Grandfathers Grave

A Memory of Caldbeck.

As a child my father frequently told me that his father was buried next to John Peel in Caldbeck graveyard. I now live in Australia, but in 1997 I visited Caldbeck hoping to see my grandfather's grave. Unfortunately it was not in Caldbeck graveyard. A kind lady from the church shop helped me by showing me a complete map of all the graves in the churchyard. There was not a grave with the name James Rice on it. I left in great disappointment, but on my return home I began to trace my family tree and discovered that my father had been born in Thorn Tree Cottage, Caldbeck and his mother's family had lived there and at Cleator Moor for quite a long time.
My ancestors were the Whelpdales of Argill House, Stainmore and they  married into the Thornborrow family. I had lived in my younger days at Lazonby and Witherslack, where some of the Thornborrows also lived and died. In 2009 I have planned a return visit to Caldbeck, a journey which I expect to be much more satisfying as I am now armed with so much more information. I am looking forward to it greatly and now I understand why I have such an affinity with Cumbria.

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