ST LAURENCE, Frodsham

Monument Inscriptions

The gravestone inscriptions for St Lawrence’s churchyard were first recorded in the 1950s, and survive in the form of ring binders containing one handwritten sheet per grave, plus plans of the churchyard. Unfortunately these are not indexed by name, but I found the following Pickering entries, which may be relevant to your research:


Grave No. 3 - Samuel Pickering 
Sacred to the memory of Samuel Pickering of Sutton who departed this life September 16th, 1811, aged 45 years. Also of Samuel, son of the above named Samuel Pickering, who died May 11th 1820 aged 14 years. (information conflicts with outline above Also of Alice, daughter of the above named Samuel Pickering, who died February 12th 1826, aged 28 years. Also of Alice [Rigby], wife of the above named Samuel Pickering, who departed this life November 11th 1844, aged 73 years. Also of John Rigby Pickering, son of the above named Samuel Pickering, who died October 15th 1880, aged 81 years.Also of Ellen Pickering, wife of John Rigby Pickering, who died September 4th 1885, aged 82 years.
[on reverse of headstone]:
Sacred to the memory of Alice Tindall, niece of Samuel and Alice Pickering, who departed this life February 26th 1860, aged 72 years. Also of Mary, daughter of Samuel & Alice Pickering, who died February 3rd 1864.


1814 – Thomas Pickering
St. Laurence Churchyard:  "Sacred to the memory of Thomas Pickering (1765-1814, brother of William) late of Frodsham Bridge who departed this life Jan 2nd 1814, aged 49 years. Also Margaret daughter of the said Thomas and Margaret Pickering who died April 24th 1813, aged 14 years. Also Edmund their son died 11th March 1814, aged 11 months. Also Thomas their son who died Jan. 24th 1818, aged 15 years. Also of Margaret (Horrabin) Pickering, wife of the above named Thomas Pickering who died July 9th 1820, aged 48 years. Also of Ann daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Horrabin) Pickering who died 24th Dec. 1822, aged 26 years."

A description of their grave, Frodsham: "Standstone table-top. (table flat on risers which are out of position). Notation in St. Laurence, Frodsham Church



The gravestone inscriptions for St Lawrence’s churchyard (there were only two sets of Pickering references, but many of the headstones were described as “illegible” or “inaccessible”) were first recorded in the 1950s, and survive in the form of ring binders containing one handwritten sheet per grave, plus plans of the churchyard. Unfortunately these are not indexed by name, but I found the following Pickering entries, which may be relevant to your research:

Grave No. 218
Here lieth the body of Barnet [Bernard] Pickering of Norley, who departed this life 20th December 1775, aged 63. Also the remains of Lydia, wife of the above named, who departed this life August the 27th 1804 in the 89th year of her age. Also Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Firth, who died March 4th 1826 aged 72. Also the body of the above named Samuel Firth, who died May 31st 1833 aged 84 years. Also Anne wife of Samuel Pickering of Kingsley who died August 12th 1876 aged 49 years.


"In memory of . . .  Mary relict of William Yarwood late of Northwich, Druggist, and daughter of John and Mary Pickering of Frodsham who died the 22nd Dec. 1837, aged 66 years."


Grave no. OGE/08/23,24:
"In memory of Joseph Pickering of Frodsham Obit 31, Jan 1839 Aetat 59 years. Also of Ann [Hayes] his wife Obit 21 Aug. 1862 Aetat 80 years."


Grave No: OGE/08/23, 24:
"In memory of William Pickering [son of Joseph Pickering and Nancy Hayes Pickering] of Frodsham Obit 26 June 1845 Aetat 41 years. Also of Elizabth [Howard] his wife Obit 10 Feb, 1854 Aetat 44 years. Also of William Hayes Pickering only son of the above Obit 9 Nov. 1906 Aetat 73 years."






Family tree

About 1744 in Weaverham several Pickering families were having children at the same time – in the same parish. The five families below were also having children - all in the same few years.

There lived:
Thomas, who had Mary [1743]
Bernard who had Margaret [1744]
James who had Elizabeth [1742]
James who had Catherine [1742] and Joseph [1744]
Samuel who had Samuel [1741] and Jane
John who had Joseph [1742], Mary [1743], and John [1744]

I was following Bernard’s family for a long time thinking there was a direct relationship – and I still think there is a connection. However, it was John who should have been my target.

You can see the challenges!