Unfortunate Surnames

[Marathonman]

Hi there

Those of us who have been doing this for more than a year have more than likely at some point had the urge to wander a few graveyards in the hope of finding a family plot with a stone clarifying the info we have.  And I like most have done this a couple of times in Beeston, Arnold and Long Eaton and discovered lost graves and relatives.

Last September after running the New Forest Marathon in Hampshire, a few days later I had organised a day trip with the agreement of my other half. This was to look for the widow of Thomas Sheldon (my Great, Great, Great, Great Uncle), Elizabeth Sheldon and her daughter Elizabeth Margaret who died in Blackawton, Devon in 1883 and 1914 respectively.

During my hunt through the graveyard I came across this memorial and just had to photograph it, sorry but I had to laugh at the unfortunate surname.  I just thought I'd share this with you all.

Regards
Mike

[LH35]

Hello Mike , I too  walk round Grave yards   not come across that Surname before, I do wonder if its pronounce differant to how its spelt , Like with 
Hyacinth Bucket , (pronounced 'Bouquet') 

[Redroger]

The surname Death is pronounced De'Ath.

[Dizzifish]

Hello...

You come across some interesting finds when you lurk in graveyards......

It is a shame that some of the really old stones have been removed from lots of the ancient graveyards.

When I was looking at some of the books on offer on the Open Library site I came across this one:

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL7004629M/The_churchyard_scribe

It has headstone inscriptions from various places and I was interested as it had some Nottinghamshire mentions.
This one is sad, particularly of someone so young and dying under tragic circumstances....No photographs in the book but I wonder if the stone is still there?

Bulwell Churchyard

"To GEORGE CARROTT, who was accidentally killed at Hucknall Pit, Novr 20th 1875, in the 14th year of his age"

"His life hung by a slender thread,
It was no sooner cut than he was dead;
Death unto him the blow did send,
The fatal accident brought on his end."
  ~ ~ ~

[Redroger]

Clayton churchyard Doncaster (in the next county) under this stone. "A pale consumption struck the final blow; the disease was fatal but the end came slow." He was a cattle farmer who died of TB from his herd in the 1860s, name John Smith, luckily he was well documented.

[cheshiremog]

Hi
I have come across the surname Bastard before and yes of course - it is pronounced differently

B' Stard
Ber' Stard

I later came across an officer in the RAF called B'Stard and that is what we attempted to called him. "Ber'Stard" But he was a mean so and so so he replied - "The name's Bastard and I am one - so watch out!"

I also knew a Warrant Officer Devine who said she was Devine by name and nature and she surely was!

And a Corporal Death - who when he arrived on station informed us it was pronounced De' Ath. (Disappointing Really)

Have you ever noticed how many married women end up with an alliterative name?

Betty Berrisford, Sheila Shouler, Janine Jenkinson, Masie Moscoe - ghastly - keep yer maiden names girls!!

And how about Barry Cade, Lavender Basket and Ben Down

Worse one I ever came across was Hugh Janus

Mog is giggling now!

xxxxxx

[Billyblue]

Well I met a family once with the surname Aarsse - understandably they pronounced it air-see.
And my mother knew a family named Hogg - they had two daughters named Ida and Ima.  True!
And another friend of mother was Mrs Chambers and she got so sick of people telling her what to call her unborn baby that, when he was born, she called him Jerry - poor guy.
On the nice names, we have a Laura Lavender Blue in our family and I often wonder if she was as nice as her name sounds   
Dawn M.

[Redroger]

I once knew of a person named Hugh Dick, and another whose surname was Towle, named Terry by his mother as she thought it suited him.

[liverpool lass]

I have a friend whose MS was Jelly and another called Licorice.