General Cemetery, Nottingham

This little story starts a long time ago…………

How does one ‘start’ a story about ancestors?

My wife’s ancestors, on her maternal side, take us back to John Kinley Tener I and his family. John and Mary, who had six sons: Robert born 1824; George born 1824; John K. born 1828; Francis born 1830; Edward born 1834; and, Hampden born 1836. The youngest son, Hampden, also married a Wallis descendant.

The first born son George married a daughter of James and Susan Cole WALLIS. On page 37 of the Tener Blue Book we are told: “THE WALLIS FAMILY. The Wallis family of Nottingham, England, of which James Wallis was the founder of the Church of Christ in England, is charted with the Frost line, showing two connections with the Tener line.” Susan Wallis, who married George, had an older sister named Eliza who was born in 1820.

Sometime in 2004 I discovered that James Wallis, who had died in 1867, had been buried in Nottingham. In communicating with The Superintendent of the Northern Cemetery of Nottingham I learned that James had been buried at the General Cemetery.

We located the General Cemetery in the center of Nottingham. It had previously been described to me as an unattended cemetery. On the city map, it appeared to be quite large.






Here is the entrance to 'The General Cemetery', Nottingham, as viewed from the street.












This depicts an informational sign inside the entrance:

Overview of the cemetery:

I think that this reflects how closely the head stones were placed. I think it safe to say a good many of the head stones were very legible, and as an older cemetery, many dated to the 19th and 18th centuries.

Before we went to England, about one year before, I was in contact with the Cemetery people. They sent me information about the location of the Wallis graves, but when we got to Nottingham - I discovered I had left the map at home! So, I went looking through the acres of headstones. However, I did recall that this headstone was off to one side, that had an odd angle to it. So, at least I was able to start off in the right direction.

After perhaps 20 to 30 minutes, I was able to locate the first 'family' headstone.

This is the headstone for James Wallis, and it reads:

In affectionate rememberance of James Wallis who for 31 years was the beloved and zealous pastor of the church meeting in Salem Chapel, Barker Gate. He was born at Kettering Dec. 27, 1793 and died at his residence in the park on May 17, 1867.

Later, after the death of his wife, the following was added:

Also of Sarah his beloved wife

born at Donnington, Lincolnshire

Sepr 23rd 1794

Died March 3rd 1874

Also of Sophia, wife of

John Wallis

1834 - 1902

Also of the above named

John Wallis

Born 7 April 1833 - died 29 July 1910

Precious in the eyes of the Lord is

the death of his saints. Psalm CXVI. 15. V.

To be continued: