Our Volunteers and the Stories they write.
The following stories have been written by our volunteer researchers who are all amateurs, united by a deep-rooted passion to preserve the memory of those buried in Horton Cemetery.
Once written, the researchers often return to stories at a later date when further information is unearthed. Occasionally, the researchers find case notes and photographs in the local archives and these details are woven into the stories. Sometimes, family members have come forward to add detail to the stories.
If you believe that any of the following might be someone significant in your family history, please do not hesitate to contact us.
YEO, Marian Elizabeth
The silver polisher
CORKE, Henrietta
The author says, "This has been such an interesting case to try to unravel and kept a couple of us up to the early hours…
EFFEMEY, John
b.1851-d.1909 John’s family The Effemey name has been quite a challenge to research due to its change of spellings when transcribed. Effamy, Effemy, Efeny, Evamy,…
WATERER, Richard James
A 20ft fall led to strange behaviour
REEVE, Jane Sarah
b.1840-d.1912 Jane’s family Jane Sarah Reeve was born on 10th January 1840 and was baptised on 9th February 1840 in St Mary’s Church Marylebone. Her…
HOWARD, Frank
b. 1876 - d. 1912 Frank’s appearance in the Lunacy Register and his hospital admission form do not record his DOB but according to the…
COPPING, Ada
An epileptic since birth
HONEY, Joseph Thomas
b.1843 – d.1912 Early Life Joseph Thomas was the fifth of seven children born to Joseph Honey (1804-81) andMargery Couch (1811-66) who were both born…
BENTLEY or MACHON, Minnie
The young bookkeeper and the Silk Merchant
ENDERSON, Gertrude
b.1863-d.1918 Uncertain origins This lady’s birth is uncertain. Searching the registrations of birth I was unable to find a Gertrude Enderson born within two years…
FRESTON, Catherine Louisa
b. 1829 - d. 1914 Intro Catherine Louisa Edward’s precise date of birth is not known but she was baptised on the 24th August 1829…
FRANCIS, Amelia
The mysterious case of the Widow and the Decorator - The mystery of a lady who left home and was never seen again. Only years…
GARLAND, Percy Ernest
b.1882-d.1916 Percy's parents and siblings Percy Ernest Garland was born in Blackheath, Kent in the 4th Q of 1882, the fourth of six children. No…
WEEKES, Esther
A mother of 10
WILSON, Frederick Leon
The common story of someone with epilepsy whose life was marred by a lack of understanding of the condition.
TIDYMAN, Samuel
Escaped childhood murder!
KING, Harriet
b.1836 - d.1913 Introduction: I took on this story and at first thought it might be a nice easy one to complete, but how wrong…
LEWIS, James
b.1859-d.1912 James's parents and siblings James was born on 30 September 1859 in the Camden Union workhouse and at his baptism on 19 Oct 1859…
BIGFORD, Emma
b.1838 - d.1912 Early life – 1830s to 1840s Emma was born on 14th April 1838 in Paddington and lived to be nearly 74 years…
MILTON, Maria
Maria MILTON gave birth to 11 children, a challenging life that ended in Horton Asylum.
FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
b.1837-d.1910 Amy’s parents Amy was born in 1837 in Bermondsey, as Amey Presley. There is an entry in the GRO for Amey Presley, March quarter,…
HODGES, Annie Harriet
b.1831 - d.1911 Annie Harriet Conway was born on the 16th August 1831 in Holborn, Camden, England to parents Charles Conway and Ann Thiselton, she…
ROBERTS, Benjamin
Benjamin said he had made a harp with 1,000 strings and could play any tune and instrument! He worked as a musician.
GLENISTER, Arthur
b.1873-d.1917 Long Grove records have Arthur dying in 1917 at the age of 44, so he was born about 1873. I found his birth registered…
AITKEN, William
5½ weeks after he had his head cut open by being knocked down by some roughs in the street, William Aitken suffered a life of…
THREDGILL, Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth
b.1858-d.1911 Note: The unusual name has several different spellings throughout the archived documents. Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth Thredgill is the name on the burial record.…
KROMBACH, Edward
b. 1874-d.1912 On the 1911 Census form our subject signed his name Edward Krombach. However, during his lifetime his name appeared on documents variously as…
MORGAN, Alfred
Orphaned at 13
HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
b.1846-d.1930 Sarah’s story was brought to us by her family and they are happy for it to go on our website. They kindly provided the…
JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
b.1899-d.1918 Grace Ethel Primrose Jones was born on 19th April 1899. She was the eldest child of Frederick Albert Jones (1874 - 1927), a stationer's packer,…
HAYCOCK, Hannah
b.1868-d.1908 Hannah’s parents and siblings Hannah Haycock was born in 1868 in Rochford, Essex to parents Thomas and Caroline (née Thompson). Hannah was the eldest…
CASSAN, John Sheffield
The Hollywood film star's brother.
