BEDFORDSHIRE
FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
MONUMENTAL
INSCRIPTIONS
OF
BAPTIST CHAPEL LITTLE STAUGHTON
SURVEYED
1980 and 2011
THE MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS
OF THE
BAPTIST CHAPEL
LITTLE STAUGHTON
BEDFORDSHIRE
Recorded by
Members of the
BEDFORDSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
1980
and members of the
COLMWORTH AND NEIGHBOURS HISTORY SOCIETY
2011
© 2011 Bedfordshire Family History Society and
Colmworth and Neighbours History Society
Monumental Inscriptions of the Baptist Chapel, Little Staughton
Little Staughton Chapel and burial ground
The meeting house appears to have been built between 1766 and 1776. In 1776 William Lugsdin, a yeoman of the village and a member of the church, sold to John Emery and ten other members of the congregation for £35; ‘All that building now used as a Meeting House in Little Staughton and the ground whereon it stands and a cottage devided into tenements nearby’.
On 22nd April 1799 Wiliam Lugsdin, James Lugsdin and James Peppercorn applied to the Archdeacon of Bedford for the meeting house to be registered as a ‘Place of Religious Worship for Protestant Dissenters’.
The 1864 Post Office Directory recorded that ‘there is a large chapel belonging to the Baptists, affording accommodation to 700 persons, with a burying ground; the attendance of children at the Baptist Sunday School averages 180, chiefly non-parishioners’.
In 1871 the membership was recorded as 170 with people travelling from nearby villages, and there were 155 scholars in the Sunday School.
It is unsure whether 700 persons ever attended the Meeting house but in the 1890 Kelly’s Directory it is noted that the large Baptist Chapel, erected in 1766 was restored in 1878 and seated 550 persons. The alterations and improvements cost £450 and a service of celebration was held, at which it was supposed that there were 1,000 friends present.
The Chapel continued in use until 1944. During the Second World War an airfield had been built in the fields to the east of the village and though several houses and a public house were demolished the chapel had remained. However, in 1944, the chapel was hit and badly damaged by an aircraft taking off from the airfield and it was decided to demolish the building and rebuild elsewhere.
The entry in the Church Book reads ‘Our honoured Chapel was demolished and taken down by the Air Ministry to our sorrow and regret in the month of June, 1944’.
Services were then held in the Sunday School building, until the new Chapel opened. This was built further north in the village at a cost of £10,619, with £10,500 having been paid by the Air Ministry as compensation.
The former Sunday school building lay empty for many years and in 2011 it was hit by a car and damaged at the front. In December 2011 it was sold, along with part of the cemetery. And so a new chapter begins……
Researched by Alan Woodward and Sue Jarrett (with acknowledgements to H.G. Tibbutt, FRHistS)
Monumental Inscriptions in the eastern part of the cemetery
0001
Double plot/limestone/headstone/2'6"wide/1'6"high/kerb/facing West/
In loving memory of/JANE HORNER/who passed into rest 4th May 1940/aged 63
years/also of her beloved husband/WILLIAM GEORGE/who died 16th July
1960/aged 84 years/"resting where no shadow falls"
0002
Triple plot/white marble/headstone and slab/2'high/3'wide/ kerb/facing West/
Headstone -"Resting"/In loving memory of/CHARLES COOPER/who died 3rd Octr
1938/aged 64 years/also ANNIE COOPER/who died 22nd Decr 1938/aged 60 years/also
their daughter/Mrs NELLIE MAY FENSOME/who died 16th March 1939/aged 31
years/"Not gone from memory or from love/but to our fathers home above"
Slab – DOROTHY/”DOLLY”/MARTIN/nee/COOPER/1915-1997/Rest in Peace
0003
Double plot/sandstone/kerb/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In ever loving memory of/RHODA/the beloved wife of/JAMES CRISELL/Crown Farm
Gt Staughton/who entered into rest Oct 10th 1918/aged 64/"Peace perfect
