A few days ago – which was a week after I'd spent about twenty minutes searching for James Horsefield's grave in St Mary's churchyard, Prestwich – I discovered a website called 'The Artisan Naturalists', which contains a page on the Prestwich Artisan Naturalists, and it (belatedly for me, of course) gives directions where to find Horsefield's grave, but it also told me of the existence of two more graves of artisan naturalists there: Richard Buxton and James Percival, who were both buried very close to Horsefield. It goes without saying that I had to return.
In Loving Memory of
JAMES PERCIVAL,
BOTANIST, OF SMITHY BRIDGE NR ROCHDALE,
WHO DIED AUG. 17TH 1902, AGED 74 YEARS.
HE HAD NO FAVOURITE FLOWER BUT LOVED THEM ALL.
ALSO OF ELIZA, HIS BELOVED WIFE,
WHO DIED NOV. 20TH, 1900, AGED 77 YEARS.
ALSO OF NATHAN, THEIR BELOVED SON,
WHO DIED SEP. 2ND 1858, AGED 1 YEAR.'
Not a great deal is known of Percival, although 'The Artisan Naturalist' notes that he was born in Hope Square, behind the present Friendship Inn. If he ever published anything, the British Library has no record of it.
Liked your blog on James Percival and the other Botanists in St Mary the Virgin churchyard in Prestwich Dr Shaw, I am a volunteer with the Churchyard Action group and a member of the church and will soon be giving Guided tours of the graves of the many famous / interesting people who lie buried here, including the three botanists,although they were all working class men and for the most part lived in poverty,they are not forgotten and I have written a blog on them myself,our local historian Peter James Corbally actually purchased some of John Horsefields bulbs and planted them near his grave. regards Alan James Jennings.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information, Alan, and I shall be having a look at your blog. Tony.
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