Rochdale Cemetery request

[Gillg]

Is there a kind soul out there who is able to visit Rochdale Cemetery and find my gt-gt-grandparents' grave for me?  Unfortunately I live too far away to do this myself.

I have the grave number and reference and the names of the people in it from the records, but would love to have a photo.  It's a big ask, I know, but I have noticed that helpful Rootschatters occasionally offer to do this service.

[tony h]

I can have a look for you if you send me the details

Tony

[Gillg]

Tony

Thank you so much.  It's very generous of you.

There are actually two graves, and I just hope the headstones will be legible.

Starting with the largest, a vault 12 ft x 12 ft, for the Adamson family, including

George Adamson, died 1859
Ann Adamson, his wife, died 1879
Robert Adamson, his son, died 1887
Janet Bell Miller, his daughter, died 1884 and several of her infant children
and various other Adamsons, the last being Gertrude in 1947

Because this is a double plot there are two grave numbers 9949 & 10126, Square K, Plot 11.  (The Square is almost definitely a rather curly letter K, otherwise I suppose it could be an H, but I don't think so.)

Not very far away in grave number 6238, Square E Plot 5 is the Hurst family

John Hurst, died 1907
Elizabeth, his first wife, died 1860
Sarah Ann, his second wife, died 1902
Thomas, his father,died 1862
Betty, his mother, died 1878
and several infants

Although their names are not on the grave record, I'm rather hoping that my grandfather and John's son George Thomas Hurst, died 1922, and his wife Sarah Hannah, died 1915, and 7 year old daughter Florence May, died 1907,  may also be in this grave.  George Thomas's death notice says that he was buried in Rochdale Cemetery, but Rochdale Local Studies haven't been able to find a separate grave record for him.

The Cemetery emailed me a plan which I could forward to you, if you would like to send me a PM with your email address.  Both Squares are on the left near the main gates, but the office there would probably point out where they are.

If you are able to photograph one or both of these graves, I would be really grateful. 

Best wishes,

Gill

[NealBuckley]

I hope the inscriptions are legible. This chap (David Ollerton)

http://www.interment.net/data/eng/lancashire/rochdale/rochdale.htm

seems to have recorded most of the inscriptions in Rochdale cem and the only Hursts he lists are these:

Hurst, Arnold, d. 14 Jan 1900, age: 4yr, s/o John Hurst and Jane
Hurst, Benjamin, d. 8 Mar 1942, age: 76yr
Hurst, Charles, b. 15 Apr 1912, d. 6 Oct 1990
Hurst, May, b. 24 May 1920, d. 13 May 1987

The Adamsons:

Adamson, Ann, b. 10 Mar 1808, d. 21 Feb 1879, w/of George
Adamson, Beatrice, d. 5 Apr 1887, age 2 and a half yrs, d/of George Turley & Emma
Adamson, Bertha Alice, d. in infancy, d/of John & Elizabeth
Adamson, Eleanor, d. in infancy, d/of John & Elizabeth
Adamson, Elizabeth, d. 15 Sep 1889, age 66y, w/of John
Adamson, George Bell, d. 9 May 1886, age 35y, youngest s/of George & Ann
Adamson, George Turley, d. 5 Nov 1901, age 48y, s/of Robert
Adamson, George, b. 30 Sep 1805, d. 15 Aug 1859, h/of Ann
Adamson, Gertrude Alice, d. in infancy, d/of John & Elizabeth
Adamson, Gertrude, b. 31 Aug 1870, d. 1 Aug 1947, G/dau of Robert Adamson
Adamson, Henrietta, b. 31 Jan 1865, d. 3 Mar 1929
Adamson, Hilda Florence, d. 9 Dec 1887, age 1y 10 Mnths
Adamson, James Edward, d. 14 Jan 1916, age 52y, Youngest, s/of Robert
Adamson, James, d. 8 Dec 1912, age: 3da, s/o Will & Sarah Ellen
Adamson, John, d. 12 Feb 1884, age 58y, h/of Elizabeth
Adamson, John, d. 18 Feb 1904, age 8 Mnths, d/of Robert & Lizzie
Adamson, John, d. 26 Feb 1929, Etna, age 80y, s/of George
Adamson, Martha, d. 31 Aug 1868, age: 4yrs 5mo
Adamson, Robert, Syme, d. 20 Oct 1867, age: 39yr

[tony h]

Hi Gill,
Names, dates, grave numbers, squares and plot numbers - what could be easier? Wrong

I thought I do a reccie tonight on the way home in some beautiful sunshine, locate the graves and return with the camera tomorrow for the photos.

Starting with the easiest a 12’ by 12’ vault should be obvious. I searched Square K twice to no avail , so puzzled set off for Square E. As I crossed the road from K to E I happened to spot the Adamson memorial on that rectangular piece of land shown on the map you sent, dividing the roadway. A quick check of names showed it was the right monument. However it is a about 3 feet square and 8 feet tall, set within another 9 monuments occupying the space taken up by a large family saloon. Not sure how you can fit 12 x 12 vault into that.

