Tombstone Tuesday

Another wonderful gift from a cousin found by blogging.   This showed up in my email box yesterday - just in time for Tombstone Tuesday. 

This stone is located in Preston Cemetery, in the town of Preston, Lancashire, England.  Following are the ancestors listed:

Catherine (McDermott) Bellew (my 3rd great grandmother);  b. 1837, d. April 7, 1898

James Bellew, son of Catherine;  b. 1869, d. Aug 1870

Mary Bellew, daughter of Patrick Bellew, granddaughter of Catherine;  b. 1897, d. Aug 13, 1898 

James Bellew, husband of Catherine (my 3rd great grandfather); b. 1834, d. Oct 15, 1905

Mary (Bellew) Sharples, daughter of Catherine and James (my 2nd great grand aunt)  b. abt 1866, d. Feb 25, 1939

George Sharples, husband of Mary Bellew Sharples, b. abt 1868 (I cannot make out the death date on this stone but it appears he was 72 or 77 years old so that would be abt. 1940-1945)

Cemetery Saturday (a bit late) - Frances Bellew

Who arranged burial of Frances Bellew? I may never know...

Frances Bellew was the daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth Hall Bellew. She was born in Preston, Lancashire, England in 1894, and died in Preston in 1951. Frances was alone when she died - well, at least she had no family remaining in the area. Her siblings had all died or gone to America and both of her parents had already passed away.

So, who arranged for her burial? This question came up when I was trying to determine who John Bellew (see the previous two posts about him) was left with when his Mother left the country. My thoughts turned to Frances and the possibility that maybe John was with her - his Aunt on his father's side. I had a photo of her headstone that a very friendly volunteer sent to me about 8 years ago. When I pulled out the records it dawned on me - her headstone reads ".. a dear friend" A dear friend? She was never married, all family gone... who was the friend that put this stone up for her? I am attempting to contact the office at the cemetery where she's buried again, hoping that maybe they could tell me who purchased her headstone or arranged for it to be erected. Notice her stone among the others, it's not much but probably all her friend (or friends) could do for her - and for that I am very thankful.

This family plot was purchased by Frances' father Patrick. He purchased it when Frances' brother William died in 1910. The other family members buried there are beneath Frances.
In 1910, her brother William died at the agae of 19
In 1923, her father Patrick Bellew died at the age of 59
In 1927, her mother Elizabeth Hall Bellew died at the age of 63

Frances died at the age of 56 - apparently she was a dear friend who was truly missed. I hope I can find out by whom.