St. Bartholomew's, Armley

THE GRAVEYARD

 Definitive plan, originally compiled in the 1900s, is on display in the Church.  
For detail of each block, see below.  For a bird's eye view of the definitive plan, click here. 
To arrange a visit to St. Bartholomew's, see email on homepage

   
  Numbers of Graves Identified to date:
  Click 'Block' to view
 
 

Block A

Block B

550

193


Block C, North

Block C, South


208


Block D

Block D, South


572

Block E

Block F

Block G

Block H


192

466

401

440


Block J, North

Block J
 
274
 

OC *

Cremations

Totals:

52

11

3360

                                                                                            GR = Green Room, see below**
 
NB  these are approximate figures
 
     
 
*OC is the site of the  Old Church.  Although built in the 1630s, Church and land were not consecrated until 1674, after Oliver Cromwell's downfall, and 14 years after the restoration of the monarchy.  The foundation stone for the new Church was laid in 1872, building completed in 1877, and the Old Church was demolished in 1909.
Finally, there is a small area at the South end of Block A, accommodating 11 Cremations, between 1949 & 1979
 		  
     
1672: First burial, block C 1831: First burial, block D 1857: First burial, block E
1788: First burial, block A 1846: First burial, block H 1858: First burial, block J
1821: First burial, block B 1854: First burial, block G 1872: First burial, block G
 
 
It seems that plots E, G and H were in use prior to their Consecration in 1862.
 
   
A - H Graves are numbered from West to East.
J Numbers begin from North-East, then along the South wall from East to West, and finally West, from South to  North.
K is the rectangular area by the North Wall of the Nave, where headstones were repositioned in the 1970s.
OC

Many headstones were moved to the site of the Old Church (immediately below "B"), after the 
Church's demolition in 1909.
**GR The Green Room, in the Church, under the Organ, contains plaques on the walls, rescued from the Old Church.
Church Many plaques are to be seen, and, together with names on the windows, are recorded.
     
 
History

The Registers of Burial are stored at the Leeds Archives, and have been copied on microfiche.  The earliest death recorded was in 1813, so much of plot A & C is unrecorded.

 
  The Six  Registers at the Archives begin with book 2 (1813 - 1846),  then book 1 (1847 - 1862), book 3 (1862 - 1872), book 4 (1872 - 1885) and book 5 (1885 - 1921).    
  By the 1900's, the Graveyard was full, although a few plots were were made available for VIPs, for example, Tom Cawthra, Organist at St. Bartholomew's for 40 years. Existing graves were opened for the subsequent deceased relatives.  Between 1909 and 1964, new graves were placed in the site of the Old Church.  
  Book 6 contains all these additions, up to 1964, when the graveyard was permanently closed, although there are some cremations in later decades.   In plots C, D and E, the graves are numbered in the Registers from South to North, with a new letter for each column (West to East), but in plots H, G and F the numbering is from East to West, lettering from South to North.  
  During the 1950's, the Verger, Mr. Eddie Clayton, made a note of all the names and definitive plan positions (see above) of those whose headstones were still in existence in the 1950's, when the recordings were made, in pencil, in a little hard-backed notebook.  He used the Definitive Numbering Plan which was devised in the 1900's.  The notebook is kept at the Leeds Archives.  
  It became clear, in the 1960's, that many headstones were unsafe, and Leeds City Council were commissioned to make safe and maintain the Graveyard.  Prior to the workmen moving in, the Yorkshire Archaological Society took on the daunting task, as had Eddie 20 years earlier, of recording not only names, but all the inscriptions.  However, a different numbering system was devised by the group, and only the existing graves were given a number.    This was completed in the 1970's, and a copy is on view in the Church.  
  In February, 2003, the Open Church Committee at St. Bartholomew's  discussed how to find out who was buried where and when in the churchyard.   The Committee's Secretary decided to buy a second-hand laptop, and arranged visits to the Archives on a regular basis, to set about copying the names, ages and dates of those buried.   She decided to only record the first name in each grave, plus the first ADULT in the grave, and any persons of a different surname in the grave.    
 
       
So, example:    Lupton    Ellenor, died 1821 Archives:    Bk 2    1A    5
  Definitive Map:   A  153 
  1970s:   A    52 
 
     
  In 2003, the 1970's records were hidden in the St. Bart's Parish Office, and the wonderful secretary had retired a year earlier.   Finances dictated that the Church must muddle along without secretarial help, and so it was a year later when she happened to attend the weekday mass, and met up with, yes, you've guessed it, a certain Thelma Collins.   "I'm trying to do a survey of the Churchyard."  "It was done in the  1970's - there's a copy in the filing cabinets."   And so there was.   Despite the alien numbering, this record has been invaluable.   Finally, many records are missing, but no stone will be left unturned to trace your ancestors!      
     

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