peace"/also of/JAMES CRISELL/who died Dec 20th 1924/ aged 81/"At rest"
0004
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In/affectionate/remembrance of/MARTHA, daughter of/GABRIEL and JANE SMITH/who
died 19th April/1875/aged 23 years/"Thy will, O Lord, not mine be done"
0005
Sandstone/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/footstone/facing West/
In/affectionate remembrance/of/JANE the wife of/GABRIEL SMITH/who died 27th
Decr/1863/aged 38 years/"The Lord gave and the Lord/hath taken away. Blessed
be the/name of the Lord"
0006
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/kerb/facing West/footstone
Sacred to the memory of/REBECCA SINGLE/who entered into rest, February
20.1916/aged 77 years./also of/WILLIAM SINGLE/died July 29th 1865/and/MARY
SINGLE/died July 28th 1882/father and mother of the above/"Father in thy
gracious keeping/leave we now thy servants sleeping"
kerb missing in 2011)
0007
White marble/headstone/2’ high/3'wide/kerb/facing East/
In loving memory/of/ROSINA ELIZABETH RUFF/who passed away March 29th
1964/aged 79 years/"Peace perfect peace"
0008
Double plot/kerb/white marble/headstone/1'6"high/2'6"wide/facing East/
In loving memory of/ARTHUR BRIARS/who died March 16th 1954/aged 75 years/"At
rest"/also of/ROSE ELLEN BRIARS/who died Nov.6th 1972,/aged 93 years/
"reunited"
0009
Sandstone/headstone/3'high/2'wide/facing East/
In/loving memory/of/JAMES COOPER/died 17th November 1934//aged 64 years/also
his wife EMILY/died 16th March 1950/aged 81 years/"reunited"
0010
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/2 footstones
"Shall not the judge of all the earth do right"/In/loving /memory of/JOHN
HAWKINS/who died 3rd Decr 1885/aged 58 years/"And this shall faiths
consoling power/the tears of love restrain/oh who that saw thy parting
hour/could wish thee here again"/also MARY his widow/who died 29th May
1904/aged 81 years/"She fell asleep in Jesus"
0011
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
JOSEPH BARLEYMAN/who died April 1897./aged 84 years/"The Lord gave and the
Lord hath taken/blessed be the name of the Lord"/also of SARAH/wife of the
above/born March 26th 1828/died March 25th 1914/"She did what she could"
0012
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/2 footstones
In loving memory/of/WILLIAM MEDLOW/who departed this life/September
16th/1854/aged 66 years
Footstone (1) I.B. 18..
Footstone (2) unread
0013
Sandstone/headstone/4'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In/loving memory of/SARAH TEBBUTT/who died Dec.2nd 1910/aged 47 years/also
GEORGE TEBBUTT/husband of the above/who died Sep.7th 1900/aged 38
years/also MARY TEBBUTT/who died June 13th 1910/aged 85 years/also GEORGE
CADE/who died June 25th 1885/aged 82 years
0014
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'wide/facing West/
In memory of/SAMUEL WHITMEE/who departed this life/June the 28th.1853/aged
38 years
0015
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In loving memory of/JOHN DICKENS WHITMEE/who departed this life/July 4th
1877/aged 81 years/"Thou shall come to thy grave in a full. Like/a shock of
corn cometh in his season"
0016
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In/ affectionate remembrance/of/CHARLOTTE/nearly forty years the/faithful
and beloved wife of/JOHN DICKINS WHITMEE/who died 6th Feb.1859/aged 61 years
0017
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In/affectionate remembrance /of/ FRANCES ELIZABETH/the beloved daughter
of/JOHN DICKINS & CHARLOTTE/WHITMEE/who died 11th Jan 1858/aged 18 years
0018
Limestone/headstone/3'high/1'8"wide/facing West/kerb/footstone
In affectionate remembrance/of/SARAH/the only beloved child of/STEPHEN &
SARAH HARRISON/who died/November 23rd 1869/aged 12 years/"To see those fair
and cherish/ed hopes/just bursting into bloom/snatched by the lightning/flash
of death/and buried in the tomb"
Footstone F E W 1858 (This belongs to 17)
0019
Limestone/headstone/4'6"high/3'wide/facing West/
Sacred/to the memory of/SAMUEL WHITE/(illegible)/March 1. 1828/aged 57
years.
