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.
WEEKES, Esther
A mother of 10
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…
MILTON, Maria
Maria MILTON gave birth to 11 children, a challenging life that ended in Horton Asylum.
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,…
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…
DODD, George
The French Polisher
PEDLEY, Byron
The boisterous, Victorian star of the stage
VAHID, Henrietta
b.1873-d.1915 A story full of mysteries and unanswered questions Henrietta Vahid was buried in Horton Estate Cemetery at Epsom in Grave number 1789b on the…
BARNET, Enid
Daughter of famous colonial architect who built Sydney.
APPLETON, Caroline Sophia
b.1831-d.1911 Caroline’s parents Caroline Sophia Appleton was born Caroline Sophia Barnaschina in the 1st quarter of 1831 in Gravesend, Kent. Her parents were upholsterer Anthony…
YOUNG, Kate
b.1862-d.1920 Kate’s parents Catherine – or Kate as she would later be known – was the seventh of the eight children born to Joseph Young…
STREET, John
It is not clear why John entered Manor hospital. His family were interesting. John's brother George, a builder, left £6m in his will. His son…
WILSON, Frederick Leon
The common story of someone with epilepsy whose life was marred by a lack of understanding of the condition.
GORSUCH, Joseph
b.1846 - d.1916 Joseph Francis Gorsuch was born on the 7th of May 1846 at City Road, St Luke, Shoreditch, London, England to parents William…
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,…
ABBOTT, Mary Winchester
The Yale graduate and published author
FLETCHER, George
Was an unfortunate accident responsible for this man's epilepsy?
KOEKKOEK, Hendrick B.
A famous Dutch artist from a famous artistic family; yet missing from the historical records. Why did this son end up at the Asylum?
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…
WHITROD, Elizabeth
Coping with 6 family deaths within 4 months
COPELAND, Mary Ann (née Myring)
b.1845-d.1915 Mary Ann’s parents Mary Ann Myring’s birth is registered in the 4th quarter of 1845 in Sapcote which is a small town around 12…
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…
DE JONG, John
b.1873-d.1912 Let us start this story at the point in time when John de Jong, a ship’s steward who had travelled extensively, exhibited signs that…
CLAYTON, Ada
Ada proved a little elusive to find at first.Thanks to the visitor book, the author then found her husband and more of her short life…
BOWDERY, Agnes Bessie
b.1844-d.1914 Agnes Bessie Corke was born in the 4th Quarter of 1844 in the Registration District of Camberwell, London, although her actual birth place was…
HIRONS, Matilda Lucy
b.1861-d.1909 Matilda's parents In 1858, Henry Franklin Hiron, an engineer, married Matilda Fell in Stepney. Matilda was the daughter of another engineer and plumber, Richard…
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…
WATERER, Richard James
A 20ft fall led to strange behaviour
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…
SIMCOCK, Ellen (Nellie)
We are not sure why Ellen (Nellie) Simcock entered Manor Asylum but she was visited often by family members
CARTWRIGHT, Walter
A story revisited by the author when invaluable case notes came to light at the London Metropolitan Archives. What followed resulted in a thorough family…
SPACKMAN, Lily Sophia
The giggling tomboy
MAURISCHE, Marie Theresa
Additional difficulty of not speaking English
BAILEY, Kate
b.1882-d.1914 Kate Bailey née Cheer was born in 1882 in Abingdon, Berkshire to a farming family. Unfortunately, there is little cheer in this family’s story,…
BELLAMY, Louisa
Lost her twin brother, aged 4
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…
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…
CARTER, George James (James George)
Christ's brother or King of England?
FLAXMAN, Elizabeth
The tailoress suffering depression
PENFOLD, Edward Charles
b. 1853-1908 Early Years 1850s to 1870s Edward Charles Penfold was born on 6 Nov 1853 in Holborn, Middlesex, registration district St Luke’s. His parents…
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…
HOLTON, Emma
The sad story of Emma of whom we know very little. She was born without speech and spent most of her life away from her…
EVANS, Ida Ellen
b. 1876 - d. 1913 1870s Born Ida Ellen Jacobs, Ida's birth was registered in the 1st Quarter of 1876 in the Registration District of…
MAPLE, Louisa
b.1854 - d.1923 What do we know? The address book contains details of a son, Frederick Maple, son Henry & Edith Maple, daughter, E. Redsull…
STASZEWICZ, Felicja
How the Russian Revolution destroyed a family of Polish nobility
COPPING, Ada
An epileptic since birth
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. …
EARING, Mary Ann
There is no hint of any mental health problems until Mary Ann enters the Asylum in 1899. He family remain attentive and visit her many…
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.
CAMPBELL, Emily Elizabeth
The Domestic Servant
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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ALDER, Sarah
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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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BARRETT, Edward Dillon
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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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BEECH, Thomas
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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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BERRY, Henry
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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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CALFE, William
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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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COLEMAN, Mark
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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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COOPER, William Henry
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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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DAWES, Jane Eliza
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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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HARTLEY, Richard Johnson (Robert)
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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, Daisy Lilian
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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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JONES, Thomas
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JORDAN, Edward George
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JOSLIN, Ada
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JOYCE, Bertha
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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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Lendvai, Peter Erwin
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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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LINSTEAD, Edward Charles
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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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PICK, John
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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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REEVES, Caroline
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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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SHEARMAN, 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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TARR, Samuel Peter
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TAYLOR, Robert
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TENNANT, Herbert John
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THEO, Walter
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THOMPSON, Samuel Thomas
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THREDGILL, Lavinia pply. Nevilla Elizabeth
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TIDYMAN, Samuel
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TREVAIL, Gertrude
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TRIGGS, George
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TURNER, Elizabeth
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TYSON, John
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WALKER, George
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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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WHITE, Emma
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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