In what has to be one of the most overgrown graveyards I have been in Farsley Baptist Burial Ground has five casualties from WW1, writes Mark Stevenson.
I am not sure who was responsible but all of the Commonwealth War Graves are always clear. (Editor’s note: it’s the excellent Friends of Farsley Rehoboth group who have only recently started to buy, reclaim and maintain this historic burial ground in Farsley and provide access to all).
I was able to find all five headstones, three of which have addresses.
F W Ford husband of Lillian Busfield (formerly Ford), of 2, Nether Street Farsley. E Lee son of Harry and Sarah Matilda Lee, of 31, Eggleston St., Rodley. M W Lee husband of Casilla Lee, of 16, Bryan Street Farsley. Arthur Hainsworth Wade son of Frank and Mary Christiana Wade, of Lindfield, New South Wales.
A week or so ago I thought it might be a good idea to take a photo of all the World War One graves in West Leeds.
It soon became clear I would need to narrow it down to get it done in the time I had.
The numbers I use are from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and to make it more manageable I only took a photo of graves with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.
Some WW1 war graves have private headstones which meant I would have had to look at all the graves in West Leeds which I did not have time for but I’m sure I will get around to.
Check out my coverage of Pudsey Cemetery, St Thomas in Stanningley, St Wilfrid’s in Calverley, Kirkstall St Stephen’s and Hill Top in Armley.
To be fair it has always been the War Graves Commission which has kept the war graves in the graveyard in good condition though their worker has often had to fight his way through brambles to get to them.
The commission has recently removed the white stone for Australian-resident Frank Hainsworth Wade in their family plot (pictured), and now looks after his actual grave which is just off the restored carriageway not far from the entrance gates. It has re-gilded the lettering on this grave.