0020
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'wide/
In memory of/ANN daughter of/SAMUEL & JANE WHITMEE/who died July 28th
1818/aged 21 years
0021
Limestone/headstone/2'high/2'wide/facing West/
In memory of/JOSIAH son of/JOHN & CHARLOTTE WHITMEE/who departed this
life/the 6th of September 1832/aged 11 years
0022
Double plot/white marble/kerb/headstone/facing East/
In/loving memory of/OLIVE JESSIE WAGSTAFF/who entered into rest Dec 28th
1953/aged 58 years/"In God's keeping"
0023
White marble/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/facing East/
In/loving memory of/a dear wife/PHOEBE PARKER/died 14th March 1952/aged 76
years/"Until the day dawn"/also FREDERICK her husband/died 9th September
1967/aged 83 years/"reunited"
0024
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In loving memory/of/JABEZ ROBINS/who died June 20th 1882/aged 49 years/"A
sudden change in a moment fell, and/had not time to bid his friends farewell"
0025
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/footstone
In loving memory/of/our dear father & mother/SOPHIA BRITTEN/who died June
18th 1896/aged 71 years/ also/THOMAS BRITTEN/who died June 2nd 1898/aged 73
years./and was interred at/Royston Yorkshire/"They rest from their labours"
0026
Limestone/headstone/5'high/3'wide/facing West/
In/affectionate/remembrance of/ISAAC BRITTEN/who died 8th Janry 1861/aged 60
years/also of/ELIZABETH widow of/ISAAC BRITTEN/who died 15th June 1874/aged
68 years/also of ELIZABETH/their daughter/who died 15th Aug 1863/aged 16
years
0027
Sandstone/headstone/5'high/3'6"wide/facing West/footstone
Illegible surface fallen away
"Shall not the judge of all the/earth do right"
0028
Sandstone/headstone/5'high/3'wide/facing West/
In/affectionate/remembrance of/HANNAH beloved wife of/JOSEPH TEBBUTT/who
departed this life/1? June/18?/aged 6? years/"Thy will be done"
0029
Limestone/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
Sacred/to the memory of/ JOHN WALKER/who died in July/1814/also SARAH his
wife/died Augst 6th 1846/aged 86 years/"I know whom I have believed and am
not"
0030
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory of/MARY, relict of/WILLIAM HOUGHTON/died Feb 6th 1831/aged 81
years/"I shall be satisfied when I wake with thy likeness"
0031
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory of/WILLIAM HOUGHTON/who departed this life/October 1 1811/aged 70
years
0032
Limestone/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory of/ELIZABETH/daughter of/WILLIAM & MARY HOUGHTON/who died Sept 30
1827/aged 22 years
0033
Grey granite/obelisk/inscription on four sides/
North side; ELIZABETH 1863, aged 70/interred here/HANNAH 1873,aged
74/interred at St Neots/ANN 1883,aged 75/interred at Racine WIS.U.S.A/SARAH
1884,aged 73/interred at Leeds
East side; Also of ISABELLA wife of/JOSEPH COLBERT/who died 6th March
1853/aged 76 years
South side; JOSEPH 1857, aged 54/interred here/JAMES 1863,aged 47/interred at
Leeds/JOHN 1880,aged 70/interred at Eaton Socon/JESSE 1887 aged 68/interred
at Colmworth
West side; In/memory of/JOSEPH COLBERT/his wife 4 sons & 4 daughters/he died
29th July 1844/aged 73 years
0034
Limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In/loving memory of/JOHN CARESS/who died May 5th 1893/aged 78 years/also
of/MARY, wife of the above/who died July 14th 1903/aged 86 years/also of
JAMES, son of the above/who died September 1st 1890/aged 49 years/" Gone
