Iconic sign from St Mary’s Church next to Whitby Abbey. I love that people think Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a real person/vampire who lived and died in Whitby.

A sketch of a ghost in 19th century night gown and hat and a woman in bed screaming. Engraving by George Cruikshank Captioned "A tall figure her sight engross' d,/And it cried,’ Giles Scroggin's Ghost." Originally from "The Universal Songster"

On Monday (10th November) there’s a new episode of Weird in the Wade about a poltergeist that rattled Biggleswade in the 1990s. I’m joined by a very special guest (I’ll announce who this weekend) and there’s an update from Andy about his “haunted house.” 👻
👇🏼Sketch from 1825.

The cover of a paperback book Ghosts of Derbyshire. The title is in black text on a background of white, yellow and blue. There are sketchy images of a skull, a ghostly monk and the crooked spire of Chesterfield cathedral.

A creepy illustration of ghostly woman done in a loose line drawing style. Her long hair covers her face and she is holding her hair with her right hand. She holds out her left hand as though she is pointing at someone or something.

One of my favourite ghost story books, including tales of headless phantoms, ghostly footsteps and screaming skulls. It also has a wonderfully creepy illustration in the introduction 👻 : Ghosts of Derbyshire, published in the 1970s. #phantomsfriday

My photos show four ornate Visigothic bronze belt buckles arranged in a 2 x 2 grid. Each buckle has a rectangular plate decorated with colourful glass (red, blue, green) inlaid into metal cells using cloisonné technique, and a chunky curved metal loop and prong. They adorned leather belts which Visigothic women wore over a tunic (probably) as a status symbol. Excavated between 1942 and 1949 by Antonio Molinero from the necropolis of Duratón near Segovia, Spain. They are on display at the Casa del Sol Museum in Segovia.

Fabulous Visigothic bronze belt buckles inlaid with cloisonné glass. AD 500s.

Which is your favourite?

From the Visigothic Necropolis of Duratón, near Segovia, Spain.
Casa del Sol Museum, Segovia
📷 by me

#Archaeology

St Michael le Belfrey church York where Guy Fawkes was baptised.

Guy Fawkes was born around Aprill in 1570 in Stonegate, York. He was baptised at St Michael le Belfrey (below) on the 15th of that month. His father, a Church of England lawyer, died when Guy was eight. His mother later married a Catholic, which, along with Guy’s schooling at St Peter’s

The village of Ambergate in Derbyshire is named for being the place where the river Amber meets the Derwent. Here’s the view from Halfpenny Bridge.

Gravestone of Elizabeth Work, 1743, in Eastford, Connecticut. Carved by an unidentified local carver who is known as the “Eastford Dot Carver.”

graveyard of Whitechapel Church in the former textile town of Cleckheaton where I am now living, lies this fascinating mid 19th century gravestone, I had not heard of New Grenada. Bogota was at that time the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty which was a colonial territory that included parts of modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.

In the unassuming but atmospheric graveyard of Whitechapel Church in the former textile town of Cleckheaton where I am now living, lies this fascinating mid 19th century gravestone, I had not heard of New Grenada. Bogota was at that time the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty

Lost grave of daughter of Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano found by A-level student Fitzwilliam Museum has uncovered student’s work from 1977 that revealed Cambridgeshire location of child’s burial place An A-level pupil found the lost grave of the Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano’s daughter, revealing a story of love and solidarity in 18th-century rural England. Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797), also known as Gustavus Vassa, escaped enslavement to become a celebrated author and campaigner in Georgian England. His memoir, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, was a bestseller. Continue reading...

Lost grave of daughter of Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano found by A-level student

The story of how a Victorian Yorkshire community came together to ensure that everyone could be buried with dignity. (Article John Heywood)

As we approach All Souls Day when in many countries, people remember their loved ones who have died, the lovely story of a small Yorkshire community who many years ago came together to ensure that everyone could be buried with dignity. The story of the Farndale Hearse. Please enlarge the image.

Ruined chapel in brownish stone in a churchyard full of tombstones with carved tops.

Another for #PhantomsFriday and #Halloween. A woman stumbles upon a church full of dead worshippers--including her late husband and child. It proves a dire omen.
thevictorianbookofthedead.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/a...

In the first post I meant to say graveyards and *cemeteries*, but churches too…

A slate headstone in Denby churchyard, close to the church. The inscription reads: In Memory of Vincent Fletcher Who departed this life August the 18th 1794 Aged 92 years Thou shalt come to thy Grave In a full age like as a Shock of Corn cometh in His Season

Day 31 of #31daysofgraves - momento mori. The slate headstone marking the grave of Vincent Fletcher who died in 1794 aged 92. There’s an urn engraved at the top with ‘momento mori’ inscribed on it. What stories he must have had, having almost lived through the whole 18th century!

Before today’s post I just want to say a little thank you to @annaandthedead.bsky.social and @orsa-marga.bsky.social for curating this little community for those of us who appreciate the value and beauty of graveyards and churches. I’ve really enjoyed seeing everyone’s posts.

A headstone with the top part shaped like a cross. There is a colourful inlaid Christogram in gold on a blue background with a white crown at each corner, and a border of red with gold xs. The inscription reads: In affectionate remembrance of William son of William and Mary B. Righton Who died January 21st 1867 Aged 31 years

Day 30 #31daysofgraves - colour. A red, blue, gold and white Christogram inlaid on the headstone of William Righton who died aged 31 in 1867. I’m impressed at the durability of this decoration, considering it’s over a hundred and fifty years old.

A page from the 1855 White´s Directory

A page from the 1855 White´s Directory

Don’t forget to look at the county information in the front pages of Kelly’s, White’s & Pigot's directories. They can contain useful information about ancient history, geography & agriculture, as these images of pages from the 1855 White´s Directory show
#OnePlaceWednesday

A headstone shaped like an anvil with a hammer resting on top, partially covered with soft, feathery moss. The inscription reads: The labours of a well-spent life end in great reward To A loving husband and father CHARLES COPNALL Died May 4th 1935 Aged 65 years Also of EMILY KATE COPNALL Died Dec 18th 1941 Aged 62 years Reunited

#31daysofgraves day 29 - occupation. Blacksmith Charles Copnall’s headstone is shaped like an anvil with a hammer resting on top. Inscription in alt text.

James Beresford and Sons had already been in business for almost a century when they created this memorial, and they’re still going. I’m presuming they’re also in the same premises, on Bridge Street, Belper.

Neither of my parents have siblings so I didn’t have to fight anyone for it or stop anyone throwing it away.

I was amazed when I found it while we were clearing my Grandma’s house. I found loads of family history-related stuff. I’m very lucky.