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Loxley Congregational Chapel


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Guest Berlizmo

Can't help with the map I'm afraid. The page appears to have been removed.

However, Christiana Mount - death Oct-Dec quarter 1838, Ecclesfield (Volume 12, Page 107) might be worth looking into further.

Good Luck; keep us posted on your progress please.

Thank you - shame about the map!

The Christiana Mount who died in 1838 was the mother of the one who was christened 1833 at Loxley Congregational, have just recently received a copy of the death certificate confirming this. She died whilst living at Wortley and her husband Richard Mount had three sons to bring up. A few years later he married Hannah Hobson.

Richard's widowed mother Sarah Mount farmed at Worrall in 1841 and 1851and his brother John Mount farmed at Loxley in 1841, 1851 and 1861. He lived a few properties away from the Admiral Rodney in the 1861 census, but near to Loxley Hall in the 1841 census, perhaps the enumerator followed a different route in each.

If any one comes across info on where young Christiana might be buried would be grateful. Also would like to find out where John Mount's farm might have been.

Thanks

Berlizmo

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Hi Berlizmo

Just spent 30 mins posting you some information on the Mounts but lost it all.

Couldn,t post you the info because there's no upload box to click.

Will try again in a month. Ukelele Lady.

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Guest Gramps

8<.....

Richard's widowed mother Sarah Mount farmed at Worrall in 1841 and 1851and his brother John Mount farmed at Loxley in 1841, 1851 and 1861. He lived a few properties away from the Admiral Rodney in the 1861 census, but near to Loxley Hall in the 1841 census, perhaps the enumerator followed a different route in each.

If any one comes across info on where young Christiana might be buried would be grateful. Also would like to find out where John Mount's farm might have been.

Thanks

Berlizmo

This might help...but it might not. :)

There was a farm on the edge of Wadsley village called Loxley House farm - on Bland lane. (Just a couple of fields away from Loxley House)

Another farm quite close to the bottom of Rodney Hill was Loxley Chase farm -on the corner of Loxley road and Black lane.

And another farm called Rodney farm which has disappeared under Loxley cemetery. The entrance and track down to this was opposite the Admiral Rodney pub.

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Hi berlizmo

One of my ancesters lived at a farm in Worrall, he was a member of the Loxley chapel and according to the minutes taken

[viewed at the archives] he was dismissed in 1806. From there he went to the Garden Street Chapel and was made deacon in 1813.

He and some friends from Garden Street Chapel founded the Worrall Congregational Chapel. He and his wife died 1845 and

1849 .Looking down the names of the Worrall Chapel you can see some Mounts mentioned, they most likely of the same family as the

ones you mentioned.. They might not necessarily be buried at Loxley as I would have thought my ancesters were but then I discovered

they were buried at St Pauls.

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Guest Berlizmo

Hi berlizmo

One of my ancesters lived at a farm in Worrall, he was a member of the Loxley chapel and according to the minutes taken

[viewed at the archives] he was dismissed in 1806. From there he went to the Garden Street Chapel and was made deacon in 1813.

He and some friends from Garden Street Chapel founded the Worrall Congregational Chapel. He and his wife died 1845 and

1849 .Looking down the names of the Worrall Chapel you can see some Mounts mentioned, they most likely of the same family as the

ones you mentioned.. They might not necessarily be buried at Loxley as I would have thought my ancesters were but then I discovered

they were buried at St Pauls.

Hi Ukelele Lady

That’s amazing, thanks so much.

Your extract gives the date of death of my 4 x great grandmother, Sarah Mount. I think her farm then went to her son Joseph Mount (also mentioned here) and in 1911 his son Mark was farming at Worrall Grange. I can place most of the other Mounts mentioned, and am busily working on the others! The Nancy Mount listed was Sarah’s daughter and the Benjamin Mount who it says died in 1847 was Sarah’s brother-in-law. Other surnames in these extracts that have connections with my family are Ibbotson, Sorsby, Helliwell and Windle.

Thanks again

Berlizmo

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Guest Berlizmo

This might help...but it might not. :)

There was a farm on the edge of Wadsley village called Loxley House farm - on Bland lane. (Just a couple of fields away from Loxley House)

Another farm quite close to the bottom of Rodney Hill was Loxley Chase farm -on the corner of Loxley road and Black lane.

And another farm called Rodney farm which has disappeared under Loxley cemetery. The entrance and track down to this was opposite the Admiral Rodney pub.

