The Roman Catholic Church of St Joseph (formerly Bedford RC Chapel), Leigh in the County of -- Lancashire --

Graves at St Joseph (formerly Bedford RC Chapel)
in the Parish of Leigh

This is a transcript by Canon Brendan Alger (then at St Joseph's, later RC Dean of the Isle of Man) of "A Register of St.Joseph's Graveyard", edited by Canon Brendan Alger 1988. Canon Alger has given his permission for the transcript to be put online, and digital images were provided to us by Joseph Shovelton (originally from Leigh) whose father was involved in the transcription work.The book is entitled 'BURIAL REGISTER' and the introduction reads as follows:

"A small book at St Joseph's Leigh contains details of all the burial plots in the graveyard which was attached to the OLD CHAPEL, the first St Joseph's, which was built by Fr John Shaw in 1779. Shortly after the opening of the new St Joseph's Church in 1855 the present Leigh Cemetery was opened in 1858 with provision for Roman Catholic burials, and further interments at St Joseph's graveyard were prohibited. Father JOHN REEVE, the priest of Bedford Chapel, purchased this book on February 8th 1838. On the inside cover it has in letters of gold REV.J.REEVE, and opposite this is written: 'The Property of the Revd. Mr. Reeve's Priest of Bedford Catholic Chapel. Purchased February 8th 1838.'

"The following page describes the nature of the book:-

"This Book contains an Account of Every Breadth of Burial Ground Belonging to Bedford Catholic Chapel And also of the people Inter'd therein. Taken by R.K. S.M

"The first list given is that of children buried in the plots A, B, C, D, which lay alongside the apse wall of the Old Chapel. One adult managed to get in there too. The rest of the book lists the 210 plots, and a number of interments. The list is in no way complete. A diagram of the burial ground was discovered in another small burial register, and for convenience is given here. Some families bought more than one plot."

The Register for Graves at St Joseph (formerly Bedford RC Chapel) 1816 - 1841 with Surname Index

There are 148 Grave Records extracted for this Church with 388 names