Died
Mary Richardson 15th September 1854
Mary Tattersall 12th February 1857
Mary Tattersall 16th May 1860
Sources
William Fisher’s Diary records
The Records & Archive Office
Place
Walks
Walney 1 Point 3
Themes
Cragg Monument
This is the largest and most distinctive of the Victorian memorials in the Churchyard. The Craggs were landowners in Biggar, and the cost of such a memorial must have been considerable.
Three sides are inscribed:
East face
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MARY THE WIFE OF JOHN RICHARSON sic CRAGG OF BIGGAR IN THE ISLAND OF WALNEY. WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 15TH DAY OF DECEMBER 1854, AT A QUARTER BEFORE SEVEN IN THE EVENING, AFTER A TEDIOUS ILLNESS BORNE WITH CHRISTIAN FORTITUDE, IN THE 52ND YEAR OF HER AGE.
North face
MARY TATTERSALL, DAUGHTER OF JOHN RICHARDSON CRAGG senr DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON the 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1857 AGED 2(.....)YEAR.
South face
MARY TATTERSALL, DAUGHTER OF JOHN RICHARDSON CRAGG JUNR. DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 16TH DAY OF MAY 1860, AGED 5 YEARS.
She is not dead, but sleepeth.
Presumably the West face was intended for one of the John Richardson Craggs. Where are they buried? A John R. Cragg died in 1868, and a John Richardson Cragg in 1919. It is unusual for a stone to record the time of death.
William Fisher’s Diary records: December 15th 1854Died at Biggar after a tedious illness, Mary Wife of Mr John Richardson Cragg aged 51 years. [Source]
The Records & Archive Office have various documents relating to the John Richardson Craggs, and their forebears, of Biggar. For example, a draft document of 1880 reads:
The Records & Archive OfficeWe, Joseph Dawson of Low Wood Stile near Broughton in Furness in the County of Lancaster, John Richardson Cragg of Biggar in the Island of Walney in the same County and Mary Cragg his wife, Eleanor Fell of Cartmel in the same Count, Spinster, Jeanne Susanne Ernestine Claudine Fell of Ambleside in the County of Westmorland (crossed out and replaced by The Limes Harpenden in the County of Herts) widow and George Remington of Ulverston in the said County of Lancr Gentn, Agnes Woodburne Widow, John Woodburne, Thomas Woodburne, all of Biggar afsd, (and named others) .... Selling land called High Bank and part of Tummerhill amounting to 38a 3r 2p to the Corporation of Barrow.’
This is presumably the sale of Biggar Bank to Barrow Corporation. The a, r, p, in the measures are acres, roods and poles/perches.
