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The Churchyard Gravestones and Arnold Cemetery.
I.—The Churchyard Gravestones.
The tombstones of interest to present residents are few, as the great majority are memorials of persons or families either unknown or who have ceased to have representatives now in the parish.
The oldest decipherable and dated inscription in the Churchyard will be found on a small stone situated ten yards south of the Church and close to the tomb of the Stanfields. It reads as follows:
1690.
Near this place lyeth ye Body of John, Son
of Sam Leadbeater by Mary his Wife,
who departed this life Novm. ye 14th."
Rebecca Elley was one of the benefactors of the Free School; she
died Dec. 27, 1785, aged 70.
The Fillinghams are referred to in the Commonwealth period and Bartholomew Fillingham was a benefactor. The inscription on the tomb of Dorothy Fillingham fails to give the year of her death: "Here lyeth the Body of Dorothy Fillingham, died ye 14 of May in the three scor and seventh yere of Her age."
The Allen family have for three generations been usefully connected with the parish.
Mary Ann, wife of Wright Allen, died April 19, 1880, aged 63 (She was daughter of the Rev. Wm. Howard: see list of Worthies).
Wright Allen, born Feb. 9, 1804, died April 8, 1887, aged 83. There are also several other graves belonging to the Allen family.
Richard Rawson, late Master of Arnold Free School, died Dec. 16, 1802; also Hannah his wife; there are other stones to the Rawson family.
Ellen Fearfield, died Jan. 27, 1724, aged 45.
Thomas Frost, died May 26, 1859, aged 69 years; also Thomas Frost, only son of the above, died in 1861, aged 30, and was interred by his own request in Highgate Cemetery, London. There were five generations of Frosts noted in Arnold.
Thomas Frost (Senior) was a Lace Manufacturer, his home being opposite to the Robin Hood Inn, and his factory in Spout Lane. He built the property east of Spout Lane, and was prominent as Overseer of Highways, and in other public interests, before the time of the Local Board.
John Kirke, of Red Hill Lodge, died Sept. 4, 1840, aged 44. There was at Red Hill Lodge a fine gallery of pictures.
The Denisons, of Daybrook House, a notable family, have a large tomb near the west door of the Church; the tomb was closed in 1855.
Reverend Thomas Bigsby Clarke, Vicar of Beeston and Burton Joyce, died Oct. 25, 1821, at Arno Vale, aged 63 years.
Sulley. There are some very old stones of this family, which has been located in Arnold for more than 300 years. Daft. One of this family was founder of the firm of Daft & Jessop, Drapers, Long Row, Nottingham. His sister, Miss Daft, 50 years ago was accustomed to talk of having seen the coaches drive under the oaks in the Forest. Rev. G. F. Holcombe, died Aug. 24, 1872, aged 84 years. Rev. M. J. Truman, died Dec. 2, 1906, aged 65 years. Adjoining Mr. Truman's grave is the grave of Emma Burwell Truman, his first wife. William Morris, died 1800, aged 70; was apparently landlord of the "Three Crowns " Inn, at Red Hill. The concluding lines of his epitaph read as follows:
"Three Crowns on Earth adorn'd my Name, One Crown immortal now I claim." John Worrall, died 1898, aged 88, was a well-known builder and farmer; for many years he collected the Taxes. John Simpson, of Arnot Hill, died 1853, aged 67, was a man of some note. Thomas Robinson, died 1878, aged 77. His first wife, Alice, died 1839, in her 34th year, and is also interred here; these were the parents of Sir John Robinson, of Worksop Manor, and Mr. Samuel Robinson. Mr. Thomas Robinson's second wife, Ann, died 1879, aged 74, and is also interred with other members of the family in this, the family burying-ground, which is carefully tended. Acton. The burying-ground of the Acton family, ancestors and relatives of Mr. James Acton, of Goodwood House, is a carefully kept plot just inside the gate of the north Churchyard. Thomas Sheldon, died 1875, aged 80; he fought at Waterloo.
The families of Redgate, Sturtevant, Settles, Need, Oscroft, Frost, Morris, Moore, Rhodes, Newham, Stanfield, Surgey, Dickinson, Simkin, Clay, Williamson, Blatherwick, Bryan, Phipps, Leverton, Alvey, Atherley, Lee, Gill, Truman, Askew, Hearson, Dove, Smedley, Wilkinson, Dean, Skerritt, Barrow, Jones, Challand, Shelton, Allcock, Jeffrey, Bacon, Bradbury, Ward, Holbrook, Pembleton, Jackson, Gadsby, Parr, Howitt, Kelk, Burton, Bradley, Mellors, Marshall, Wood, Garratt, Lamin, Stones, Hart, Clarke, Chadburn, Simpson, Holt, Jew, Worton, Extall, Showell, George, Kendall, Stretch, Robinson, Acton, Mann, Godfrey, Prior, Hartshorn, Peck, and Willows, are among the many families whose ancestors are represented in the inscriptions.