home"/this stone was erected by their/grandchildren
0035
Treble plot/white marble/2 headstones/2'high/3'wide/kerb/open books/facing
East/
1. In/loving memory/of LESLIE JABEZ/RUFF/who passed into eternal life/on
December 13th 1936/aged 21 years/"For ever with the Lord"
2. In remembrance/ of/JABEZ REGINALD/RUFF/passed away/October 30th
1978/aged 87 years/"reunited"/In loving memory/of/GRACE PHOEBE/RUFF/who
passed into eternal life/ on December 16th 1956/aged 66 years/"Sleeping in
heavenly peace"
0036
Double plot/white marble/headstone/2'high/3'wide/kerb/facing East/
To the dear memory of our beloved/mother and father/ELIZABETH CRISELL/died
May 28th 1935: aged 62/TOM CRISELL/died Dec.24th 1935:aged 66/"Much loved and
never forgotten"
0037
Double plot/white marble/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/Iron rail/facing East/
In/loving memory of/WILLIAM RUFF/who entered into rest/May 5th 1930/aged 80
years/"Weep not, he is not dead, but sleeping"/also of MARY ANN ELIZABETH
RUFF/who entered into rest/March 24th 1948/aged 94 years/"The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want" psalm 23.1.v
0038
White marble/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/footstone/facing East/
Headstone;
In loving memory/of/my dear husband/JOHN MATTHEWS/who departed
this life/5th May 1912/aged 56 years/"resting and waiting"/also his
wife/LOUISA/died January 31st 1949/aged 90 years/"reunited"/
Footstone; J.M/1912/L.M/1949
0039
Limestone/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
"Finally brethren farewell"/In /memory of/PETER WILDMAN/who died 1st
Sept./1859/aged 65 years./also of/ELIZABETH his daughter/who died 22nd Novr
1894/aged 68 years/also of LYDIA his daughter/died 1902 aged 79
0040
Limestone/headstone/3'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/footstone
In/memory of/ELIZABETH/wife of/PETER WILDMAN/who died 10th Jany./1868/aged
70 years
Footstone E.A, 1874 (belongs to 41)
0041
Flat stone/4'long/2'wide/inset into ground/facing West/
In/loving/memory of/ELIZABETH widow of WILLIAM ADAMS/of Graveley/who changed
time for eternity/9th Jan 1874/aged 82 years/"Blessed are the dead"/also
of/JABEZ HAWKINS/who changed time for eternity/6th Jan 1898/aged 78 years
0042
Sandstone/headstone/4'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/2 footstones
In/loving/memory of/THOMAS BLOTT/the beloved husband of/SUSANNAH BLOTT/21
April 1881/aged 80 years/"The hoary head is a crown of/glory if it be found
in the/way of righteousness"/also of SUSANNAH, his widow/who died 21st April
1884/ aged 77 years
Footstone (1) J.H. 1898 (belongs to 41)
Footstone (2) unread
0043
Sandstone/headstone/4'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/footstone
Sacred/to the memory of/HANNAH relict of/JOSEPH SHARP/of Stepney London/who
departed this life/21st June 1880/aged 83 years/"If we be dead with Christ
we believe/that we shall also live with him"
Footstone T.B. 1881 (belongs to 42)
0044
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/2'4"wide/facing West/
In/loving/memory of/EMILY, widow of/JOHN HOUCHEN/who died 16th
Sept.1899/aged 72 years/"A light from the household gone/a voice we loved is
stilled/a place is vacant in our home/which never can be filled"
0045
Double plot/headstone/4'6"high/2'6"wide/kerb/facing West/
In affectionate/remembrance of/THOMAS TOPHAM/of Staploe/born March 1880/died
January 2?