WOOD, Mary Ann
b.1837 - d.1911 Mary Ann Wood neé Pearce was born abt.1836 in Hackney, Middlesex, England. Her birth is too early to locate on the GRO…
CORBETT, John Francis
b.1858-d.1908 This story is probably typical of the majority of unfortunate people who passed through the asylum system during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. John…
PEDLEY, Byron
The boisterous, Victorian star of the stage
DUNKINSON, Matilda
b.1878 - d.1907 Dunkinson has been spelt in a variety of ways on the sources discovered, however I believe they are transcription errors and that…
FELL, Sachinais Alicia
b.1873 - d.1910 When I began my research into Sachinais, very little could be found. The only records showing such a name are the records…
BRYANT, Percy Henry
b.1890-d.1914 Percy’s family and early life Percy was born, the eldest of seven children, on 2nd December 1890 and baptised on 22nd February at St…
FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
The tailoress suffering depression
PFAFFENBACH, Augustus
The German Tailor who came to London
WHITROD, Elizabeth
Coping with 6 family deaths within 4 months
BOLTON, Thomas
b.1862 – d.1912. Thomas's family Thomas’s birth is recorded in records variously between 1859 (1891 Census) and 1862 (admission records)and no baptism has been found,…
PELHAM, George
Survivor of The Titanic
SEARS, Emma
b.1865-d.1914 Known Facts Emma Sears died at the age of about 49 whilst a patient at Manor Asylum, Epsom, Surrey. Her alleged age suggested a…
UNDERWOOD, Septimus Rowland
b.1873-d.1913 Septimus’s parents Septimus Rowland Underwood was born in Groton, Suffolk, in the 2nd quarter of 1873. He was the seventh of nine children born…
DODD, George
The French Polisher
RIDLEY, Valentine George
b.1892-d.1916 Valentine's family Valentine’s birth was registered in the 1st Q of 1892 in Greenwich, Kent. No baptism certificate has been found to confirm his…
MASSEY, Harriet
b.1832-d.1907 Death I have had to start at the end of Harriet Massey's life and try to work backwards in order to tell her story. …
MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
Additional difficulty of not speaking English
BURTON, Susan
She ordered extravagant luncheons both at Stafford and Northampton stations and had no money to pay for them. The delusion that she is a duchess…
In total, there are about 9000 stories to be written.
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ABBOTT, Mary Winchester
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ABER, James William
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AITKEN, William
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ALAIS, Sarah Elizabeth
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ALDRIDGE, Frederick William
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ALLEN, Mary Ann
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ALLIBON, Sarah Emma
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AMES, Agnes
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ANDERSON, Elizabeth Leslie
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ANDREWS, Kate
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APPLETON, Caroline Sophia
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ASHWELL, Amy
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ATKINSON, Alfred Brereton
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ATTWOOD, Leslie Charles
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AUDAIN, Cyril Bannatyne
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AUSTIN, Percy John
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AVES, Thomas
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BAHRUTH, Arnold
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BAILEY, Kate
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BAKER, Cassidy (née Trull)
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BAKER, Richard Joseph
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BANNISTER, Arthur
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BARFORD, Maria Celia
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BARNET, Enid
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Bartlett, Alfred
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BATES, Beatrice Miriam
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BATTY, Jane
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BEADON, Walter
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BECKETT, Ebenezer John
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BELLAMY, Louisa
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BELL, Herbert John
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BELL, James Kennedy
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BENTLEY or MACHON, Minnie
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BIGFORD, Emma
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BISHOP, Charles Joseph
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BLACKMORE, Arthur John
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BLACKWELL, Charles
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BLAZDELL, Mary Jane
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BLEWITT, Emily Florence
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BLOMQUIST, Caroline
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BOARD, Elizabeth
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BOLD, Maria
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BOLTON, Thomas
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BONNER, Mary Elizabeth
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BOULTON, Alfred William
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BOUTTELL, Catherine
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BOWDERY, Agnes Bessie
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BOX, Archibald
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BRANSCOMBE, Frederick Neyle
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BRANSGROVE, Louisa
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BREMMICOMBE, Henry
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BROGAN, Mary
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BROOK, Herbert
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BROWN, Alfred Albert
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BRYANT, Percy Henry
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BUCKERIDGE, Lily Ada
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BUNCE, Maurice
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BURFITT, Matilda Georgina
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BURTON, Susan
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BYFORD, Walter
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CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
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CAMPLISSON, George
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CAPLING, John
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CARPENTER, George
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CARR, Arthur
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CARTER, George James (James George)
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CARTWRIGHT, Walter
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CASSAN, John Sheffield
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CASSIE, George William
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CATHERWOOD, William Pearson
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CHANDLER, Emma May
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CHAPMAN, Harriett
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CHEESMAN, Annie
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CHESTERMAN, Henry
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CLARKE, George
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CLARKE, William Robert
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CLAYTON, Ada
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COATHUPE, Henry Waldegrave Lacey
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COLLIER, Isaac James
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COLLINS, John
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COLSON, Mary Ann
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COLTMAN, Martha
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COMPTON, Emma
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COOMBES, Elizabeth
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COOPER, Frederick
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COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
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COPPING, Ada
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CORBETT, John Francis
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CORKE, Henrietta
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COTTRELL, Edward
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COURTENAY, John MacArthur
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CRACKNELL, Alfred William
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CRESSWELL, Frank Ernest
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CROTTY, Susan
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CURSON, Charles Robert
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CURWOOD, Rose Hester
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CURWOOD, Thomas Edward
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CUSHNIE, George Barnes
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CUTHBERT, Alfred
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CUTHBERT, Thomasine
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DACOMBE, Amy
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DAVIS, Charles Augustus