Among those who, in recent times, have attained the age of 90 years or more, and have been interred in the Churchyard, we have heard of the following: William Bradley, died 1882, aged 97; William Clay, died 1883, aged 91; Samuel Dickinson, died 1871, aged 91; George Hackman, died 1879, aged 93 ; John Showell, died 1891, aged 90; Sarah Redgate (daughter of the late Parish Clerk), died 1910, aged 93.
Mr. John Atherley was the last of the musicians who played instruments in the old gallery of Arnold Church. His remains were interred in the Churchyard on July 30, 1912; he had reached the age of 81 years.
The Churchyard was enlarged about 1851. At the Consecration a young man named John Toplis was present, and when the ceremony was over he exclaimed, "I wonder what poor devil will be buried there first." Soon after reaching home he was seized with small-pox, and died in three days, his own interment thus giving a very prompt and unexpected reply to the question.
II.—The Cemetery.
The Churchyard having again become full it was decided to provide a Public Cemetery, which was opened in 1879, and at the time of writing (1913), steps have been definitely taken for its enlargement. It is impossible to give an adequate list of even the more interesting interments which have taken place there, and we can only give a short list of a few which occur to us as being of public interest to present-day residents in Arnold and Daybrook.
James Goddard, died July 3, 1879, aged 68, was the first whose remains were interred in the Cemetery. William Williams, Solicitor, Feb. 16, 1880, aged 76, his wife having died 10 days before. Joseph Phipps, Schoolmaster, Dec. 13, 1882, aged 63. John Bryan, Rate Collector, May 10, 1886, aged 54. Dr. George W. Leigh, July 30, 1886, aged 75, his wife having died before him in 1879. William Blankley (senior), Post Master, March 14, 1895, aged 60. John J. K. Gosling, Relieving Officer, March 22, 1899, aged 81. Dr. Robert Wallace, Dec. 29, 1902, aged 53. Sarah Cheetham, Nov. 22, 1903, aged 71. Charlotte Cheetham, June 7, 1904, aged 75. Samuel Showell, Rate Collector, Feb. 20, 1908, aged 65. Samuel Ward (of Messrs. I. & R. Morley's factory), Sept. 22, 1909, aged 70. John Clay, Jan. 28, 1911, aged 66. David John Watkins, Feb. 12, 1913, aged 81. Sandford Robinson, April 21, 1898, aged 30. Lady Robinson, Aug. 5, 1909, aged 62. Leila Elizma Seely, Feb. 16, 1903, aged 26. Anthony Higginbottom, Dec. 7, 1895, aged 53.
Parochial Charities.
The Report of the Commissioners for Inquiry concerning charities, dated 31st January, 1839, stated that it was then recorded on a tablet in the Church of Arnold that Bartholomew Fillingham, Esq., gave the sum of £30, the rent thereof to be dealt in bread on Good Fridays for ever. For the like purpose Samuel Clarke gave £10,and the following £1 each: Nathan Need, John Barber, Edward Newham, Saml. Need, Margaret Alvey, Robert Rywell, and Edward Barber. Edward Jones' Executor having paid £17to the guardian of the poor for the use of the House of Industry, 17/- interest thereon, was in future to be paid by the parish. John Denison was tenant of Holme Close, and Tavelfeld Close, described elsewhere, at a rental of £10, half of which went to the poor on Good Friday, and half to the School fund. Henry Sherbrooke, at a date unknown, gave land, or a donation, producing £3, per annum. Other donations were by Elizabeth Randall, of land in the fields producing 8/-, and a rent charge of 5/- per annum by Arthur Nash, and of lands of John Cooper.
According to the Report of the Charities' Commission, Notts., 1768, quoted in the returns of the Commissioners in 1839, there were then four charities for the School, and for the Poor, Bartholomew Fillingham's, Robert Sherbooke, £20, Agnes Cross, £10, Sir Wm. Stanhope, £5, Bryan Melton, £5, Thos. Sulley, £1, Robert Clarke, £5, Robt. Haulton, £2, Randolph Willson, £3, Val. Sales, £1 10s., Ruth Gibson, 10/-, Saml. Clark, £10, Nath. Need, £1,John Barber, £1,Edwd. Newham, £1, Saml. Need, £1, ------ Alvey, £1, Robt. Bywell, £1, Edwd. Barber, £1, Chas. Willson, £2, Elizth. Randolph (producing 8/- per annum), Henry Sherbrooke (producing £3 per annum), the Parish (producing 17/- per annum). The following are lost:—Arthur Nash (producing 5/-), Robert Clark, £2, Thomas Mee, 5/-, Alice Shirt, £1, Henry Dennison, 10/-, John Alvey, £1, Gerv. Kirk, £1.
In the Minute Book of the Free School there is an entry at the end under date Nov. 7th, 1842, signed by George Atkinson, Curate, Wright Allen, and Uriah Wood, Churchwardens.
