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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Donald McLeod on Wednesday 03 February 16 11:33 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone tell me what burial grounds were in use in 1859 in Wrexham? I understand the Wrexham cemetery did not come into use until 1876.
I am researching my 4 x great grandfather Angus McLeod who fought at Waterloo. I have his death certificate and obituary, which tells me that he died while living with his son-in-law and daughter at Bank Street, Pentrefelin, Wrexham on 4th January 1859. He was employed during his final few years as a room keeper by the committee of the Wrexham Library Institute.
I assume there will be no grave marking as he was not a man of any wealth, but it would be interesting to establish where he is buried. Can anyone help?
Thanks
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Using the excellent National Library of Scotland maps (1872) I can see 2 cemeteries, one North of the town (Rhos-ddu Rd.) & the other South West (Ruthin Rd.). There are 3 Churches St. Giles, St. Martin's & St. Mary's RC but only St. Giles indicates a graveyard.
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Thanks Jim1
That is a good starting point. I will probably now need to investigate the parish records for these three churches. Are there any monument inscription references available for Wrexham?
I will look at a modern map of Wrexham to see if these two burial grounds still exist.
Wrexham is a long way from home.
Thanks again.
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You can see a map of the burial grounds together with the modern aerial view at
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=17&lat=53.0525&lon=-2.9959&layers=171&right=BingHyb
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=17&lat=53.0426&lon=-3.0011&layers=171&right=BingHyb
Stan
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Thanks Stan - that is an excellent mapping tool. I will use that again.
It looks like both cemeteries are now parks. I will see if I can establish if there are any burial records for either cemetery for 1859.
Thanks for your help.
Donald
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The Ruthin Road cemetery doesn`t have burial records, there is an MI index in the Wrexham Archives.
Rhosddu Road is the Dissenters Burial ground, and again there are MI`s .
This is of interest.
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4587038/4587042/28/
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Thanks Wilcoxon
That must explain why I can't find any burial record for Angus McLeod. The MI is probably my last and best hope! I assume the bodies are still under the parks?
Thanks also for the link to the obituary for him. My brother and half my ancestors are named after him, so he must have been quite a character.
Regards Donald
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This image is from A N Palmers History on Noncomformity in Wrexham.
I think that Angus is buried in Ruthin Road. The MI booklet is in A N Palmer centre Wrexham.
They are very helpful and if you get the right person they might check for you.
http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/heritage/archives/index.htm
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https://goo.gl/maps/f5y8QGJZbLm
Most of the Ruthin Road graveyard is now fenced off and used as a playground by Victoria School.
You can just see some headstones against the wall here at the top end on Bradley Road.
https://goo.gl/maps/7UiP3Y9T9D12
This is the other end of the graveyard on Ruthin Road, again there are few stones laid flat and against the wall, and you can see the fenced off area for the school.
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Hi Wilcoxon
I really appreciate the feedback about the history of the burial grounds in Wrexham. I doubt my 4x great grandfather would have had a headstone, as it states in the obituary you sent - his army pension was very small! I think it is still worth a visit at some point and to go to the AN Palmer Centre. I have lots of information about him, just no definite place of burial. I think the Ruthin cemetery is perhaps the best educated guess.
Thanks again
Donald
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I have a contact with a website of PR indexes etc for Clwyd.
She has checked and Angus is not in the Ruthin Road MI transcriptions.
She has updated her site with more of that name, but whether they are linked to yours ?
http://www.clwydsurnames.org.uk/M.html
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Hi Wilcoxon
Thanks again and sorry for the late reply - I've been away on holiday.
Very interesting the number of McLeods buried in the area. None unfortunately are linked to my family. Angus McLeod was the only one to die in Wales when living with his son-in-law and daughter. His wife died in Bolton 17 years later (age 96) still living with the same son-in-law and daughter! I have found the grave online and so will see if that throws up any further clues. However, my belief is that he is buried in Ruthin Road cemetery without a headstone and so no further record will exist.
Regards
Donald