Walkley Cemetery Sheffield - 16th July 1880
In the course of researching my and my wife's family tree we somewhat surprisingly found that quite a few of our ancestors at St Mary's Church of England Cemetery at St Mary's, Walkley, Sheffield. Although we were both born in Sheffield, we had no idea that so many of our ancestors lived in the Crookes - Walkley - Hillsborough area of Sheffield.
In May 2003, a local historian posted the following account of the opening of the Cemetery to a family history mailing list.
" I thought I would take the opportunity to post this account of
the consecration of a C of E Parochial cemetery. As I will explain in another
message (see below), I am interested in finding out more about the members of the church in Walkley, mentioned here, and also more about people buried in the cemetery.
Sheffield and Rotherham Independent 17 Jul 1880 page 2 column e
WALKLEY CHURCH CEMETERY.
CONSECRATION BY THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.
The burial ground which was opened in May last for interments for the parish of St. Mary's, Walkley, was consecrated yesterday, by his Grace the Archbishop of York. The graveyard contains three acres and a rood, and is situated at Walkley lane, in close proximity to the St. Vincent's (Roman Catholic) Cemetery and the Jews'burial ground. A mortuary chapel has been erected, and since the cemetery was opened the furnishing has been completed. Mr. Clague has borne the cost of the furniture, which is of a neat description, and the reading desk and cushion have been contributed by the Rev. R.Waltham (curate of Walkley) and Miss Waltham. A plan, showing the position and number of every grave made and to be made in the ground, has been prepared by Messrs. Fowler and Son, surveyors. There will be three classes of graves. A first class grave will cost £5. 6s. ; second class, £2. 13s. ; and for an unpurchased or third class grave the charge will be 17s. The Rev. T. Smith, vicar of Walkley, and the chaplain of the new cemetery, has resolved to make no distinction between parishioners and non-parishioners as to burial fees.
The ceremony of consecration commenced at half-past ten o'clock, at which hour the Archbishop of York, accompanied by the Vicar of Sheffield (the Rev. Canon Blakeney), and the Rev. T.Smith (chaplain of the cemetery), alighted from a carriage at the entrance gates, where his Grace was received by the churchwardens of St. Mary's, Walkley, Mr. Charles and Mr. John Copley. A petition for consecration, duly signed by the incumbent of Walkley Church, the churchwardens, the patron of the living, and the trustees, was presented to the Archbishop, who signified assent. A procession was then formed, headed by the two churchwardens and the registrar (Mr. H.A.Hudson, York). Then came his Grace the Archbishop, preceded by the apparitor carrying the mace, and followed by the clergy in order as given: Rev. G.Sandford, Rev. B.B.Slater, Rev. T.Wilkins, Rev. A.G.Tweedie, Rev.H.A.Favell, Rev. E.F.Forrest, Rev. C. Clementson, and the Rev. J.A.Bell.The choir of St. Mary's, Walkley, who were under the leadership of Mr.G.R.Webster, the choirmaster, succeeded the clergy. After proceeding round a portion of the graveyard, reading meanwhile Psalm XXIV., the procession halted on the grass opposite the entrance to the chapel, where a table had been placed upon which the sentence of consecration was to be signed. The Archbishop said, "Let the sentence of consecration be now read," and the registrar having complied, his Grace affixed his signature. On the invitation of the Rev. Canon Blakeney the spectators, who by this time had become very numerous, left the gravel walk where they had congregated and came near the table. As soon as the signing of the sentence was ended the Rev. T. Smith announced the hymn beginning "O God, thy grace and blessing give," which was sung by the whole assemblage.
