CH72. Black stone in floor
Here Lies the Body of / HENRY SOMNER SEDLEY Esq. / of this Parish. He was Born in 1708 / And Married to CATHARINE WEEDEN / Daughter of JOHN WEEDEN Esq. / of Uxbridge in 1729. He died July / the 7th 1755, Aged 47 Years / Also the Body of
CATHARINE / his Wife. She was Born Feb: ye 7th / 1708 and Died April ye 7th 1747 / Aged 39 Years / Also the Body of Miss SARAH / Daughter of HENRY & CATHARINE / SEDLEY. She Died June ye 7th 1755 / Aged 22 Years.
In the south aisle just in front of the organ chamber there is a large black grave stone on the floor which is not in a very good condition and it’s hard to read. Thankfully we have the transcript of the wording from the survey completed a few years ago by the Middlesex Family History Society.
The grave belongs to Henry Somner Sedley who was born in 1708 and died in 7th July 1755 aged 47. His wife Catharine (nee Weeden) is buried with him and she died in 1747 and also their daughter Sarah who died in 1755 aged 22, just one month before her father. Parish registers from this time provide very little information other than a name, age and date of burial, no details of cause of death or even home address is given, although I have found out from Henry’s will that he owned land in Cowley, Hillingdon Uxbridge and Ickenham, so possibly he was a farmer.
Having been widowed in 1747, Henry married again in January 1749 to Elizabeth Clarke, a widow, and the ceremony took place at St Laurence Cowley.
Christine Bartlett