RootsChat.Com

Thank you everyone for your help- it's very much appreciated.  I telephoned the Church this afternoon and spoke to a man (whom I assume is the vicar?) who was able to offer more information.  He told me that the church graveyard has been closed for a number of years and there are no gravestones there now. So that rules out a visit to see if I can find it myself.

I was also told that the records for the graveyard were apparently passed to Preston Records Office so I guess it's another trip to PRO for me! 

Thanks to suz who kindly confirmed some of my ancestors in the 1851 census in Accrington for me, I have been able to investigate the McDowell family further and I have today discovered another child in the family who died at the age of just 4 days.  The child, William McDowell, is recorded in Christ's Church, Accrington burial records on 17th July 1848. 

I would now like to try and find out if there is a marked grave for this infant.  As far as I'm aware, no other family members died in England.  Can anyone offer any guidance on where I should look for grave records?  Is there a graveyard attached to Christ's Church? Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks for that very fast reply, suz! Very impressive.   

I guess the son, Andrew, isn't showing up as he was born AFTER the census date in 1851?

Is it possible to look up the 1861 census to see if they are still in Accrington and whether there are any further children please?  Thank you so much for your help.

Annie

Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply, Ken.  I don't have Ancestry (as yet) but I do have details of Donald Calderhead, my grandfather's brother.  The CGWC certificate records:

In Memory of
Gunner DONALD CALDERHEAD

40304, 108th Heavy Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery
who died age 27
on 16 February 1917
Son of John Calderhead and Mary Wotherspoon Calderhead, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire.
Remembered with honour
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

I have tried to find out what a Gunner's responsibilities are, without success. I must be looking in the wrong places.

I'm keen to learn anything about this man as my grandfather was disowned by his family when he married my grandmother (nothing sordid, just plain old sectarianism) and so I have a whole branch of family that I know nothing about.   Any information you can offer would be gratefully received.  I do appreciate the time, patience and effort you have spent helping such a sadly-lacking novice. 

Just an update on the search for my ancestor's service records.  I tried again via the 'Request This' as you suggested, Ken.  I got the same reply. The search would take too long.   

Does anyone on the Armed Forces forum offer a 'Look Up' for Kew or is it just too difficult a search?  Unfortunately, I can't see me getting there anytime within the next six months or so.