Sometimes when you search your family tree back in time you find your ancestors living in neighbouring streets. I like to imagine my husband's ancestors: the Trevis families and the Dingley families who were neighbours in the Black Country passing each other in the street and saying good morning or perhaps stopping for a chat little knowing that their descendants would go on to marry. The idea though that my ancestors and my husband's ancestors might have been acquainted is a strange one. My husband's family are mainly from the Black Country, Derbyshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire. My family are mainly from Yorkshire, Scotland and Cumbria. So it was pretty astonishing to find our relatives buried in the same cemetery in Liverpool!
Charles Oughton Alcock
Charles was my husband's second cousin three times removed. He was born in 1865 in Rugby and lived at 41 Lawford Street (about half a mile from where we currently live!) in 1871 with his parents and five siblings. His father James was a cabinet maker and undertaker (one wooden box being much like another!). In 1881 he was living with his sister, Mary in Liverpool. She had married a Liverpool builder called Thomas Backhouse in Rugby on 19th October 1871. Charles became a plumber and he and Backhouse went into business together. Charles married Minnie Merrick on 29th March 1894 at St Lukes in Liverpool and they had one child: Charles Merrick Alcock. Charles Snr died on 1st February 1941 and was buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery along with his mother who had died in 1932. His sister Louisa was buried there in 1946. His wife, Minnie died on 19 August 1949 and was the final burial in the grave.
Monumental Inscription:
Medium upright white stone, straight top, lower angled mantle shoulders, scroll façade. In loving memory of / Eliza Ellen ALCOCK / died March 20th 1932 / aged 83 years. / Also Charles Oughton / dearly loved husband of / Minnie ALCOCK / died February 1st 1941 aged 75 years. / Also Minnie / dearly loved wife of / Charles Oughton ALCOCK / died August 18th 1949 aged 83 years. / Also Louisa Victoria Ann / daughter of Eliza ALCOCK / died January 22nd 1946 aged 85 years. / Eliza ALCOCK / widow of James O. ALCOCK / died August 30th 1905 / aged 84 years.
Moses Dickinson
Moses was my second cousin four times removed. He was born in Liverpool in 1853. In 1861 he and his brother were in a boarding school at Walton on the Hill. In 1871 he was back with his parents, Joseph and Emma, Joseph was licensed victualler and in 1881 Moses followed in his father's footsteps, he was the landlord of the Caernarvon Castle on Bridge Street, Wrexham along with his wife Annie who he had married in 1874. Moses and Annie had three daughters: Catherine, Annie and Mary. Ten years later though he was a farmer in Chorlton and later in Eastham. In 1911 he and Annie were living in Everton with Annie's sister. He died in 1918 and was buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery. Annie is not buried with him. I am still looking for Annie.
Monumental Inscription:
Large upright sand-stone, small round top, lowered curved shoulders. Sacred / to / the memory of / David Thomas, / son of Joseph and Emma DICKINSON, / of Liverpool, / died September 17th 1859, / aged 19 weeks. / Re-interred from Walton Churchyard. / Joseph DICKINSON, died 1880, aged 55 yrs. / Emma DICKINSON, ~ 1896 ~ 68 yrs / Harry DICKINSON, ~ 1890 ~ 34 yrs / Janet DICKINSON, ~ 1888 ~ 8 mos. / Gertrude DICKINSON, ~ 1891 ~ 11 mos / Joseph DAWSON, ~ 1870 ~ 32 yrs. / Also / Moses DICKINSON, ~ 1918 ~ 65 yrs / who was interred here.
Great websites listing the graves and also the monumental inscriptions allowed me to make this extraordinary discovery:
Now I just need to go and get some photographs of the headstones for my collection.