Loitering in the graveyard

A recent walk took me through the old 'overspill' graveyard in Hirst Wood that belongs to St Paul's Church, Shipley. It's sadly overgrown and many of the headstones are damaged, though it has been tidied up a bit in recent years. It is, however, an interesting place for rooting around and finding photos. A bit of mist in the air only added to the atmosphere.

(Above) The grave of Jonas Murgatroyd (good Yorkshire name!) who died in 1917. He was joint owner of the Railway Foundry in Windhill, an iron foundry. 

(Below) Some kind of creeper has wrapped so tightly and sculpturally around this cross that it almost forms a small tree. The cross marks the grave of various members of the Sonley family. 

I also found the grave (below) of the Reverend Arthur William Cribb, for 24 years vicar of St Paul's in Shipley. His funeral is reported, rather interestingly, HERE. He was described as 'a quiet, unostentatious man, a good husband and father' who left behind him 'the beautiful fragrance of Christian character'. Apparently fluent in Chinese too. Just what you want in a vicar, I'd say.  My own church, St Peter's, is a daughter church of St Paul's and was consecrated in 1909, and it was the Rev'd Cribb who oversaw that initiative. 

There are some war graves spread around the cemetery and it appears that some of them have had their headstones renewed, like this memorial to Gunner Henry Asquith Hardy of the Royal Garrison Artillery who died just after the end of WW1 in 1919. 

His grave is decorated with a remembrance wreath of poppies and decorated stones, by children from Miriam Lord Primary School in Manningham, Bradford.