Curious Epitaphs, Collected from the Graveyards of Great Britain and Ireland.Andrews, William
General
Curious Epitaphs, Collected from the Graveyards of Great Britain and Ireland.
Andrews, William
Epitaphs -- Great Britain
them, which was all this winter, I never saw above five or six of them
drunk."
The diarist tells us that the strangers liked this country. It appears
they worked for the farmers, and sold tumblers, cups, spoons, &c., which
they had imported, to the English. They acted in the courthouse a play in
their own language, and realised a good sum of money by their
performances. The design of the piece was "Herod's Tyranny--The Birth of
Christ--The Coming of the Wise Men."
In Bolton churchyard, Lancashire, is a gravestone of considerable
historical interest. It has been incorrectly printed in several books and
magazines, but we are able to give a literal copy drawn from a carefully
compiled "History of Bolton," by John D. Briscoe:--
JOHN OKEY,
The servant of God, was borne in London, 1608, came into this toune in
1629, married Mary, daughter of James Crompton, of Breightmet, 1635,
with whom he lived comfortably 20 yeares, & begot 4 sons and 6
daughters. Since then he lived sole till the da of his death. In his
time were many great changes, & terrible alterations--18 yeares Civil
Wars in England, besides many dreadful sea fights--the crown or
command of England changed 8 times, Episcopacy laid aside 14 yeares;
London burnt by Papists, & more stately built againe; Germany wasted
300 miles; 200,000 protestants murdered in Ireland, by the papists;
this toune thrice stormed--once taken, & plundered. He went throw many
troubles and divers conditions, found rest, joy, & happines only in
holines--the faith, feare, and loue of God in Jesus Christ. He died
the 29 of Ap and lieth here buried, 1684. Come Lord Jesus, o come
quickly. Holiness is man's happines.
[THE ARMS OF OKEY.]
We gather from Mr. Briscoe's history that Okey was a woolcomber, and came
from London, to superintend some works at Bolton, where he married the
niece of the proprietor, and died in affluence.
Bradley, the "Yorkshire Giant," was buried in the Market Weighton church,
and on a marble monument the following inscription appears:--
In memory of
WILLIAM BRADLEY,
(Of Market Weighton,)
Who died May 30th, 1820,
Aged 33 years.
He Measured
Seven feet nine inches in Height,
and Weighed
twenty-seven stones.
In "Celebrities of the Yorkshire Wolds," by Frederick Ross, an interesting
sketch of Bradley is given. Mr Ross states that he was a man of temperate
habits, and never drank anything stronger than water, milk, or tea, and
was a very moderate eater.
In Hampsthwaite churchyard was interred a "Yorkshire Dwarf." Her
gravestone states:--
In memory of JANE RIDSDALE, daughter of George and Isabella Ridsdale,
of Hampsthwaite, who died at Swinton Hall, in the parish of Masham, on
the 2nd day of January, 1828, in the 59th year of her age. Being in
stature only 31-1/2 inches high.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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