A Historical Legacy

A number of the headstones in the Graveyard Annex tell the story of lives & lost by members of the local community in the not so distant past. A number of examples are shown below. More will follow.

The inscription on the headstone, which is lying flat on the ground reads:

"Also daughter of William Wadley intered 15.4.1899 and also of John William, his son, who served in the Great War at the Dardanells, Egypt & died of his wounds received in France 21.9.1916 aged 22".

John William has born in Defford in 1895 and had three brothers and five sisters.

Plots 346 & 347 are shown as the final resting place of "Wardley" - no Christian names given. Eliza Ann Wadley is buried in plot 277.

This poignant headstone is located in the North East corner of the graveyard. The names of the children buried there are shown here

This that of Sapper George Steptoe. This is the only official war grave in the Graveyard Annex. He died on the 24th February 1919, aged 31. He was the father of four children. For further details, please see the Imperial War Museums Website & the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website

John Willis, Vicar of Defford from 1910 - 1930 who is buried in the Graveyard Annex. The picture of him to the far right is the St James Church

Image showing the Lychgate to the Graveyard Annex many years ago.