Huyton Parish Church Cemetery, to give it its full title, is the cemetery of Huyton Parish Church, also known as St Michael’s which is a Grade 11 listed Anglican church. According to its records a church has existed on the site since Anglo-Saxon times and the current building is built upon the original's foundations. The church was granted by Robert, son of Henry de Lathom, to the priory he founded at Burscough about 1189. The building itself dates from around the 14th Century and the church's actual interior comprises an amalgamation of features that are much older or were subsequently added between the 15th-19th centuries. In 1872 during restoration, fragments of columns and a font, thought to be of Anglo-Saxon or early Norman origin, were discovered and the early Norman font found buried under the Tower is in the church. A second font of octagonal design and a 15th century timber rood screen were later additions. St. Michael's Churchyard extension was created in the 1860s as a response to the overcrowding of the churchyard, with the cemetery further extended in 1939. It is located across the road from the church, but it is largely concealed from view of the surrounding streets.
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| The Extended Cemetery |
The most famous person interred at Huyton Cemetery is Stuart Sutcliffe, known by many as the 'Fifth Beatle'. He was a bass guitarist in the group but left in 1961 to pursue an art career in Hamburg. He died there of a brain hemorrhage in April 1962 and the repatriation of his body was arranged by The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein. Stuart Sutcliffe’s father Charles, who died four years after his son, is also buried in the grave. Charles had not even been aware of Stuart's tragic death as he had been away at sea at the time.
Another notable person from local business and civic life buried in Huyton Cemetery is John Stone, whose grave is just on the right as you enter. He died aged 92 in 1936 and was head of J & R Stone, brothers John and Robert, who came from Huyton Quarry and who operated Park Colliery in Garswood, near Ashton - in- Makerfield, which was in existence 1887 to 1960. He had continued working until just a few weeks before his death. John Stone was a member of the Liverpool Cathedral Building Committee and donated £5000 to the fund in 1933. He served as a magistrate for forty years and was High Sheriff of Lancashire 1912-13.
Huyton Cemetery contains sixteen Commonwealth War Graves Commission
headstones from both world wars. One of those is of John Simmons, a
merchant seaman who spent twenty days adrift in the Atlantic Ocean after
his vessel was torpedoed in 1941. He was a crew member on SS Empire Endurance when it was torpedoed & sank in the freezing North Atlantic on the 19th of April 1941.
Of the 95 on board, 66 were killed in the attack and 24 were picked up 2 days later.
Incredibly after 20 days adrift at sea, another 5 were
miraculously rescued on the 9th of May 1941 and taken to Liverpool's Broadgreen Hospital.
Sadly John perished there on the 15th of May 1941, just 6 days after being rescued. John, who lived
in Knowsley Lane, died of exposure.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2024/03/liverpools-dead-interesting-childwall.html
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