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It's been quite a few years since I first found the final resting place of Sarah Bray (nee Kippax) late of the Parish. If you remember my short essay on her wanderings, she headed from Briercliffe to Holmfirth, and from there to Bootle. She is buried at Anfield, near the Everton football ground.

I took the below photo several years ago. The last time I visited, about 3/4 years ago(?) the headstone had been pushed onto its back by the council. At some point, what was left of the text filled with rain and gradually decomposed so it was, by now, unreadable. Around the time, I realised that I'd lost the original file I had of the photo (digital camera file) but I did have a hard copy I'd printed off, which is where this scan is from.

In Remembrance of William Bray
of Seaforth
Formerly of Holmfirth
Yorkshire
Died Jan 24th 1879
Aged 57 Years
Also Sarah Bray, Wife
of the above who died
....same day
Aged 52 Years
~illegible~

Stephen, would you mind emailing me a copy of the picture please so that I can include it in the 'Miscellaneous Gravestones' section. There are only a few images in the section, it covers strays. My Nan is also in that section.

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Mel

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Thanks for addiing that Stephen.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Mel,

Certainly. Further to the story is the news article below from the Liverpool Mercury (28/1/1879)

Singular Death of a Man and His Wife
A few days ago Mrs. Bray, living in Vine-street, Seaforth, was attacked with apoplexy and fell to the floor. Her husband, 52 years of age, being unable to raise her, procured the assistance of some neighbours, and two medical men were called in. On their arrival they found Mr. Bray in a dying state, it is supposed from the excitement acting upon a diseased heart, and before assistance could be rendered he expired. Mrs. Bray, after lying for some hours in an unconscious condition, also died.

Stephen, I have removed the article you attached but added the transcription in its place. I'm not sure how we stand with the copyright of the newspaper articles.

I have also added the gravestone image to the Miscellaneous section. Thanks for sharing it with us. http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Gra ... s/Bray.htm

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Mel

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Mel,

Fair enough - I hadn't considered that! I would have thought that any article over 100 years old would be public doman, though...?

Stephen

I think it is a bit hazy as the website providing the info will possibly have it's own copyright covering the newspapers. I'm not sure either way but it keeps life simple. Sorry

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Mel

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Mel,

That's fine. I wouldn't want to get the site into any trouble!

Now, for my next step, what I really need to do is try and find the burial of Sarah's parents and grandparents. I found one of her siblings in the newer area at Haggate, but other than that I'm still currently stuck!

So I assume you know the dates then?

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Mel

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Partially.

For Sarah's mother Ann (nee Nuttall), the reference is:
Ann Kippax, Lane Bottom, Briercliffe age 68, buried 23.2.1852 (taken from this fine site, I believe)

For husband Robert however, the references are much vaguer:
Mar 1862 KIPPAX Robert
Sep 1864 Kippax Robert Burnley 8e 103 / Kippax Robert Burnley 8e 100 (same man?)
Dec 1865 Kippax Robert Burnley 8e 156

Are all the records I currently have.

Robert's father Joseph died just a few months before Ann, so maybe the family ended up buried together? Robert is the only one of Joseph's kids I've found anyway, and Joseph's wife died pre-decease him by a fairly astonishing 57 years.

Joseph KIPPAX Lane Botom Briercliffe 90 24 May 1851 Haggate Baptist Chapel
Ann KIPPAX Burnley 30 16 July 1794 Haggate Baptist Chapel

If they were living in Briercliffe when they died, it's quite probable that burial took place at Haggate, Hill Lane or St James. There is a very slim chance that Robert was buried in Burnley cemetery, it was opened in the 1860's (I think).

Back to the old fashioned method of trawling through burial records at the library I'm afraid Stephen. The ones I have don't cover the 1860s.

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Mel

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One of the 1864 deaths you mention for Robert Kippax could be the Robert buried at Burnley cemetery. viewtopic.php?f=17&t=329
31/07/1864 Robert Kippax, 47, Weaver, Exmouth St, Grave no.3609

As for the two different references for the same quarter - there are 2 separate entries on the death index page. Unless the same person was registed twice, it's two different Roberts.

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Mel

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Further to the above post, definitely two different Roberts

Lancashire Death indexes for the years: 1864
Surname Forename(s) Age Sub-District Registers At Reference
KIPPAX Robert 47 Burnley Preston BU/44/8
KIPPAX Robert 57 Burnley Preston BU/44/4
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/index.html

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Mel

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Mel,

Thanks - once again - for sharing your extensive knowledge of this subject!

Out of interest, what years do your burial records cover? And the library in question would be...Burnley, would it?

If the burials are at Haggate, Hill lane or St. James (which one is St. James?) am I likely to be able to strike gold with a burial reference, or is it going to be the name of the churchyard only?

Thanks for the Robert at Burnley info. I find it most unlikely that he is mine, as address and year are way off. Thanks also for clearing up the is-it-or-is-it-not a duplicate reference.

Maybe I should treat myself to one of the death records for him. I've got a 25% chance of getting it right, anyway!

Stephen

I think mine go to about 1840 off the top of my head.

Burnley is correct. If you have an exact date of death, it could be worth emailing them and asking if they have an index that they could refer to. I know they have indexes for newspaper obituaries. They are extremely helpful at Burnley.

St James is in Harle Syke, down Church Street http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Pho ... cliffe.htm

Photographed graves can be found here http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Gra ... 0Great.htm

As for whether you will get a location or just a churchyard name....I couldn't say for sure. PM on way.

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Mel

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