St. Mary's Churchyard

Birkenhead Petty Sessions
Monday (Before Messrs. R. Bryans and B. Darbyshire.)
Drunk in a Churchyard.- Peter Fylan, a furniture Broker, was charged with having been drunk and disorderly. Police-constable 1 (Kehoe) said at twenty minutes past six o'clock on Sunday night his attention was directed to the prisoner, who was in St. Mary's Churchyard. Witness, on going into the churchyard, found the prisoner in an almost naked state, lying between the grave stones. The people were going to church at the time, and after they had gone in he took the prisoner to bridewell. - The prisoner said he had been thirty years in Birkenhead, and never did anything in his life except through drink. He promised both of the magistrates and "the gentlemen of the jury" if the case was looked over he would never get drunk again. He hoped their worships would live to see him sober.- He was fined 5shillings and costs.

(reported in the "Cheshire Observer" on Saturday 23rd September 1865).

According to the Census Peter Fylan was born in Ireland in abt 1821, in the 1861 Census he was living at 22 Eldon Street Birkenhead.
There is a Death registration for a Peter Fylan in Birkenhead in the Dec. Qtr. of 1869, but the age given is 61.

Ian Edward Fraser VC

In the Conway Chapel  lie the cremated remains of Ian Edward Fraser VC, DSC, RD and Bar, JP. a submariner who launched a daring attack on a Japanese ship was born the 18th December 1920 in Ealing London the eldest son of Sydney Fraser. He was awarded his VC for action on the 31st July 1945 in the Straits of Johor, Singapore.

 In 1993 he was made an honorary freeman of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. He died aged 87 at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Monday 1st September 2008 after a three week illness. He was cremated at Landican Cemetery, Arrowe Park.

Ian Fraser married, in 1943, his childhood sweetheart, Melba Hughes, who was serving as a Wren at Pwllheli on the north Wales coast when they met. They had four sons and two daughters, one of whom predeceased him.

Late Middle Ages Tombstones

fig.1

The Chapter house at the priory contains some interesting gravestones relating to the late Medieval period. The most important of which is that of Thomas Rayneford, Prior of Birkenhead. The original inscription (fig1.) reads 'Hic jacet Thomas Rayneford quondam bonus prior huis loci qui obiit viiio Maii anno domini mmo cccclxxiiio cuis anime propicietur Deus' meaning: Here lieth Thomas Rayneford a former worthy prior of this house who died on the 8th of May in the year of our Lord 1473, may God be gracious to his soul!.

Fig.2.

In 1818 the stone was removed from its original resting place and inserted into the outside wall of the chapter house, as can be seen in the engraving in (fig.2). The stone was re-sited again in 1896 and finally in 1913 is was set in the Sanctuary of the Chapter House to the right of the alter. Another tombstone of a similar period can be seen to the side of the priors stone (fig.3) this stone is without text, just the ancient carved patterns giving a glimpse into its true meaning.

Fig.3.

In the North wall of the Chapter house is another fifteenth century five-light window which is now filled with old stained glass. The other window at the west end of the north wall was originally Norman, but was changed to a pointed arch doorway, then in 1860 was filled with an old fourteenth century window. An ancient tombstone from the priory graveyard was used for its lintel on the inside, its inscription now hidden from our sight.(fig.4.)

Fig.4.

Archibald Alexander Smith, Virginia U.S.

(ref.93)

Sacred to the memory of Mary Smith who departed this life 23rd March 1849 aged 38 years Be ye also ready Also John Smith husband of the above Who died 21st September 1860 aged 67 years Also of Archibald Alexander Smith Of Alexandria and Virginia U.S. Who died 29th October 1869 aged 24 years Also of Reginald Keighly Smith M.A. Vicar of Killinghall Yorkshire 2nd son Of the above John and Mary Smith Who died at Chester 9th January 1904 aged 65 years Also Julia Sarah Smith daughter of the above John and Mary Smith who died November 9th 1905 Aged 65 years.

This stone is to the left of the Chapter House.

