Caretaker at a Church

[carol80]

My Great Grand Uncle is on the 1921 Census living at 6, Bright Street, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire with his wife and 4 of his 5 children.
Christopher Stonehouse was 49 years old and was a Caretaker at St John's Church.
Census reads as  Caretaker - St Johns Church Wardens.
What would his job entail?
He died in 1929 so would he be buried here?
Where would I find a photo of this Church?
Any help as always is much appreciated.
Thanks
Carol

[mckha489]

Some images here

https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/church-of-st-john-the-evangelist1/

Caretaker….wouldn’t they do general maintenance and minor repairs
Trap mice and rats, Keep the fires going in winter etc.
I don’t know if they would be responsible for the grounds as well! Or if there would be/was a separate gardener

[carol80]

Thanks, mckha489
I managed to download a photo for my records. St Johns was the church of choice for nearly all my ancestors that lived in the area over the years maybe longer.

Carol

[Neale1961]

Trap mice and rats, Keep the fires going in winter etc.

 
Probably the same odd jobs and cleaning that a caretaker does today.

[hanes teulu]

As luck would have it the local "rag" (Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough) does not cover the years 1920-33.

[Viktoria]

I wonder if The Verger would better describe his job.,that entailed greeting people as they entered church,opening the doors when there were “ box pews” ,general maintenance and cleaning,minor repairs etc.
Placing the Altar cloths for the correct Sundays etc.
The Bible ribbons and reading markers ,purple. ,green etc depending on if it was Lent, Christmas,Easter etc.
So in a way some duties covered by both titles.
Viktoria.

[carol80]

Love the Rat.
Thanks for your replies.
I am still trying to find out if the church has a graveyard and if Christopher could be buried there.
What nearby Cemeteries were the in 1929. I do realize he could have been cremated.
carol

[middlesbrough]

Are you aware of the circumstances of his death? Very tragic.

A Girl Guide had an unnerving experience at Middlesbrough. Ellna Snook, the captain of the troop attached to St Johns Church, had occasion to enter the cloakroom at St Johns Hall, where she found a man hanging. The body was cut down but the man was found to be dead. He was identified as Christopher Stonehouse (55), of bright street who had been verger at St John's for 15 years.

Hartlepool Northern daily mail 5th July 1929.

[middlesbrough]

National Burial Record

Christopher Stonehouse
Birth year 1873
Burial date 8th July 1929
Place Kirby in Cleveland. St Augustine.

I think this is the same place as where he was baptised.

Christopher Stonehouse
Par Christopher and Mary Ann
Abode Kirby
Fathers occupation Parish Clerk


Father is also buried here

Christopher Stone house
21 St February, 1884
Age 57

On the left hand side of the page it reads "he was clerk and sexton from 1870"