Hi Gramps

I have found Bland Lane on an 1850s map, also the outline of farm buildings on the lane opposite the pub, though the farm isn’t named. I have not way of knowing at the moment if any of these are where John Mount lived, but hopefully in the future…By the way, were there two Loxley Houses, one near Bland Lane and one by Loxley Chase or is it just the writing on the old maps and my eyesight?!

Thanks

Berlizmo

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Guest Gramps

Yes there were two Loxley Houses....there still are according to streetmap.co.uk. Not sure which of them is the earlier one, but the one near Wadsley village is the more famous. The other, to the west of Long lane looks like a farm on the 1850 map but is definitely just a house now according to satellite view on Goodle maps.

It might be worth contacting Malcolm Nunn at Bradfield Parish Archives about the occupancy of the old farms around Loxley.

http://www.bradfield-yorks-pc.gov.uk/index.php/archives-a-history.

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Guest the thinking reed

A recent visit to Sheffield found me seeking out Loxley Chapel and burial ground. Like a lot of other people I am investigating my family tree and have discovered that a number of my relatives are buried there. Even through I had read a little about the place on this forum I was shocked at the state of both the building and cemetery. After a long search I was unable to identify the family graves and came away quite distressed at the total and utter neglect. My horror was increased on the discovery that the burial ground is still accepting new customers, as it were. I can’t help but feel that this is a shocking state of affairs being a microcosm of much which is wrong with our society. Here lay our dead. Sheffield people laid to rest in originally quite beautiful surroundings but now ignored and forgotten. How did this come about? When did we stop caring about our forbears to the extent that we allow their graves to disappear?

I presume that there is an official responsibility for the upkeep of burial grounds? So why is this not happening? Cost? Lack of interest? Personally I see a joint responsibility. We should respect our dead and perhaps a mixture of pressure to better maintain these places, coupled with a willingness to collaborate in this personally, could halt this appalling situation.

I hear that the chapel itself is listed but has changed hands. On inspection the door is wide open, having been broken in and legal, or illegal, internal demolition started with panelling, floorboards and pews now missing. Everything that remains is clearly vulnerable to removal or destruction. What exactly is planned for this lovely old place? Apartments? Does the new owner acknowledge the need to preserve anything of this important place? I would be very interested to know who owns this building and their intentions for it, including the impact on the graveyard.

Loxley chapel and cemetery are important, aesthetically, socially and historically. Is there anyone else who shares my feelings? Anyone else who is prepared to join me in trying to do something about this? I for one am not happy with sitting by and allowing the remains of my family to lay forgotten in a jungle of brambles.

I realise that this is not a unique or new phenomena but perhaps it is time that something was done, at Loxley and any other similarly neglected cemeteries in Sheffield

Maybe if we respect the past and those who lived there we will better respect the present and those who live there!

Iain Kelly, Shropshire

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A recent visit to Sheffield found me seeking out Loxley Chapel and burial ground. Like a lot of other people I am investigating my family tree and have discovered that a number of my relatives are buried there. Even through I had read a little about the place on this forum I was shocked at the state of both the building and cemetery. After a long search I was unable to identify the family graves and came away quite distressed at the total and utter neglect. My horror was increased on the discovery that the burial ground is still accepting new customers, as it were. I can’t help but feel that this is a shocking state of affairs being a microcosm of much which is wrong with our society. Here lay our dead. Sheffield people laid to rest in originally quite beautiful surroundings but now ignored and forgotten. How did this come about? When did we stop caring about our forbears to the extent that we allow their graves to disappear?

I presume that there is an official responsibility for the upkeep of burial grounds? So why is this not happening? Cost? Lack of interest? Personally I see a joint responsibility. We should respect our dead and perhaps a mixture of pressure to better maintain these places, coupled with a willingness to collaborate in this personally, could halt this appalling situation.

I hear that the chapel itself is listed but has changed hands. On inspection the door is wide open, having been broken in and legal, or illegal, internal demolition started with panelling, floorboards and pews now missing. Everything that remains is clearly vulnerable to removal or destruction. What exactly is planned for this lovely old place? Apartments? Does the new owner acknowledge the need to preserve anything of this important place? I would be very interested to know who owns this building and their intentions for it, including the impact on the graveyard.

Loxley chapel and cemetery are important, aesthetically, socially and historically. Is there anyone else who shares my feelings? Anyone else who is prepared to join me in trying to do something about this? I for one am not happy with sitting by and allowing the remains of my family to lay forgotten in a jungle of brambles.

I realise that this is not a unique or new phenomena but perhaps it is time that something was done, at Loxley and any other similarly neglected cemeteries in Sheffield

Maybe if we respect the past and those who lived there we will better respect the present and those who live there!

