The First Burial
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The first burial was of Henry George Moseley, a carver and gilder of Babington Lane, Derby, aged 20. He was buried on 1 May 1855 in consecrated ground, plot no 9492, the service being conducted by Rev William Hope, vicar of St. Peter's.
The location of the first (and 24th) burials are marked by a stone set flat in the ground at the east corner of zone B2. The stone reads as follows:
Beneath this stone
lie the remains of
Henry George son of
Henry and Harriett Moseley
who died April 26th 1855
aged 20 years
---------------
also of
Rosamond daughter of
Henry and Mary Moseley
who died May 8th 1855
aged 26 years
---------------
Love one another as I have loved you
---------------
Memorial
Mary Moseley
March 1832 Aged 26 Years
Harriett Moseley
November 1838 Aged 25
Fanny Moseley
October 12th 1846 Aged 30 years
Interred at St Peters Derby
Which Churchyard was closed for
Interments April 30th 1855
The story begins with Henry Moseley senior who was born 7th Jul 1803 in Leeds, Yorkshire and was a Carver, Gilder and Jeweller by trade.
Henry married the spinster Mary Young on 28th Aug 1828 at St Werburgh Church in Derby. Henry was 25 and Mary 22. They had one child together, Rosamond born 22nd Jul 1829, before Mary died in March 1832 aged just 26.
Henry then married Mary’s younger sister Harriet Young on 8th May 1834 at St Werburgh Church. She was 20 and 3 months pregnant, and Henry was now 30. They had two children together, Henry George Moseley born October 1834 and Mary Eliza Moseley born November 1837. Harriet died in November 1838 age 25, leaving Henry with a 10 year old, a 3 year old and 1 year old to look after.
Henry married for a third time to the spinster Fanny Walker on 8th Aug 1840 in Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire (where she was from). Fanny was age 23 and Henry 37. Henry and Fanny had two children together, Alfred Walker Moseley born May 1841 and Frances Jackson Moseley born February 1845.
In 1846 Fanny died aged 30. Henry was again left widowed and looking after two young children (age 4 and 18 months), plus the three from his previous marriages (age 17, 12 and 8).
Henry married for the fourth and final time to the spinster Anne Thompson on 7th May 1848 at St Modwen’s Church in Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire (where she was living at the time). She was age 39 and Henry was now 45. They didn’t have any children together.
In 1851 the family were living at 5 Babington Lane, Derby with one servant, but in 1855 tragedy struck yet again as Henry’s first two children both died. Henry George died 26th Apr age 20 and Rosamond died shortly afterwards aged 25. Just three years later in 1858 Henry’s son Alfred also died, aged 16.
In 1861, Henry, Anne and his two remaining children (Mary and Frances), were living at Babington Cottage. Anne’s niece was also living with them (Fanny Vernon age 32, who is mentioned on the gravestone) and a house servant called Sarah King (age 18).
Anne died in 1865 age 56, followed four years later by Henry in 1869 aged 65. (Mourning brooch story can be found here).
They are buried together in Nottingham Road Cemetery, next to Henry George and Rosamond with a headstone that is slowly being swallowed by a tree.
The family had moved to 36 Corn Market before Henry’s death (as noted on his gravestone), and his daughters Mary and Frances were still living there in 1871, along with Fanny Vernon. Mary continued her father’s trade as a Gilder Silversmith, and Frances worked as a Jeweller & Dealer.
In the census’ of 1881 and 1891, Mary, Frances and Fanny were living at 61 Friar Gate, and by 1901 had moved next door to number 62. Neither sister married or had children (nor Fanny, who died in 1900 aged 71). Mary died in 1904 aged 66 and Frances in 1931 aged 87 (still living at 62 Friar Gate). And thus, Henry’s lineage comes to an end.
The gravestone of Henry Moseley senior and his 4th wife Anne.
The grave of his son Henry and daughter Rosamond can be seen lying flat to their right.
The story of the Moseley family written by Nick Hopkins can be downloaded here.