Author: Adam Sutcliffe
Thomas Evans, and his wife, Margaret ran a school in Greenfield. Longing for a family, they had a little boy (Thomas) and then a girl (Florence) – but tragically Florence died when only 4 months old with Thomas dying just 16 days later. Joy returned to their lives two years later with the birth of a second son Harold – but he too was to die before he was 2 years old. Infant deaths were not uncommon – but to lose all your children with no surviving siblings was rare and particularly tragic for a pair who lived and worked as teachers surrounded by children.
When Thomas died (in 1891) and this headstone was erected in his ‘loving memory’ the three babies who had all pre-deceased him had their memories preserved and their names carved into the stone.
John Henry and Margaret Bradbury came to be buried here in 1934 and 1953 respectively. As well as being a highly-respected local solicitor, John Henry was a scion of Saddleworth society – chairman of governors of the Saddleworth Workhouse and a senior Deacon in the West Riding lodge of Freemasons.
Although not memorialized here Ann, daughter of John Henry and Margaret (née Moss), remained in Saddleworth all her life and is buried just beyond the low wall 100 yards further on the path (going away from St Chad’s)(look for the grave of Lord & Lady Rhodes]. In 1925 she married a man from Greenfield called Hervey Rhodes, who built up his own woollen business and was to become MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne, a minister at the Board of Trade, Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire and Lord Rhodes of Saddleworth KG. During WW2 the last named Margaret Bradbury on this stone lived with them at Higher Brownhill, Uppermill and was deeply loved by her three grand-daughters Margaret (daughter of ‘Bunty’) and Pamela and Helen (daughters of Ann).
Like many others, over the years this stone collapsed ‘on to its face’, hiding its inscriptions for over 20 years. Thanks to Helen’s memory, and determination, and with grateful acknowledgement of the graveyard [team] and volunteers, this stone was identified and re-erected in 2022.
Historic Saddleworth Church 