The Stories from the Stones - By Steve Lavender

'Stories from the Stones'
Each of the monthly 'Stories from the Stones' weren written by Steve Lavender, Chair of Friends of St John’s Church, Penistone, and some later stories are by Richard Galliford, all as part of the St John’s Church Penistone Burial Ground Project. Each page also has a pithy quote from William Wordsworth.

The stories have been inspired by inscriptions on Penistone churchyard memorial stones and names on the nearby Penistone War Memorial. From the St John’s Church Burial Ground Project. Story No. 11 (Children with no Stones) is unusual in that it is about Stottercliffe Cemetery. The story was a joint project with the help of Richard Galliford.

• Story 1   - A Sad Tale in Memory of Joseph Prigg (1856 - 1869)
• Story 2   - In Memory of Private Frank Peace (1885 - 1916)
• Story 3   - Nathan Staniforth (1639 - 1702) and John Ramsden (1682 - 1726),
• Story 4   - William Wainwright (1801-1869) and Martha Wainwright, nee Birkenshaw (1802 - 1868)
• Story 5   - Joshua Shewabell, Innkeeper Rose and Crown Penistone, died 1749
• Story 6   - George (1793 - 1865) and Alice Biltcliff (1798 - 1868)
• Story 7   - Thomas Moore (1824 - 1857), a British Soldier in Burma
• Story 8   - William Wordsworth 29th March 1694, Mary Wordsworth 4th June 1690
• Story 9   - William Fenton 1819 to 1855
• Story 10 - Robert Bramall, 5th June 1749 - 31st August 1822 and Mary Bramall 1760 – 26th February 1834
• Story 11 - The Children with no Stones, 1880 - 1980, Penistone Cemetery Stottercliffe
• Story 12 - Private Frank Fearnley, 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. Died 15th September 1916
• Story 14 - The Gravestone with No Inscription
• Story 15 - George Kay of Dunford Bridge, Died 25th May 1910
• Story 16 - The Shaws in the 19th Century
• Story 17 - John Senior 1805 - 1880 and Maria Senior 1805 - 1859 - And the Stainless Steel pioneer, Harry Brearley
• Story 18 - Penistone Church Football Club 1906 - Book about the Inspirational Story of a Grass-roots Football Club
• Story 19 - Rev Samuel Sunderland (1806 - 1855) - Curate, PGS Headmaster and Vicar
• Story 20 - Thomas Tomasson (1795 - 1864) and Catherine Tomasson (1795 - 1880)
• Story 21 - John Dransfield (1808 - 1864), Elizabeth Dransfield (1813 - 1897), John Ness Dransfield (1839 - 1930)
• Story 22 - John Saunderson (died 1725), Ann Saunderson (died 1705) and Sir Nicholas Saunderson (died 1739)
• Story 23 - John Mitchell (died 1802), Mary Mitchell (died 1805), Sir James Mitchell (died 1951)
• Story 24 - William Bedford Mitchell (Senior), Born Penistone 13.9.1833, Died Bunbury Western Australia 1.4.1907
• Story 25 - Joshua Moseley (1728 – 1758), Thomas Mitchell (1753 – 1819) and Ann Mitchell (1758 – 1831)
• Story 26 - Two stories about the 'small stones' in the churchyard, researched by John Beardwood, here in two parts:
  • Part One - Mary Ann Daniels (d. 1858), Mary Hinchliffe (d. 1857), George Coldwell (d. 1857), Abraham Brearley (d. 1857) and Lydia Landerand (d. 1858)
  • Part Two - Alice Hebblethwaite (d.1848), Ben Burchell (Beardsall, d. 1856), Louisa Child (d. 1856), John Lawton (d. 1857), John Kenworthy (d. 1858)
• Story 27 - John Marsh, Footballer and 'mine host' Crystal Palace, Thurlstone.   26th Nov 1842 – 21st April 1880
• Story 28 - 'The Missing Husband' - George Redfern (1838 - 1909) - By Richard Galliford
• Story 29 - 'Finding Hannah Howe' - d. 5th November 1770 - An Uncovered Gravestone, by Richard Galliford

These same stories are also published on Penistone Archive Group's Facebook page, their Journal and in 'The Bridge' magazine issued by St John's church, Penistone. Many thanks to their tireless author, Mr Steve Lavender, for his worthy contributions to local history and this website. - JB.