Here are some photos of Norfolk family graves - if you have any photos and/or Inscriptions you could add to this page please email them to me via the Contact Form.
Monumental Inscriptions may be "carved in stone" but they're far from permanent! This is such a pity as information on gravestones can be so valuable to genealogists. Birth, Marriage and Death certificates tell us a great deal but gravestones can also tell us about relationships, especially when graves contain more than one person. Inscriptions provide exact death dates and often birth dates, too. They can even, occasionally, give us a clue as to how someone has died.
Because stone is not permanent, it's especially important to keep a record of monumental inscriptions otherwise, before long, they may well be lost forever. So often nowadays, gravestones are not just subject to erosion by the weather. Increasingly they are damaged by vandalism, including the "official" vandalism carried out by local councils and others, who insist on "laying down" gravestones either because of fears over health and safety or else because doing so makes mowing the grass easier!
Here are some of the photos I've taken of Norfolk graves belonging to members of my own branch of the family as well as some from the Tockwith branch.
These are followed by a number of photographs of Norfolk graves in and around the Otley area: Harewood Church graveyard, Guiseley Cemetery, Cottingley Cemetery, Otley Cemetery, St John's at Menston, Hawksworth Cemetery, Kirkby Overblow, St Roberts at Pannal and St Barnabas' at Weeton. They have been very kindly supplied to me by friend and fellow Norfolk researcher, Mary Stowell (nee Norfolk) who, like all the inhabitants of these graves, is a descendant of the Otley Norfolks. These great photographs were taken by Mary's husband, Trevor Stowell.
Click on the names to see a larger version of each photo, then use the expander icon that pops up when you hover the cursor over the picture for even more detail (Internet Explorer 7.0 shows a + or - sign on the cursor).
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"Sacred to the memory of Francis Tinniswood who departed this life the sixth day of July 1826. Aged 71 years." There are three more lines underneath this but I can't make out all the words. I found this to be a particularly intriguing - and frustrating - gravestone as the bottom part of it is below the surface of the soil and, after reading the details of Francis Tinniswood, who was buried in the grave some 14 years before his wife, Hannah, I was just ready to read about Hannah when all I could see was the tantalising word "ALSO" - then all the rest was underground! I know that Hannah Norfolk is in there, but I could hardly dig the stone out of the ground to read the rest of the inscription - I'd probably have been arrested for vandalism if I had. It must go on to record Hannah Norfolk's details so I'll have to find a way around this problem. |
1. The grave of
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2. The grave of John and Priscilla Norfolk in the churchyard of St Lawrence Priory Church, Snaith. The Inscription "In memory of Priscilla, wife of John Norfolk of Pollington, who departed this life 13 November 1853 aged 54 years. Also John Norfolk, husband of the above, who died December 22nd 1876 aged 76 years. His end was peace." This stone lies flat to the ground but whether or not it has always been positioned this way is not possible to tell. |
is not as clearly decipherable as it once was but reads:
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3. The grave of Joseph and Alice Norfolk in Great Houghton cemetery. The Inscription is starting to become worn "In loving memory of a dear husband, dad and grandad. Joseph Norfolk, died June 14th 1962, aged 57 years. Also, a dear wife, mother and grandma, Alice May Norfolk, died April 12th 1971, aged 63 years." On the flower urn in front of the stone is the Inscription: "From your mates." |
and a little unclear in in places, but reads as follows:
4. The grave of James and Hilda Mary Norfolk in the cemetery of St John the Baptist church in Pollington. If only all  Monumental Inscriptions were as clear and legible as this one! |
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5. The grave of Elizabeth Norfolk and Vazin Goodridge in the cemetery of St John The Baptist Church at "In loving memory of Elizabeth Goodridge, died July 14th 1927 aged 62 years, and of her husband Vazin Goodridge, died July 31st 1927, aged 62 years. Also of their daughter Sarah Jane Goodridge, died March 23rd 1899, aged 18 months. ' Until The Day Breaks' Also of James Norfolk who died Feb 19th 1946 aged 83 years." |
Pollington. They are buried along with their daughter Sarah Jane and also Elizabeth's brother, James Norfolk. It's interesting to note that Elizabeth and Vazin died within two weeks of each other, both at the age of 62. The Monumental Inscription is difficult to decipher but reads as follows:
6. The grave of Wilfred and Almena Norfolk along with their daughter Jean and her husband, Joseph Horne, in  Tinsley Park Cemetery, Sheffield. No trouble reading the Inscription at the moment but the stone is beginning to show definite signs of wear. |
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7. The grave of Thomas Norfolk along with Sarah, his wife, and daughters Elizabeth and Margaret in the cemetery of "In affectionate remembrance Thomas Norfolk of Tockwith who died September 3rd 1882 aged 69 years. Also Sarah, his beloved wife, who died June 26th 1889 aged 58 years. 'They are gone, the grave has received them, Twas Jesus that took them away. They are gone to the Lord who remeemed them, from night to the splendour of day' Also Elizabeth, daughter of the above, who died February 5th 1900 aged 57 years. Also Margaret Norfolk who died October 9th 1911 aged 64 years" |
the Church Of The Epiphany, Tockwith.This is a very impressive stone but parts of it are now pretty difficult to read. The Inscription reads:
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8. The grave of Mary Hannah Norfolk Chapman at the Church Of The Epiphany in Tockwith. The Inscription on this stone "In loving memory of Mary Hannah Norfolk Chapman, born May 25th 1853, died January 18th 1918" |
has greatly deteriorated over the years, but reads as follows:
9. The grave of Hannah Frances Norfolk and James Noel Norfolk (brother and sister), in the cemetery of the  Church Of The Epiphany at Tockwith. This stone is in very good condition and there is no difficulty in reading the Inscription. |
10. The grave of John and Ida Mary Norfolk in the graveyard of the Church Of The Epiphany at Tockwith. The Inscription  on this stone is perfectly legible but the stone itself doesn't look as if it will stay upright for too much longer! Are they trying to push their way out? |
NORFOLK GRAVES AT HAREWOOD (first 10 images) followed by NORFOLK GRAVES at GUISELEY, COTTINGLEY, OTLEY, MENSTON,HAWKESWORTH, KIRKBY OVERBLOW, PANNAL and WEETON. Click on names to view larger image
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Mary Midgley (nee Norfolk) d 1864
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