St. Michael's Church Graveyard in Cockerham

[randers]

Does anyone know if many old gravestones still exist at St. Michael's Church in Cockerham? I believe my ancestor, Jonathan Harrison, was buried there.  The LDS Record Search Project has a burial record for a Jonathan Harrison who was born in 1764 and buried in Cockerham on May 17, 1829.

My Jonathan was born in 1764 in Garstang and lived in Dolphinholme. My 4th great-grandmother was born there in 1804 and christened in Ellel. Jonathan's wife, Ann Taylor, was a widow in Kendal in 1841 (the Harrisons were originally Quakers from Kendal). If there is a gravestone for Jonathan, I'd love a photo of it . -Thanks!

[Barbara.H]

Hi Randers,

There is a graveyard, and according to their website, the Lancaster & Morecambe branch of LFH&H society 'did' St Michaels Cockerham last year, but haven't collated the photos/MIs yet.

http://www.lancasterfamilyhistory.org.uk/index.htm

when they have completed the listing, a surname index goes up on the website.

I'm a bit busy at the moment, but if no-one else can get there earlier, I could go to the churchyard one weekend next month and look for a gravestone for you. I'm about 2/3 miles away from Cockerham so its not too far.

hope that helps
  Barbara

[randers]

Hi Barbara,

Many thanks for the link and for the offer to stop by the graveyard. I'm pretty certain now that the Jonathan Harrison buried at St. Michael's in 1829 is my ancestor. I rechecked the LDS website last night. They also have Cockerham burial records for a few of Jonathan's children that died young.

Best regards.
Richard

[Barbara.H]

Hi Richard,
I haven't been to the churchyard yet, but I have been to the library, and found a booklet of memorial inscriptions for St Michaels done by Lancaster & District FHS (a different group to the group with the website).

Your Jonathan wasn't on any of the inscriptions listed unfortunately, but here are names and dates of other Harrisons in the churchyard, in case they are of interest. Not the exact wording, I just wrote down the names, places and dates:

Section A, row 1, grave 6
Ellen wife of Richard, d. 16 Apr 1815 in her 25th year
Richard Harrison of Overton, d. 22 Mar 1865 in 74th year
James Lamb, son in law, of Glasson Dock, d. 13 Mar 1882 age 67

Section B row 16
Adam Edward son of John & Margaret Harrison of Batty Hill, d. 26 Jan 1862 age 7 months
John Harrison d. 17 Nov 1867 age 48
Margaret, d. 26 Oct 1910 in her 80th year

Section E row 2 grave 7 with iron rail surrounding
James son of James & Ann Harrison of Cockerham d. 15 Aug 1820 in 4th year of his age
Ann sister of above d. 15 Aug 1845 age 29
Ann mother of above, d. 28 Jun 1846 age 59
Alice daughter of above [Ann] d. 31 Oct 1849 age 26
Richard Harrison of Liverpool, son and brother of above d. 11 Mar 1862 age 48
James of Batty Hill, husband & father of above, d. 27 Aug 1862 age 81

Section F row 12 grave 1
Annie wife of John Harrison of Sand Villa, 21 jul 1854 - 1 Jul 1896
John d. 25 Jul 1929 age 72
Annie wife of John d. 28 Aug 1936 age 68

Inside the church on wall plaques:
Harold Harrison, NZFA died of wounds Ypres 28 Oct 1917
Gerald J C Harrison, NZEF killed in action Polderhoek 3 Dec 1917 age 22
sons of James Harrison, New Zealand
Charles Geoffrey Harrison, Lieut, Yorks and Lancashire Regiment, k.i.a. Boulon 27 Nov 1917, son of Thomas Harrison, Kaikoura New Zealand
Grandsons of John Harrison of Cockerham

Wall plaque:
electric lighting for the church donated in memory of
James Harrison
Jane Harrison
and other names

there were one or two 20th century Harrisons as well, 1950s and 1990s.

Still very happy to go to the churchyard if any of these inscriptions are of interest.  Batty Hill Farm and Sand Villa are still standing today (although google street view have the locations slightly wrong)

  Barbara

[randers]

Hi Barbara,

Thank you very much for the transcriptions and for stopping by the library! I don't think those Harrisons have a connection to my family tree.  I'm a member of Findagrave.com, so I'll add your information to the website in case it helps any descendants.

I guess my Jonathan Harrison didn't have a gravestone, or it was removed. I think I'll look into ordering burial records for Jonathan and his family. Maybe the records will list occupations and their residences. So far I only know that Jonathan's ancestors were Quakers in Kendal, and his parents could have been John Harrison and Ellen Cottam (married in Goosnargh in 1761).  I've met a few distant cousins online, but none of us can go beyond Jonathan!

Thanks again,
Richard

[tortiegirl]

Hi randers. I'm doing research on all people born / or living in Thurnham (next door to Cockerham) as far back as I can go, I have several Harrisons on my database, some going back to 1500's. The earliest are George, a Cockersand Abbey horse-keeper and Janet, an Abbey winnower - found in a book on the Abbey. The others are probate records from the Lancashire Wills of the Archdeanery of Richmond (try LANCAT-Lancshire Records Office on-line at Preston) and the registers of St. Michael's, Cockerham for christenings, marriages and burials, 1595-1657 found in Lancashire Parish Registers Society on-line via archive.org. I live nearby and have recently been to the churchyard. There are quite a few gravestones that have been removed and now stand upright against the walls there. Good luck!

[randers]

Hi tortiegirl,

Thanks for the information!

[Tybalt]

Hi Randers,
We have just been to Cockerham church today. It is lovely and in the middle of a field. We were looking for Jonathan Harrison too. I however have his birth as 1751 but it seems to be the same person as married to Ann Taylor, we found some Taylor's in Elell burial ground near Galgate, too but not matched up yet.
Seems we are related, as my husband's 3rd GG mother is Ellen Harrison (who married a William Farren) daughter of the above Jonathan and born in Cockerham 1799. I note you say the Harrison's are Quakers as he has Quaker Harrison's in another branch, and I feel they must be linked somewhere! The joys of family trees!
I wonder where your link fits in and it would be brilliant if we could compare, we still live in Kendal so if we could help at all for local searches we would be only too happy,
Best Wishes
Helen Henderson

[tortiegirl]

Hi. Can't help you with Jonathan but this info will either help or hinder you. Re- my previous post: My earliest Harrison in the Thurnham area is Elizabeth d. 1597, buried at St, Michael's. Thomas, George and Janet are mentioned as workers in the Abbey Surveys of 1536 and 1538. William d. 1681 and James d. 1698 were both buried at St. Michael's, so the family name in this area goes back a very long time. By the way, in 1134, a church was built in Cockerham dedicated to St Michael. It was rebuilt in 1814 and again in 1910. It appears to be in a remote site away from the village but was central to it at one time as the village was supposed to have been rebuilt during the plague away from the infected area.