0046
Within the kerb of previous headstone(No.0045)/small box tomb/
20"long/14"wide/14"high/facing South/
In memory/ of/TOPH../March 1867/
0047
Double plot/limestone/headstone/4'high/2'6"wide/2 footstones/facing West/
Headstone; In ever loving memory/of/HENRY SMITH/who entered into rest/
Sept.23rd.1902, aged 44/also of/ELIZABETH, his beloved wife/who entered
into rest/July 14th.1902 aged 43/also of/HORACE, their only son/and beloved
husband of/ELIZABETH SMITH/killed at Oppy Wood, France/April 29th.1917,aged
29/interred in France/"With Christ, which is far better"/
Footstone;ES/1902/
Footstone; HS/1902
0048
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'wide/facing West/
In memory of/JOHN JEEVES/who died Octr. the 20/1815/"In the - God"
0049
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory of/Mr JOSEPH GOODLIFF/who departed this life/on the 10th of
November 1812/aged 60 years
0050
Limestone/headstone/2'high/2'wide/facing West/
In memory of/ANN the wife of/JOSEPH GOODLIFF/who died February 1st 1839
0051
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory/of/MARY EDIS/daughter of/ROBERT & SARAH EDIS/who died June 13th
1811/in the 90 year of /her life/a mother....
0052
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'wide/facing West/
Sacred/to the memory of/MARY relict of/WILLIAM MEDLOW/and formerly of MARK
FLANDERS/who died 16th Dec 1868/aged 75 years
0053
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'3"wide/facing West/
In memory of/ROBERT EDIS/who dep. this life December 25/1871/aged 81 years
0054
Limestone/headstone/3'high/2'3"wide/facing West/
In memory/of/ELIZABETH wife of/JOHN WARD/who died Aug 26th.1830/aged 41
years
0055
Headstone 2' high, 2' wide
In memory of/BENJAMIN PARKER/who departed this life/Aug 11th 1861/aged 73
years
0056
Sandstone/headstone/4'high/3'wide/
Sacred/to the memory of/MARY relict of/EDWARD PECK/who died Jan 15th 1851/in
the 73rd year of/her age/"her end was peace"
0057
Sandstone/headstone/3'high/2'6"wide/facing West/
Sacred/to the memory of/EDWARD PECK/who died August 20,1840/in the 70th
year/ of his age/" Behold he taketh away, who can/hinder him who will say
unto him/what doest thou."
0058
Limestone/headstone/4'6"high/3'wide/facing West/
To the/memory of/ NAOMI wife of/JOSEPH BROWNING/who died July 6th 1844/aged
27 years/" Friends and relations cease to weep/though to the ground her
flesh consign'd/tis but in Jesus fell asleep/shall wake immortal and
refined/when God the last loud trumpet shall sound/shall soul and body
reunite/may we with her in Christ be found/and live in full supreme delight."
0059
Sandstone/headstone/4'6"high/3'wide/facing West
In/affectionate/remembrance of/JOSEPH BROWNING/who departed this life/-?/in
his 7? year/also of/JOHN son of/JOSEPH & MARY BROWNING/ who..../"thy will be
done"
0060
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'3"wide/facing West/
In memory of/JOSEPH CHILTON/who died/September 25/1802/aged 30 years
0061
Lomestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'6"wide/facing West/
In memory of/ANN the wife of/JOSEPH CHILTON/who died August 29th/1800/aged
26 years
0062
Limestone/headstone broken/facing West/
In remembrance of/MARY wife of/THOMAS GOODLIFF/who dep.this life ..00/aged 85
years
0063
Limestone/headstone/2'6"high/2'3"wide/facing West/
In memory of WM GOODLIFF/who died June 28/1805/in the 39th year/of his age/
ANN relict/of WILLIAM GOODLIFF/who died March 20/1832/aged 80 years
0064
Limestone/headstone/4'6"high/3'wide/facing West/