©LDS Newbory

©LDS Newbury

MORMONS in Newtown Road Cemetery

On Sunday 22^nd January Ros and I went to the Mormon church on Pinchington lane, to the opening of an exhibition, on their early history in Newbury. 

We knew that the Mormons were quite active in Newbury in the 19^th century, and we also knew of at least two Mormons buried in Newtown Road Cemetery and so duly arrived with their 2 biographies. There were quite a lot of people present and they were very welcoming and produced soup (no coffee, tea or alcohol!) and food. 

They had done a lot of work on their early history and had produced an impressive set of Panels. 

Of our two biographies, the first, regarding William Westall (C1825-1880) and Mary Ann Westall (C1821-1883), (both buried in NRC) was new to them.  When they checked their online records, they did have them listed.  They were very grateful for the additional information. 

William, of Jack Street and later Marsh Street, an employee of Samuel Biddis, was a bricklayer and journeyman painter.   In November 1869 he had performed the physical part of the ceremony of 'Beating the Bounds' of Newbury Borough (an activity done every 7 years).  He was also a member of the local Fire Brigade.  William and Mary had lost several children but did have a Francis Maroni (a clue in the name!), who reached maturity and lived in Speen.   William’s widowed  mother Sarah Westall,  had earlier, in 1853, emigrated to the USA, with a party of Mormons from Newbury on the Utah trail, and joined her daughter Mary Ann Canning and family at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co., lowa.

What became apparent from the exhibition was that a large number of Newbury Mormons emigrated to Utah, thereby almost totally depleting their numbers in Newbury, such that the church, in the early part of the 20^th century, appeared not to exist. 

The migrations were hard, and many did not survive. They died whilst crossing the USA from accidents or diseases such as cholera.  Our second biography meshed perfectly with one of their stories and showed just how tragic life was for these early “Saints”. 

We have the story of a little one-year-old girl, Catharine Squires (1849-1850) buried in NRC.  She was born in Newbury,  the daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann Squires (nee Miles) who were married on the 9th June 1832 in Luton, Bedfordshire.  In those days there was, unfortunately, nothing unusual about a child dying except that in this case on the 28th September she was buried by the Rev. Thomas Squires   -   her father!  He is listed in the 1851 census as a minister of the LDS church, living in Chubb’s yard, and had travelled from Luton where his other six children had been born. 

Three years later the Squires family emigrated to the USA, from Liverpool, aboard the S/S GOLCONDA, destined for Salt Lake City, Utah, and arrived in New Orleans on the 18th March 1854. 

Of the original nine people in Newbury in 1849 (father, mother and seven children) only three survived and the sad story is best continued  using  the Mormon’s own panel.

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