The Hancock Collection
Dore Archives was recently given a collection of memorial cards. They had been sent to Joseph HANCOCK and his son Henry William HANCOCK of Rushley Farm in Dore. They range in date from 1853 to 1925. There are 81 names. They include 39 burials in the Sheffield area, 24 burials in Dore and nine in Staveley, where the Hancocks had strong family connections.
The cards are approximately 4 inches by 3 inches. They were printed after the burial and give the date and place of the internment. The cards usually give the age and date of death but only rarely the date of birth. A relative’s name and a short poem or quotation may also be included. They were posted to friends and relatives in black-edged envelopes.
Burials usually took place within three or four days of the death. Francis HOWARD of Nether Green in Sheffield died in Bridlington in 1905 and was buried in Sheffield just two days later - presumably thanks to a very efficient rail service. It is difficult to read on the envelope of his memorial card above, but the post mark looks like 23rd June (JU 23) which is only four days after Francis HOWARD was buried at Fulwood Church.
Types of Memorial Cards in the Collection
- Plain Cards:
This is a typical plain memorial card. This card also includes a verse.
- Opening Cards:
Although all are edged in black some also have silver borders (seen as grey on the scanned images)
- Sheets:
Sheets had black borders and were folded and posted in the same type of small, black-edged envelopes as the cards.
This memorial for Adam HOLMES gives the interesting additional information that he was a veteran of the the Peninsular War and Waterloo. He was married to Mary, sister of Richard FURNESS.
- Embossed:
These were often decorated with angels.
Sarah Hancock
Poignantly, there were a small number of unsent cards for Sarah HANCOCK, the wife of Henry William, who died in 1885 aged 35 years. The collection also includes a letter from her doctor to Henry, written the day after Sarah died, saying how deeply he regretted that he was unable to save her. It can be presumed she died in childbirth as her daughter, who survived, was baptised a month later.
Since the collection also included some envelopes (a few unfortunately empty) the research team have discovered that Henry William Hancock spent time in Australia and lived for a while in Stockport - all very intriguing.
You can download the four page pdf of the index with the basic information from the cards. If you would like a copy of a card please get in touch and we will send you the image.
Click here to download the pdf - opens in another tab