The lives of a young couple killed after they were struck by lightning 150 years ago will be remembered at a special service in Stanningley on Sunday.
If you go into St Thomas’ Church on Stanningley Road, you will find a stained glass window depicting The Good Shepherd.
This window memorialises two young Sunday School teachers from Stanningley, who were tragically struck by lightning while out courting 150 years ago and are interred in the churchyard just to the left of the church doors.
The couple will be remembered on Sunday, 8 September when the people of Stanningley will come together at 4pm in St Thomas’ Church for a service marking the 150th anniversary of their deaths.
Local news at the time described the incident:
A young couple, Thomas Hardaker, twenty-one years of age, son of Mr Joseph Hardaker, cloth weaver of Pudsey, and Emma Carrick, aged twenty two, and daughter of Mr Henry Carrick, basket maker of Stanningley, were out courting when they were struck down by electric fluid and killed on the spot.
The original events made national news and their funeral at St Thomas’ was attended by thousands, with many of the local mills closing for the day.
The service is open to all.
If anyone wants to know more, or has information to contribute, contact stthomasstanningley@gmail.com.