"Having inspected such documents belonging to the Parish of Arnold as we were able to find we have been able to account for all the various donations left to the Parish by charitable individuals whose names are preserved on a tablet in the Church, except the sum of £24,which twenty-four pounds we conclude have been laid out, or expended in erecting of a small dwelling house now occupied by Mr. Denison, and in the purchase of the Free School and garden belonging to the parish, since we can find no bequest of the said house and garden, nor any document relating thereto.
"The total amount of the donations, exclusive of those of Mark Stertevant, and of those donors in land, we find to be £146, with the addition of two pounds per annum left by Margaret Birch, chargeable on her lands, which sum is now paid by Mrs. Sherbrooke out of the lands which W. Sherbrooke, Esq., bought, and also the addition of some land left by Mrs. Randall, then let for eight shillings a year, now in the occupation of Mr. Denison. Of the above £146 two sums, viz.: £50, left by the Revd. D. Chadwick, and £30,left by B. Fillingham, making together £80, were laid out in the purchase of the Roecroft houses. The remainder, £66,was thus disposed of, viz.: £17lent by the then Parish officers, which were lost, and other £17lent to Mr. Jones, now in possession of the Parish, and £6lent to Mr. Newham, now in the hands of Mrs. Newham, and £2now in the hands of Uriah Wood, and the remaining £24we imagine, as above stated, went to the purchase of the house and close now in the occupation of Mr. Denison. Out of the Roe-Croft Houses £1 10 0 belongs to the poor in bread, the rest belongs to the Free School; the £17 in the possession of the parish belongs to the poor—given in bread; the £6in the hands of Mrs. Newham belongs to the Free School; the £2 in the hands of Uriah Wood belongs to the poor given in bread; the £2paid annually by Mrs. Sherbrooke belongs to the Free School; and the house and land now in the occupation of Mr. Denison belongs, one half to the Free School, and the other half to the poor, to be given in bread."
There is a further memorandum signed "Geo. Atkinson," Arnold, June 22nd, 1843, in similar language to the foregoing, but making the amount £164, and the remainder £84, viz.: £17 lost, £17 in the hands of the parish, £6Mrs. Newham, £2 Uriah Wood, £1 in repairing the Church at that time, £41 laid out as above.
An application was made to the Charity Commissioners to enquire into and settle a scheme for the administration of all the charities in Arnold, and interviews, deputations, and correspondence continued during 1884-5-6, resulting in an order, dated 12th March, 1886, vesting—(a) the School site and buildings adjoining the Calverton Road, as comprised in a deed dated 30th April, 1886; (A) the School site and buildings known as the Parish School in High Street; (c) the land in Front Street formerly known as Roecroft Houses, with the buildings used as a Police Station, subject to a lease dated 9th April, 1861, for 999 years, at a rental of £8, and the buildings in the rear at a rental of 10/-; (d) a piece of land representing the devise of Hy. Sherbrook let to the representatives of the late J. Robinson at a rental of £5; (e) land representing the devise of Margaret Birch let to the representatives of the late J. Robinson at a rent of £1; (f) £6 bequeathed by Rebecca Elley; (g) the Holme close on the east side of Docket Lane, with the messuage thereon, containing 1a. 2r. 14P., with Tavelfield close on the west side of Killisick Road, containing 1a. or. 38p., let to John Denison, at a rent of £10; (k) £17 the gift of Agnes Cross and others; (k) land devised by Hy. Sherbrooke and let at a rent of £2; (k) £116 17s. 4d., reduced 3 per cent, annuities, the charities of Jonathan Stirtevant; (l) £201 13s. 7d. like annuities representing the charities of John Stirtevant; (m) the School site known as the Nottingham Road School as comprised in a deed of 13th Feb., 1845.
The Trustees consisted of:—The Archdeacon of Nottingham, the Vicar and Churchwardens of Arnold, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the School Board, the Chairman of the Local Board, and their successors, with three non-official Trustees: the first three being Lieut.-Col. Charles Seely, M.P., Francis Martin, Esq., of Red Hill Lodge, and Geo. Wm. Leigh, Esq., of Arnold Grove.
The objects to which the funds might be applied were defined to be contributions to hospitals, nurses for the sick, annuities for needy and provident people, donations to Provident Societies, apprenticeships, aids in sickness, destitution, etc. Parts of the charities were reserved for widows. The rent of the School premises and certain of the charities were to be used for education rewards, scholarships, exhibitions, etc.
The Charity Commissioners on 24th Feb., 1905, defined the endowments which ought to be applied to educational purposes to be called the "Arnold Educational Foundation," to consist of £216 17s. 4d. and £201 13s. 7d.,New Consols, and a yearly sum of £10.
The funds are now duly administered by the Trustees, Mr. J. R. Allen, one of them, acting as Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. Those for educational purposes are utilized in Scholarships of £10 each, for boys and girls alternately to Higher Grade Schools in Nottingham, thus securing the recipients being longer at school, and receiving a better education than would otherwise be the case. Grants are duly made to poor widows, etc.
The net income in about £74a year, which is devoted to—the Poor, £15;Widows, £12; Scholarships, £40.There are payments to be made for repairs, etc.