The Archbishop then delivered a brief address, remarking that
although it was no part of that ceremony for him to preach a sermon, yet as that
was only his second visit to the parish, and as it might be a long time before
he was able to visit them again, he should like to ask them to consider why they
were there that day. The most important subject for all people to solemnly bear
in mind was the certainty of death, for whatever else might come into doubt,
nobody had the
slightest doubt but that they would one day have to be laid under the green
sward of that or some other cemetery, and that, too, in a very few years. The
more they looked upon this certainty of death, the more evident became the
necessity of their preparing for the important event. It might be a long time
before they could realise that Heaven was not in the distance. But nearness to
God was nearness to Heaven, and when a man became a believer he stepped on to
the threshold of Heaven directly. In conclusion, his Grace urged the vital
importance of that preparation needed to fit man for Heaven, and bade his
hearers to think of eternal things and to put less value upon earthly things.
The ceremony was concluded with prayer and the benediction.
The Archbishop and clergy then entered the chapel, and having expressed approval
of the internal arrangements, they proceeded to Walkley vicarage, where they
partook of luncheon. The spectators also entered the chapel, in the windows of
which were elegant floral wreaths, the work of Mrs. T.Smith, assisted by Mrs.
Charles Copley, Mrs. John Copley, and Mrs. Pickering. Amongst those present
during the
consecration ceremony were the Master Cutler (J.B.Jackson, Esq.), Mr. and Mrs.
Bradshaw, Broomhall; Mr. W. F[l]ather [?], Mr. E. Knowles Binns, Mr. Edward Brown,
Mr. T.J.Brewin, &c.
There have been eleven interments already in the Walkley Cemetery. At ten of these the Rev. T. Smith has been the officiating clergyman, and the Rev. R. Waltham has conducted one of the funerals."
Photo taken 27th June 2006
This account from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent was posted on a local Family History mailing list by a local historian. In May 2003, he added the following update to the Cemetery.
"As has been mentioned before on this list, the cemetery
at Walkley, which is the parochial cemetery for St Mary's Church, Howard Road (C
of E) is in a poor state. It is very overgrown in parts and many monuments are
completely hidden by brambles, ivy and Japanese knotweed.
The plans of the cemetery held by the church are incomplete and sometimes
difficult to interpret. There is no index, apart from the NBI name index for
1880-1901, which does not include grave references.
So, finding individual graves or plots is difficult, to say the least.
Now steps are being taken to improve the situation. The new vicar (the Rev
Melanie Fitzgerald) and some members of the congregation have begun a program
which includes indexing of the burial registers, and attacking the worst of the
invasive plants.
However, it is an enormous task - the cemetery covers a large area, and the
congregation of St Mary's is small.
One way of getting more support will be to hold open days when guided tours of
the cemetery can take place (this was recommended by the Friends of the General
Cemetery, whose tours are very successful).
To make such events possible we need stories about people and
families buried in the cemetery. If your ancestors are buried there (and I know
this is true of several members of this list) perhaps you would be willing to
share with us a tale of your forebears. Such stories need not be of great deeds
or world-shattering events!"
To aid this "enormous task" and a Friends of Walkley Cemetery group was established in order to manage the cemetery for the benefit of local people, including conservation of grave stones and promotion of wild life. If anyone wants further information, please either contact the Church direct, or contact me through my website. It really is a marvellous, and I might add very interesting cemetery, which deserves to be conserved not just for the present but for future generations.
In late 2011, a blog was initiated by the Friends of Walkley Cemetery so that "they could write about the day-to-day issues of conservation, historical research, and natural history relating to this beautiful, semi-wild cemetery on the slopes of the Rivelin Valley in Sheffield (England). We will also give notice of future events in the cemetery, and other relevant events in the Sheffield area." I can thoroughly recommend the blog.
Photo taken 27th June 2006
Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Tuesday 12 March 1901
OBITUARY. REV. THOMAS SMITH, VICAR OF WALKLEY.
By the death the Rev. Thomas Smith, yicar of Walkley, which we regret to say took place at the Vicarage on Sunday evening, Sheffield loses one her oldest clergymen, and a large and important parish a pastor who knew intimately its needs, spiritual and temporal, and ministered to them with great energy and small amount of suocess. He had not been in very good health for the past two or three weeks, and on Sunday morning he had a stroke of paralysis, and was in such a grave condition that Dr. Dyson was called in. After this he rallied a little, but shortly after eight o'clock in the evening he had another seizure, and died few minutes after nine.