Names are as you said, although Robert Adamson (son) is listed as dying in 1886 not 1887 as you said. There are 11 inscriptions in total, all perfectly legible.

Using Neal's already typed info i've deleted those not applicable and added some others that were missing.

Adamson, Ann, b. 10 Mar 1808, d. 21 Feb 1879, w/of George
Adamson, Beatrice, d. 5 Apr 1887, age 2 and a half yrs, d/of George Turley & Emma
Adamson, George Bell, d. 9 May 1886, age 35y, youngest s/of George & Ann
Adamson, George Turley, d. 5 Nov 1901, age 48y, s/of Robert
Adamson, George, b. 30 Sep 1805, d. 15 Aug 1859, h/of Ann
Adamson, Gertrude, b. 31 Aug 1870, d. 1 Aug 1947, G/dau of Robert Adamson
Adamson, Henrietta, b. 31 Jan 1865, d. 3 Mar 1929
Adamson, James Edward, d. 14 Jan 1916, age 52y, Youngest, s/of Robert
Janet Bell wife of George Miller, d of Gerge & Anne 15/6/84 age 48
Adamson, Robert, son of George died 1/31886
Edith Helen Pacey (Sissie), Stony Stratford, Bucks, g/child of above 6/8/84 3 years.

“Verily there is a reward for the righteous” is the inscription. Near the top of the monument there are thistles on the front and back and roses on the sides. Reference to Adamson Scottish roots? And marriage to Englishwoman?

I then set off for Square E with no luck whatsoever. Given the experience with K I packed it up after one quick pass and decided to come back when the office is open. I did spot a Hurst monument when driving out but it wasn’t on your list. Interestingly it’s not on the list helpfully provided by NealBuckley so it could be that the link he provided is not 100% complete - so there’s some hope yet. But well found Neal.

Hopefully more tomorrow.

Best wishes
Tony

[Gillg]

Hi Tony

Sorry the Adamson memorial wasn't as easy to spot as we thought it would be, but well done indeed for finding it.  The Adamsons were quite a wealthy family of tea dealers, hence the fancy grave, and yes, George was the Scot from just over the border near Gretna, and Ann his wife the English Rose.  My mistake about the year of death of Robert. 1886 is correct, it's just that the copy of the grave record  was photocopied in black/white reverse, and the lines in the register don't show up, so it's difficult to see whether the year is written above or below the date.  Robert's burial is recorded as March 5th, so rather a long time after his death on the headstone as 31 Jan!

Verily, I do think the Adamsons were a bit presumptuous with their Bible quotation, but do know that they were "chapel bodies".  George & Ann's daughter, my gt-grandmother Sarah Ann married John Hurst at Milton Congregational Church.

I'm very intrigued by the fact that George's son John Adamson died in Etna in 1929 aged 80, and I'm assuming he was buried out there, as he's not on the burial record, nor on the GRO. There was a major eruption of Mount Etna  in November 1928, which wiped out a whole village.  Was his death connected with this eruption in some way? But what on earth was an 80 year old doing out there?  

It's interesting that Janet Bell Miller's children aren't listed in full on the memorial.  She had 3 sets of twins, from which only one child survived.  They are, however, listed on the grave record. 

Hi Neal

Thanks very much for sending the Interment.net lists.  Dave Ollerton does a fantastic job, and I've found his lists very useful for various cemeteries connected with relatives.  The Hursts you list are not from my direct family, however, and since my gt-grandfather John was an only child, I can't place that family at the moment.

Again, thank you so much, both of you.  Tony, best of luck with the Hursts (not so well off as the Adamsons, but also fervent Nonconformists).  I'm really looking forward to seeing your photos, so hope the sun keeps shining up there in Rochdale.

Regards,

Gill 

[Gillg]

Forget all that ETNA business!  I've just consulted a website hosted by another descendant of George Adamson and discovered that John Adamson died in 1929 in GRETNA !!!     This is where the family came from originally.  What a laugh!  It just shows how easy it is to speculate and what a vivid imagination I have. 

Gill 

[NealBuckley]

Forget all that ETNA business!  I've just consulted a website hosted by another descendant of George Adamson and discovered that John Adamson died in 1929 in GRETNA !!!     This is where the family came from originally.  What a laugh!  It just shows how easy it is to speculate and what a vivid imagination I have. 

Gill 

Such is the effect of years of weathering - or perhaps Mr Ollerton likes to take a drink (no offense if he's reading  )

[tony h]

Hi Gill,
I had a successful sunny visit with your rellies this morning but am now snowed under for the rest of the afternoon/early evening so will get back to you later

 
Tony