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DAVIS, Evan James
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DEAN, George
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DEVERILL, Minnie
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DE JONG, John
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DICK, Andrea Elder
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DODD, George
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DOLDING, Annie
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DONEGAN, Lottie Enid
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DOODY, Thomas
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DORLEY, Harriet
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DOW, Charles
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DRINKWATER, John
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DUNCAN, Maud
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DUNCOMBE, Caroline
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DUNKINSON, Matilda
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D’ARENBERG, Arthur William
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EARING, Mary Ann
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EATON, Samuel
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EBELTHITE, Sarah
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EDWING, Elizabeth
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EFFEMEY, John
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ELLERTON, Edward
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ELVIN, Harry
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EMBLEM, Henry
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ENDERSON, Gertrude
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EVANS, Ida Ellen
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EVANS, James William Montague
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EYRE, Ada (née Heath)
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FAIRBRASS, Amy (Amey)
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FAY, Tottie
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FELL, Sachinais Alicia
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FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
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FLETCHER, George
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FLYNN, James David
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FOLWELL, Dora
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FORMAN, Thomas
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FOX, John
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FRANCIS, Amelia
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FRASER, Arthur Alfred
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FRESTON, Catherine Louisa
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FRIZELL, Frederick Robert
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FRYER, Edward
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FULLER, John Alfred
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FURY, Sylvester
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FUZZENS, William
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GALLIANO, James Price
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GARCÍA, Félix
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GARDNER, Thomas George
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GARLAND, Percy Ernest
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GEORGE, Frederica
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GERHARD, Marie
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GILBERT, George Frederick
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GILCHRIST, Jane
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GILLAM (GILLAN), Ellen
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GILLER, Frederick William
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GILL, Jane
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GLENISTER, Arthur
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GODBOLD, Florence Kezia May
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GODFREY, Susannah
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GOLDER, Edward
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GOMMERING, Elizabeth
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GOODING, George
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GOODING, Sarah Ann
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GORSUCH, Joseph
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GOYMER, Hugh
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GREENE, Archibald
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GREGG, Charlotte
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GUILMARTIN, Patrick Thomas
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HACKETT, Edward
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HALEY, Samuel Thomas
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HALLÉN, Hjalmar
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HALL née Grey, Emma Mary
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HAMILTON, Charles Frederick
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HAMILTON, Sarah Lloyd
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HANCOCK, John Charles
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HARDING, Harriet Emma
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HARDWICK, Dorothy
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HARLEY, Alice
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Harlock, Louisa
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HARMSWORTH, Louisa
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HARPER, James
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HARRIS, Rose Matilda Edith
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HARTNOLL, Thomas
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HAWKINS, Frederick
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HAYCOCK, Hannah
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HEATH, Lizzie
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HEDINGER, Otto John
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HELLICAR, Infant Child
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HENNESSEY, Charles
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HILLIER, Emily
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HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
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HODD, Edgar Horace
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HODGES, Annie Harriet
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HODLEY, Jane
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HOLDGATE, Charles
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HOLLIDGE, Martha
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HOLLIMAN, Emma
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HOLTON, Emma
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HONEY, Joseph Thomas
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HOPE, Julia
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HORRIGAN, William
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HORSEY, Joseph Maslen
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HORWOOD, William
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HOWARD, Emma
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HOWARD, Frank
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HOWE, Walter
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HOWKINS, Ann Barrows
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HUNT, John James
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HYATT, George
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JACKSON, Priscilla
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JAKEMAN, George
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JAMES, Annie
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JAMES, Henry Walter
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JAMES, Susan
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JELLIMAN, Elizabeth
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JERVIS, Arthur
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JOBLING, Sophia
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JOHNSON, William Arthur
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JONES, Archibald
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JONES, Grace Ethel Primrose
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JORDAN, Edward George
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JOSLIN, Ada
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JUDD, Minnie Marie Ann
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KEARNEY, Alfred
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KELLAND, Henry Philip Chambers
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KELLY, Henry
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KENNY, Alexander Sylvester John
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KENT, Edward John
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KIDD, James
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KILMINSTER, George Thomas
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KIMBER, Thomas
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KING, Ellen Mary
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KING, Ernest Albert
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KING, Harriet
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KLESENDORF, Alfred George
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KOEKKOEK, Hendrick B.
