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Todwick churchyard – headstone of James Needham who died in 1777
Published: 2 February 2026
The primary function of the Todwick Church garden gang is the general maintenance of the churchyard to prevent overgrowth of foliage and grass. In addition, when time allows, they also tidy and clean head stones and grave furniture of those plots that are no longer tended by descendants or others. This latter activity can be very instructive as details and dates of decedents are discovered which give clues to the lives of people buried herein.
One such grave that has attracted interest is that of JAMES NEEDHAM. He was born in Harthill, lived and worked in Sheffield and retired to Todwick where he died. He married Mary Needham (nee Creswick) in 1744 and had six children. He worked as an Excise Officer and died in 1777 aged 63 years. His headstone at the SE corner adjacent to the church chancel reads:
Here
lieth the bodey of
James……………n
who
departed this life
November 3rd 1777
aged 63 years
His surname has been almost totally excised from the headstone. Does anyone know why this may be?
Thanks are due to Mr Brian White who provided a detailed list of interment sites in the graveyard.
Please contact Steven Beck with any information, email: stevenbck7@gmail.com