Richard Parry Price

Memorial in the Chapter House

Richard Price, esq. F.R.S. son and heir of Francis Price of Bryn-y-pys, Flint. Assumed the name of Parry in consequence of a bequest by the hon. Benjamin Parry a privy councellor of Ireland. Born May 19th 1736, Died 14th May 1782. Richard Parry Price married Anne Puleston of Brynypys, Flint. 23rd October, 1764, at Biddulph, in Staffordshire, by the Rev. John Gresley. In Mr Parry Price's diary,  this event is thus recorded: " Made the happiest man in the world by being married to my dearest Nancy at Biddulph."

Restoration of the Priory was took up by Edward W. Cox, who devoted much time to the Priory and produced conjectured drawings and plans, some of which are not now considered accurate. However, such was the interest generated by these scholars, that the few hundred pounds required to buy the ruins and the freehold of the site was raised, and the corporation of Birkenhead was persuaded to take responsibility for them in 1896. E.W. Cox took over superintendence of restoration work in the following year, carried out by the Chester stone masons, Haswell & Son. A photographic survey of the work completed is the first comprehensive such study of the site, and shows details like the numbering, stone by stone, of the Guest Hall's south wall, which had to be taken down and completely rebuilt. The work was completed on 2 April 1898 .

Some of the Stonemasons whose marks you see above were:
George W. Haswell a Marble and Stonemason, born in Chester and living in 70 Bouverie Street, Chester.
Thomas Croft Stonemason, born Liverpool and living at 2 Hope Terrace, Birkenhead.
George Stocks Stonemason from Bingley, Yorkshire. living at 33 Sidney Street, Birkenhead. (both his father Albert and brother Walter also stonemasons.)
Henry Jones from Flintshire and his son Robert Jones, living at 211 Oliver Street. Birkenhead.

The Rev. CANON Andrew KNOX
of Birkenhead.
1797 Londonderry, Ireland -1881 Birkenhead Cheshire.

In connection with the recent restoration of St. Mary's Church, Birkenhead, a handsome massive tablet has, within the last few days, been placed under the window in the north transept to the memory of the late Rev. Canon Knox and of Mrs. Knox, his wife. Canon Knox, it is well known, was vicar of St. Mary's for about half a century, and during his long residence in Birken­head his name was closely associated with every movement calculated to promote the social, moral, and religious condition of the inhabitants. Since his decease the church and burial ground have been restored at a cost of upwards of £3000, and the adjoining schools in Priory-Street have also been greatly enlarged. The whole of this Work was undertaken and completed as a "Knox memorial," and the Restoration Committee (of which Mr. William Laird was chairman) determined still further to commemorate the memory of their old and revered pastor by the erection of a monument in the church in which he had ministered so long and successfully. This latter work has been executed by Messrs, Earp, Son, and Hobbs, London and Manchester, from the design of Mr. Charles Aldridge, architect, Liverpool, from whose plans the restoration of the sacred edifice was also carried out. The tablet, which is of polished marble and alabaster, is of large dimensions, and very artistically designed, and has sculptured on the upper portion of it a capital likeness of Canon Knox as he appeared a year or two before his-death. On each side of the tablet there is the coat-of-arras of the Rev. Canon Knox and of Mrs. Knox, and underneath it the following inscription in old English characters:

"In memory of the Rev ANDREW KNOX, B.A.,Vicar of Birkenhead and Honorary Canon of Chester Cathedral, and. of his wife Katherine, this tablet is erected. Andrew Knox came to Birkenhead, as curate in charge of St. Mary's, in 1828 ; was appointed incumbent in 1834, and laboured here for 53 years. He found in his wife a loving and devoted helper. She fell asleep in Jesus May 29, 1868, aged 69 years. During his incumbency the rural township of Birkenhead was incorporated with Tranmere, Oxton, and part of Bebington first as a parliamentary, then as a municipal borough. with a population of 80,000. The public spirit and Christian charity with which he promoted everything tending to the advancement of his fellow-townsmen, as well as the extension of churches and schools, won for him the respect and affection of all classes. A firm friend, ready to advise and willing to sympathise, he lived his life truly, did his work thoroughly, and now he rests in. peace. 'With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation!—Psalm.
xci., 16." The tablet also states that the Rey.Canon Knox was born on the 8th July, 1797 ; that
he was vicar of Birkenhead from 1834 to 1881 and that he died on the 12th October, 1881.

"Reported in the Liverpool Mercury, Saturday November 17th 1883, Issue 11185"