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KROMBACH, Edward
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KRZYZOWSKI, Josef
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LAIT, Alfred Benjamin
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LAMBERT, Fannie Ethel
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LANDROS, Peter
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LARNER, Emily
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LAUGHTON, Ethel
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LEFEVRE, Edmond Frederick
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LEIGH, Jessie
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LEVELL, Nellie Louisa
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LEVERETT, John Henry
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LEWIS, Francis
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LEWIS, James
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LEWIS, William Grosvenor Joseph
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LIDDIARD, William Bromley
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LUSK, George Alfred
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MAIDMENT, Edward
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MANNOCK, Walter
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MAPLE, Louisa
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MARHAM, Adeline Miriam
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MASON, Benjamin Albert
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MASSEY, Harriet
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MASTIN, Alfred
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MAUER, Charles
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MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
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McCLOUD, David Drummond
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MCDONALD, Ethel
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McGOVARIN, Laura
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MEAD, Daisy
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MEIN, Alexander
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METROSOGLOW, John
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MILTON, Maria
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MINCHER, Samuel
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MOORE, Henry
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MORGAN, Alfred
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MORGAN, Jemima
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MORIVAL, Louis
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MORRISH, Mary
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MOSS, Joseph William
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MOSS, Thomas
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MOUSLEY, Edward Lawford Girling
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MUNDAY, Mary Ann
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MUNDY, George
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MUNRO (née Saunders), Sarah
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MURRELL, James
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PAPE, William Edwin
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PARKER, Walter Gilbert
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PARKYNS, Ann
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PASKELL, Kate
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PASTEAU, Maurice
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PAULSON, George Grant
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PAXTON, William Spencer
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PEDLEY, Byron
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PELHAM, George
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PENFOLD, Edward Charles
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PENN, Rose Esther
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PENN, William George Joseph
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PENZA, Peter
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PETERSON, Sophia
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PFAFFENBACH, Augustus
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PHILLIPS, William
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POPPLEWELL, James
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POSFORD, Emily Caroline
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POULTON, George Henry
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PRESTRIDGE, Frederick
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PUTMAN, William John
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PYATT, Sidney
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PYM, Edward
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RAINE, James George
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RAYSON, Walter Sydney
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READ, George Richard
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REEVE, Jane Sarah
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RIDLEY, Valentine George
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ROADS, Francis Elliot
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ROBB, David
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ROBERTS, Benjamin
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ROENNE (Ferdinand) Frederick Adam
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ROLFE, Thomas Philip
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RUDKIN, Elizabeth Jane
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RUMBOLD, Bertram
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RYAN, Mary
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SABEY, George David
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SADLER, Thomas
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SAGE, Henry Charles
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SAWKINS, Thomas
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SCAMBLER, Thomas William
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SCHMIDT, Ethel
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SCOTT, Alexander
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SEARS, Albert
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SEARS, Emma
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SHINE, John James
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SHORTLAND, Edward James
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SHREEVE, Lottie
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SIMCOCK, Ellen (Nellie)
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SIMMONS, William
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SKERMER (also Skinner/Skirner), Charles
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SKILLINGS, Samuel
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SKINNER, Alfred
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SKULL, Mark
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SMITH, Emily Clara
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SOAR, Mary Ann
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SODEN, George
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SOPER, George Edward Worsley
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SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
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SPRING, Elizabeth
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SPURRETT, Thomas Richard
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SPURRET, Walter George Blofeld
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STACE, Louisa
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STAFFORD, Henry Alfred
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STANDLY, Louisa
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STASZEWICZ, Felicja
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STEBBINGS, Mahala
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STIDDIFORD, Edith
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STREET, John
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SULLIVAN, Agnes
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SWAN, Ernest Paul
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SYKES, Gertrude
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SYMES, David
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WALLACE/WALLISS, Frederick
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WALL, John William
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WALTER, Mary Elizabeth
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WARD, Caroline
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WATERER, Richard James
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WATKINS, Caroline
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WEEKES, Esther
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WESLEY, James
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WHEELER, Ada Elizabeth
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WHITAKER, Isabella
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WHITROD, Elizabeth
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WILSON, Eleanor Lydia Kate
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WILSON, Frederick Leon
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WOODCOTE, Mary
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WOOD, Mary Ann
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WRIGHT, Eliza