Dear List, I am enjoying very much all the emails I'm getting from the list, especially those concerning the wonderful necropolis at St Leonard's. I live in London, but came back to Middleton where I lived until I was 9, to spend a day in the library doing some FH research. It was spring, and I spent some time in the churchyard which was a riot of colour with hawthorns in full blossom, pulling layers of wet grass off gravestones in a random search which revealed the burial of my oldest known connection, Abraham Stansfield (1797-1856), his wife Sarah and their children. I have been told that they appear in the 1841 census, living at Little Green where he was a miller, but despite several visits to the FRC (one advantage of London) I cannot find them until 1851. I think his family may have come from Chadderton. Any chance of confirming the 1841 census entry? I looked in vain for my GG-M, Emma, who married Abraham Stansfield at St Leonard's in 1875. I know she is buried in the churchyard, possibly with her parents (Samuel Taylor and Betty ?) who were from Hebers (no death dates) as she and Abraham had split up. She died in 1932, and told my Dad (now 87 and living with me in London) that there was 'just room for one more' in the grave. I think the churchyard is a very special place, and wonder if there is any chance of getting funds for some clearance/restoration work. Even Bamford's grave is overgrown and not respected, and his memorial in Cheapside where I grew up is a disgrace. What a pity that all the club houses were pulled down in the 1960s. I found a wonderful, huge old plan of this area dating from the mid-1800s in the Royal Geographical Association Library in London. Kathy Stansfield
Kathy, Is this your Abraham on the 1841 census? Wife Jane not Sarah. This is the only Stansfield in Tonge according to the surname index. HO107/548. ED14. Folio 4. Page 1. Little Green. Tonge. Abm Stansfield.45. Miller. Jane Stansfield. 45. Eliza Stansfield. 20. Silk weaver. Henry Stansfield. Silk weaver. John Stansfield. 15. Silk weaver. Samuel Stansfield. 15. Silk weaver. Abm Stansfield. 14. Joseph Stansfield. 10. Edward Stansfield. 7. Jane Stansfield. 2. All born in county. Doreen. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.586 / Virus Database: 371 - Release Date: 12/02/2004