The drive from Liverpool (on the West coast) to Geldeston/Beccles (near the East coast) took a bit longer than we anticipated. Intermittent rain, narrow roads through small towns, and a bit of traffic slowed us down. It was beautiful, varied countryside all along the way.
Geldeston is just north of Beccles, divided by the River Waveney. Benjamin Brown's parents and grandparents were buried at St Michael's Parish Church in Geldeston.
The churchyard was severely neglected and overgrown, and all the headstones were completely covered in vines. There would have been no way to find and identify my ancestors' headstones were it not for some lovely church ladies and other community members who surveyed the burial ground and posted all the names and burial locations online (here)
It was close to dusk when we arrived. Brent had to work fast uncovering the headstones so we could make a positive ID.
Buried next to each other are Benjamin Brown's parents, Botwright Brown and Rachel Rushmere. Also buried with Rachel is a grandson, Henry Theodore Chaplin, who died one year after Rachel at the age of 23 months.
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| SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF BOTWRIGHT BROWN WHO DIED FEBRUARY 24TH 1876 AGED 78 YEARS |
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| SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF RACHEL THE BELOVED WIFE OF BOTWRIGHT BROWN WHO DIED JULY 7TH 1862 AGED 63 YEARS ---------- NOT LOST BUT GONE BEFORE HENRY THEODORE CHAPLIN GRANDSON OF THE ABOVE DIED JULY 8TH 1863 |
Buried to the right of Rachel is the couple's youngest daughter, Amelia.
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| IN MEMORY OF AMELIA THE BELOVED CHILD OF BOTWRIGHT AND RACHEL BROWN WHO DIED JULY 13TH 1849 AGED 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS A LOVELY BUD SO YOUNG AND FAIR JUST CAME TO SHOW HOW SWEET A FLOWER IN PARADISE WOULD BLOOM |
The headstone indicates that Amelia died when she was 14 months old; however, according to her parish birth record, she was christened 15 June 1845. That would actually make her 4 years and 2 months old when she died.
By the way, I Googled the poem. Apparently the engraver had to leave a line out:
A lovely bud so young and fair
Called hence by early doom,
Just came to show how sweet a flower
In paradise would bloom.
To the right of Amelia, sharing one headstone, are Botwright Brown's parents, Botwright Brown and Mary Gooch.
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| IN MEMORY OF BOTWRIGHT BROWN WHO DIED 25TH OF SEPTEMBER 1839 AGED 79 YEARS ---------- ALSO OF MARY HIS WIFE WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER 1837 AGED 69 YEARS |
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| Botwright Jr., Rachel, Henry, Amelia, Botwright Sr., and Mary |
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