St. Augustine's Churchyard, Rugeley.

In the churchyard at St. Augustine's, the parish church in Rugeley there can still be found many
of links to the William Palmer story.

The Grave of John Parsons Cook:
John Parsons Cook, Palmer's friend and fellow racegoer, was buried in Rugeley.

St Augustine's Churchyard   John Parsons Cook Grave
The Grave of John Parsons Cook for whose murder Palmer was hanged.
Pictures taken by D. Lewis 2003.
Click here for a web link to the full story of John Parsons Cook

Palmer family vault

The Palmer Family Vault:

The Palmer family Vault (Left)
from the Illustrated Times of February 2nd 1856.
By then Joseph William's father, his wife Ann, his brother Walter and 4 of William's 5 children
were buried in the vault
 
This photograph (Right)
of the Palmer Family vault
was taken by D. Lewis in 1980.
The house in the background on the right
is where Palmer was raised.

Palmer himself was buried within
the precincts of Stafford Gaol.

 Family vault 1980
 
Family vault 2001

Palmer Family Vault. (Left)
Picture taken by D. Lewis in January 2001
The top of the vault lies flat with
the end side supports strewn
on the ground to the right

 
Click here for a web link to the story of the Palmer Family Vault

The Gravestone of Leonard Bladen:

Leonard Bladen died in Palmers House
and his death formed one of the deaths that the newspapers in 1856 referred to as "The Rugeley Tragedies". Bladen's gravestone lies flat
beside the low wall that borders the graveyard
beside Station Road. It is the 59th gravestone
along from the gap in the wall (by the zebra crossing).

 Leonard Bladen's grave
Click here for a web link to the full story of Leonard Bladen

Mrs Palmer's House:

Opposite the churchyard to the right of
the ruined Old Chancel stands the house
where William Palmer was born and
where he spent his childhood.
Although it is now partly hidden
by the trees that have grown in the
front garden it can be seen more
clearly in the picture below.

 

Click here to link to the story of Palmer's childhood

 

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