Beeston
St John the Baptist

Monuments and Memorials

(Note that in addition to the monuments listed here a number of the windows are dedicated in memory.)

Sunday School teachers' plaqueA carved wooden plaque on the north wall:

To the Glory of God and in remembrance of

HC Brown   FD Fox
FH Fox   PH Peadon

Teachers of this Sunday School who fell in the Great War 1914-1919.
Faithful unto Death.

In the middle of the north wall of the nave:

Near this place lie the remains of Susanna Fellows who died October XII MDCCCXLV aged XLII years. Her piety and benevolence endeared her to all who knew her and those who knew her best admired her most.

In the same grave lie the remains of Alfred Thomas Fellows who rejoined his beloved wife October IX MDCCCLXII Aged LXXI years. Their children arise up and call them blessed

In the chancel:

In loving memory of Lucy May Kirk born 2 March 1903 died 6 October 1940. Faithful Sunday School teacher for 21 years

AMDG In Piam memoriam Johannis Fellow Beestonensis Sedlia hoer posnit CFF Consenguinens AD MDCCCLXXV

Laudate Dominum Sanctis Ejus Amen

On the north wall of the nave, a brass plaque with the inscription:

To the dear memory of Frederick Donald Fox
2nd Lieutenant 17th Sherwood Foresters killed in action on the Somme nr Thiepval on 5 November 1916. Aged 20 years.
To the dear memory of Frank Herbert Fox
2nd Lieutenant Bedfordshire Regiment killed in action at Achiet-le-Petit and buried in the cemetery there 23 August 1918. Aged 20 years.
They were the delight of our eyes and a glorious fragrance clings around our memories of them. The Lord gaveth and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord

[The faculty raised to permit the memorial tablet to Frederick Donald Fox to be placed in the nave, dated 15 August 1917, exists - PR 26134 Nottinghamshire County Archives Office, plus a letter from the boys’ father, F J Fox of Cavendish Place, Beeston, requesting permission to put a memorial brass to his younger son dated 12 November 1918 - PR 26135.]

Hatchment (Rickards
coat of arms)
to left of chancel arch		 Hatchment (George III)
to right of chancel arch

There are two hatchments in the nave over the entrance to the chancel. To the left is the coat of arms of the Rickards family, who lived at the Old Manor House, West End. It is probably for John Rickards, who died in 1821. On the right are the arms of George III. This hatchment was restored after beingn found in the belfry in 1973. The arms of Queen Victoria are above the west door, as the church was rebuilt during her reign.

The Spendlove memorialOn the north wall of the nave:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
GERVASE THORPE SPENDLOVE
OF THE WILLOWS, BEESTON,
AT FIRST A DESPATCH RIDER
AND AFTERWARDS 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE
SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT.
KILLED IN ACTION NEAR YPRES NOVR 17TH 1914,
IN HIS 19TH YEAR.
“Greater love hath no man than this.”

[The faculty raised to permit this memorial tablet to be placed in the nave, dated 17 July 1915, exists - PR 26133 Nottinghamshire County Archives Office.]

Walton memorialOn the north wall, to the left of the vestry door:

IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
HAROLD HENRY WALTON, MC
CAPTAIN, THE ROBIN HOODS,
OF THE MANOR HOUSE, CHILWELL.
KILLED IN ACTION
IN THE HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT, FRANCE,
WEDNESDAY, 13TH OCTOBER 1915,
IN HIS 21ST YEAR.
FACTA, NON VERBA.

Richards memorialAlso on the north wall, above and slightly to the left of the door:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN RICKARDS ESQ
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE AUGUST 2ND 1821,
IN THE 76TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
OF ANN HIS WIFE,
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECEMBER 12TH 1827,
AGED 63 YEARS.
OF MARGARET, THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER,
WHO DIED SEPTEMBER 4TH 1832, AGED 38 YEARS
AND SAMUEL, THEIR ONLY SON
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECEMBER 19TH 1857,
AGED 44 YEARS.
ALSO OF MARIA RICKARDS,
WHO DIED MARCH 26TH 1879,
AGED 80 YEARS.

Bigsby memorialImmediately above the vestry door, on the north wall:

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE REVD THOMAS BIGSBY, CLERK, M.A.
LATE FELLOW OF JESUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
AND 22 YEARS VICAR OF THIS PARISH.
ALSO VICAR
OF BURTON JOYCE WITH BULCOTE
IN THIS COUNTY.
WHO DIED 25TH OCTR 1821;
IN HOPES OF A HAPPY IMMORTALITY
AGED 65 YEARS.

Strey memorialAt the eastern end of the north wall in the nave:

Near this Place
Lie interred
The Remains of
RICHARD STREY, Gent.
Late of the Town of
Nottingham;
Who departed this Life
The 3rd Day of April 1797
Aged 86 Years.

Mason memorialAlso at the eastern end of the north nave wall, directly below the Strey memorial:

SACRED
to the Memory of
JOHN BALL MASON Esqr
late of BEESTON,
who died 24th Decr 1809,
Aged 37 Years

In the Chancel:

Organ installed 1903. Sound modification inc in memory of Edna Benfield 1898-1995
AMDG Et Inpiam Memoriam Johannis Basilii Oldham MA Oxon E Clericis Ecclesiae S Jacobi apud Westmonasterienses qui in Jesu obdormiut intra octavam paschae die xii Aprilis AD MDCCCLXXI. Hoc organum amplificavit et exornavit amicus carolus franciscus fellows hujus patrochiae AD MDCCCLXXVI

At the base of the pulpit:

To the glory of God and in memory of T J Oldrini MA of Queens College, Oxford, Vicar of this parish 1854-85. Erected by parishioners and friends

Above the statue to Mary on the south side of the chancel arch, there is a blue and white plaque which reads:

In the glory of God and in affectionate memory of May Howard died 14 September 1935 and May Cutler died 29 December 1935 after many years devoted service in the girls’ friendly society. Erected by members and friends

Watson memorial in the porch

In the porch, a bronze plaque which reads as follows:

TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF
JOHN WATSON ESQR WHO DIED NOVR 18TH 1876 AGED 85.
FOR MANY YEARS A LIBERAL BENEFACTOR TO THIS
CHURCH AND PARISH, AND IN RECOGNITION OF WHOSE
WORTH THE TWO TREBLE BELLS OF THIS CHURCH
WERE ADDED BY THE INHABITANTS OF BEESTON AND
NEIGHBOURHOOD ON NINTH DAY OF JULY 1877.