Hartshill Cemetery (reflecting
the values of Victorian Society)
 |
The
Sexton's Lodge |
Location 15 on
the index map
The southern gates and sexton's Lodge
sexton n. person who looks after a church and churchyard,
[French segerstein from Latin sacristanus]
In
the 1891 census returns the occupiers of the Sexton's lodge was recorded
as:
Queens
Road [Sexton's Lodge]:
| Name |
Position |
Status |
Age |
Employment |
Place of
Birth |
| William Wright |
Head |
Married |
53 |
Sexton - Borough Cemetery |
Staffs, Tittensor |
| Mary Wright |
Wife |
Married |
43 |
|
Staffs, Hulme End |
The
cemetery committee met monthly usually at Stoke Town Hall, but occasionally at
the cemetery registrar’s lodge. At each committee meeting there was a report
from the registrar of the number of burials and proposals for headstones which
had to be approved by the committee. There were also decisions about fees
charged, workmen employed, and the general management of the cemetery. Some of
those decisions regarding the sexton's position, extracted from the cemetery
committee minute book, are given below:
12
April 1899: That Mr Wright the sexton receive one month’s notice to
terminate his present engagement.
16
June 1899: That Hugh Hughes, 39 Bedford Street, Basford, be appointed sexton
at the weekly wage of 17 shillings and 6 pence, with house, coal, gas and
rates free. That the sexton be not allowed to take lodgers without the
consent of the committee.
Note:
It appears that the original sexton had been taking lodgers without
authorisation and was dismissed for this.
next: are
houses in Queen's road
previous: was the 2nd World War servicemen's graves
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email: Steve Birks