LEWES - St John Sub Castro

[fiveleaves]

Thanks for the prompt and very helpful reply Chris
I'm slowly going through all of it
I know John Davis, the husband of Mary Ann, died 1868, also died in the Cliffe Workhouse and was buried at the St Thomas a Becket church 2 years earlier in 1866
I have found them on the 1851 census and they were both from the west country. John from Ivybridge, Devon and Mary Ann from Wells, Somerset. So the early Davis baptisms aren't from my family, but all the ones from 1877 onwards are. So many thanks

As for the Davis burials does Caroline have a headstone? I'm fairly certain this is the wife of Charles Davis 39 OTP, buried 1887. Her maiden name Bridgman and daughter of William

Thanks for the photos of his, his wife's and their infant son's headstone and inscription

Alfred Bridgman was my 2nd great grand uncle and Julia was his wife
As for Leslie Archibald. I have an infant of that name in my tree. A grandson of Alfred and Julia. He was born and died in the June of 1916. So maybe 1913 is wrong?

Thanks again for all of your help

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Peter

As regard Caroline:  I wouldn't expect anyone who died in the Workhouse or Infirmary to have a headstone - sorry, Caroline does not have one.

As regards Leslie Archibald - this is what we transcribed off the headstone, but his burial is not recorded in the Register

  Memorial number 156-                             

Memorial Description :-
Number of components   2                Memorial condition    OVERGROWN     
Memorial type          CROSS-CURB/SRD   Inscription condition POOR         
Material of gravestone                  Height/Length(mm)        0
Mason                                   Width(mm)                0
Number commemorated    1                Thickness(mm)            0
Inscription Method     LEAD LETTERS     Direction faced by memorial E

Memorial inscription :-
 Base:                                                                       
 In loving memory/ of our dear little babe/ Leslie Archibald/ the beloved   
 child of/ A & O Bridgman/ born June 4th died June 12 1913/                 
 Cross:                                                                     
 And Jesus called a little/ child unto him/ 

As the inscription was done in Lead letters it was clear even though the lead was starting to fall out, the peg holes were perfectly visible

Chris in 1066                                 

[fiveleaves]

Thanks Chris

The inscription fits with the Leslie Archibald Bridgman I have apart from the year
The parents of the Leslie Archibald I have were Archibald Reuben Bridgman and Olive Bridgman nee Pooley
Olive was from Cornwall and they must have returned as Archibald died there
I don't have Leslie's birth or death certificate but BMD index has him being born and dying in 1916

btw Are the Bridgman graves easy to find? As I intend to visit in the next couple of weeks
Do you know roughly where the graves are within the graveyard?

Peter

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Peter

I have double checked both the Baptism Register and the Burial Register for 1903 - 1906,  and Leslie is not in either - strange.
Looking at the number pad on my keyboard, I notice that the 3 is directly under the 6, so its possible the wrong key was struck when entering the data.
As all the work was done in the late 90's and early 2000's I do not have access to my original work as it is in Lewes together with our original plan - but I do have a rough plan if I can find it. (I know exactly where the stones are after recording them) and copy it for you

Chris in 1066

[fiveleaves]

Hi Chris
A copy of where the stones are would be most useful.

Going back to the Davis stones. Having done some research on Richard & Louisa, Richard is originally from Mickleham in Surrey and doesn't appear to be related to my Davis family
Athelstan I can only find a death record for and again looks unlikely to be related

Peter

[Chris in 1066Land]

HI Peter

The memorial to Athelstan does not give any further clues either

Memorial number 301-                             

Memorial Description :-
Number of components   1                Memorial condition    LICHEN STAINED
Memorial type          LEDGER TOMB      Inscription condition WEATHERED     
Material of gravestone                  Height/Length(mm)        0
Mason                                   Width(mm)                0
Number commemorated    1                Thickness(mm)            0
Inscription Method     INCISED          Direction faced by memorial   

Memorial inscription :-
 In loving memory/ of/ A H G D/ who died May 15th 1855/

Chris in 1066   

[fiveleaves]

Hi again Chris
Athelstan is a bit of a mystery

I visited the graveyard recently and managed to find the grave of William, his wife Susannah and their infant son as it is now
It's very hard to read the inscription, but I could just about make it out
The grave is in the bottom left hand corner of the graveyard

I was unable to find the grave of Alfred and Julia Bridgman
Do you know whereabouts it is in respect to Alfred's parents grave? As I am planning another visit

Many thanks
Pete

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi again

Their stone is No 287.

It is on the bottom left hand side.   The big monument (Russian Memorial) is No 200 and it 7 further rows towards the bottom left. You know where 354 is, do you should be able to spot the stone

Chris in 1066

[Chris in 1066Land]

The inscription of the surround is as follows

287-
  West: In loving memory of/                                                 
  South: Julia, the beloved wife of Alfred Bridgman/ died April 12th 1923 aged
  66 years/                                                                   
  East: Eternal ...(rest buried)                                             
  North: Also of Alfred Richard Bridgman/ died December 30th 1926, aged 69   
  years/                   

Chris in 1066