Mr. Smith, who was affectionately known as the Bishop of Walkley, was born at Kniveden, near Leek, in Staffordshire, about seventy-four years ago. He was educated Leek Grammar School, and received his training for the Church at St. Bee's College, and was ordained in York Minster in 1850. From that year until 1854 he was curate at Rotherham. Then he came to Sheffield as chaplain to the Royal Infirmary, a position retained until 1871. His servioes were held high estimation, and as a mark of appreciation he was 1862 appointed a life governor of the institution
He became Vicar of Walkley when that parish was constituted in 1862, and since then it is estimated he has raised much for various church enterprises. Tha Church in Sheffield has had few harder workers than the deceased vicar. In years gone by, and before the hand of time laid its weakening touch upon him, no exertion seemed too great or too long-sustained for him to make in the interests of his parish.
TheWalkley when he went to it was a very different place from what it is to-day. The growth the population has been very rapid, and there are now upwards of 13,000 souls in the ecclesiastical district of which for so many years Mr. Smith had the control. Early in his career at Walkley he was faced with the absolute necessity of raising money for properly carrying on and developing the work of the church and its various agencies. Whether the power to beg and obtain was one of Nature's gifts to him, or whether acquired it by the sheer force the circumstances amid which he found himself, matters not now. The fact remains that from time to time funds were needed, and Mr. Smith secured them. It was in August, 1869, that the church was consecrated, and since that time the Sunday and Day Schools have been built at a cost of £2,179 6s. During the years 1873 and 1874, over £700 was spent on the organ, church fittings, and other
necessary work, and vicarage built at a cost of £2,854.
The Walkley Church Cemetery, which cost £1,542 14s. 4d.. was consecrated, and these and other directions Mr. Smith was the means of tapping the generositv of friends of the Church Sheffield to a very considerable extent. Mr. Smith was not a brilliant scholar, and hie abilities as a preacher were only of an average order, but he was hard worker, and until physical feebleness overtook him, his appetite for labour seemed insatiable. In his character there was more than one touch of originality.
He was as much out of sympathy with that class of cleric which has been so bitingly caricatured " The Private Secretary" as the most shameless scoffer who ever lived. Mr. Smith was a generous-hearted man, and often gave others what he could have well done with himself. But he was no ascetic. For him a dour Christianity was thing to be shunned. His was open, breezy nature, and much of his conduct was guided the principle that a harmless thing done by layman could not be evil it were done by a clergyman.
Mr. Smith was a sound Evangelical, who avoided the narrowness which sometimes draws censure upon that school of thought in the Church. His services were bright and cheerful, and as a preacher he spoke with a directness and simplicity which touched the hearts and consciences of his people with a sureness which more florid pulpit style often misses. From 1854 to 1870 he was afternoon lecturer at St. Thomas', Crookes, and during 1867 and the two following years he was chaplain the Cutlers' Company, during the Mastership of Mr. Mark Firth.
Many as were the calls on his time when first went to Walkley, and for many afterwards, did good deal honorary work. For more than twenty years he was honorary the York Diocesan Church Extension in the district, and was for few a honorary secretary of the Church Institute. Last year Mr. Smith celebrated his pastoral jubilee, when he was the recipient of many congratulations.
Mr. Smith had the novel experience a few years back of reading his own obituary. A Sheffield newspaper appeared one morning with the announcement of death, followed by an appreciative sketch of his career. Fond of joke, he called at the office of the newspaper in question to return thanks, and next day preached from his own pulpit from
this text. "Can these dry bones live?"
The funeral will take place on Thursday, at Walkley Cemetery, 12. 00
The Funeral of Rev. Thomas Smith at Walkley Cemetery
Yorkshire Telegraph and Star dated 14th March 1901
This page was last updated on 04/02/26 15:32