Iain Kelly, Shropshire

Back in the 1970's I attended a funeral service in the chapel and an internment in the cemetery behind it.

I remember a beautiful Georgian interior decorated in pastel shades which was by then showing signs of neglect.

I front of the chapel I noticed a large family vault covered by the largest slab of cut stone I have ever seen.

I too share your feelings about how we treat the last resting places of our dear departed.

I suppose that when a congregation dwindles to naught, then there is not a lot can be done, but you would think that the upper echelons of the church involved would ensure that proper provision is made. I suppose that this would be one of the many divisions of the Methodist church.

Perhaps some-one on the Loxley parish council would be able to give you some information.

hilldweller ( a former traipser of the Loxley Valley ).

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Guest the thinking reed

Hilldweller, when I visited there was quite a lot of snow but I did notice that stone slab, wondering what it could be! They certainly don't make them like that anymore.

After my post yesterday I made a fair amount of progress regarding Loxley Chapel. Upon speaking to 2 English Heritage offices, 2 Conservation Officers, Bradfield Parish Council, the current owner of the chapel and burial ground and the ex Chairman of the Bradfield Community Forum I now have a better understanding of the circumstances. The chapel AND burial ground both belong to the Hagues, of Hague Farming, Bradfield. I had a very frank conversation with William Hague who was extremely helpful and informative. The situation regarding the graves and cemetery is quite complicated as I believe freehold obviously now belongs to the owner but the grave plots belong to the families of the deceased, who “bought” the plot. Some maintenance work has been carried out by the owner. Sheffield Council seem to want nothing to do with this, as it is a privately owned ground. I would argue at this point that I personally consider the church to have a degree of responsibility to make provision for the future of their interned brethren when they sell their buildings and our dead, and also I would strongly question the law which allows a private individual to buy the land on which are buried citizens, this seems wrong somehow. It is not hard to understand why the owner perhaps does not want the responsibility of the upkeep and would be happy for this to fall elsewhere. It is my impression that the owner does not want the burial ground and it is worth mentioning that despite the Council’s suggestion to close it, it remains open for business purely at the behest of the owner. Worth mentioning also is that work has been carried out on the chapel to prevent further decay. I believe there may have been theft of roof lead, heating pipes and other internal fittings.

Non the less the situation remains the same and I still feel that a solution should be sought. I was also informed that there was a move from a community based organisation to make a bid for both chapel and cemetery with a view to bringing both back into the fold of the community. It appears that this actually had the blessing of all sides (including English Heritage who have the building on their “at risk” register) but that the proposal may have faltered. I am going to pursue this and see what can be done to regenerate interest in the proposal. Please do get in touch if you can further the cause in any way.

Iain

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I front of the chapel I noticed a large family vault covered by the largest slab of cut stone I have ever seen.

I don't know who is interred under that great slab of stone, but when the last trump sounds and time shall be no more, they're going to have a heck of a job getting out from under that.

HD

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Thank you for the pictures livingstone but how depressing.

Surely something could be done with this wonderful building,

the folks outside must be turning in their graves. :(

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Guest livingstone

Thank you for the pictures livingstone but how depressing.

Surely something could be done with this wonderful building,

the folks outside must be turning in their graves. :(

I agree. Unfortunately I don't think anything will be done with it as we all know the chap that owns its' past (and current) record.

The site isn't really suitable for a residential conversion, but I'd like to see it brought back into the public domain as an art gallery or something along those lines

The layout of the place is fantastic and rather surprisingly it's in quite a good condition - the roof looks to have been up-kept, though I'm pretty sure that this is due to it's proximity to Loxley. If you start having obviously derelict buildings around urban areas you're bound to have the local yoof around with cider and matches at some point - which never bodes well with the council.

I can't work out if buying all derelict property in the area is a cunning business strategy to keep out developers and keep a tighter control of the micro-economics of house pricing in said area (given the extensive property catalogue the chap(s) have), or it's just some kind of mental compulsion.

Either way I'll have a good few historical buildings to watch crumble whilst I ponder.

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Just had a walk around the cemetry, what an absolute disgrace to the city. It would be great to get this back into trust or public ownership, the grave yard cleared and a booklet written about the history of some of the occupants, such as the housekeeper of Thomas Pitt of Wimpole Street, London, Sheffield flood victims and many others that look as though they have a story to tell

The building would make a great civil wedding venue, for the ceremony and reception.

On a brighter side, it was nice to see a few of the white war graves that are dotted around are being looked after

http://mick-armitage.staff.shef.ac.uk/sheffield/maps.html

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