An unusual gravestone by Lesley Nicholson
In St Mary’s Church churchyard facing the west door and several rows distant, there is a rusty metal gravestone complete with railings. Have you, like me, ever wondered who was buried there? Tantalisingly my father, a life-long resident of Tickhill, could only tell me that it was made by the local blacksmith for his wife. What an unusual touching tribute, I have always wanted to find out more.
Recently the mystery has been solved. A photograph of the inscription has come to light “In loving memory of/ Christiana Millicent/ the beloved wife of/ Martin Bingham/ Died Dec 16th 1917/ Aged 57 years/ At rest” and with the help of Ancestry I have discovered a few details of Martin and Millicent’s (as she seems to have been known) life together.
Martin was born in Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire, in 1860. His father Thomas was a wheelwright and he, his parents and three siblings, lived with Martin’s maternal grandparents, Edward and Ann Paley. The 1871 census shows the Binghams had by that date moved to a home of their own in Middle Street, Misson. Millicent was also born in 1860, in Misson, where her father was a farmer and she lived in the village throughout her childhood. Is this how Martin and Millicent met, were they childhood sweethearts?
By the time of the 1881 census Millicent was in service as a cook domestic, living in Withington, near Manchester. By contrast Martin had only moved a few miles away to Blyth, where he was now a blacksmith, lodging with the Gyles family.
The young couple married on 5 August 1883 at St George’s Church, Doncaster, and continued to live in Blyth where their first two children, Mary and Horace, were born.
When Thomas arrived on 17 August 1889 the family were living in Westgate, Tickhill, in the vicinity of Church Lane and the Carpenters Arms. The 1911 census records the family had grown, with the addition of Glanville, 
Alice, John and George and that they were still living in Westgate and Martin was still working as a blacksmith.
View of Westgate looking east towards the Castle with the Carpenters Arms on the left beyond the entrance to Church Lane
After Millicent died on 16 December 1917 aged 57 years Martin created this lasting memorial to his wife. It has stood the test of time better than many of its stone counterparts, although sadly the inscription, painted by local man William Wardingley, has long since disappeared. Martin died in 1935 aged 74 years and hopefully he is interred with his beloved wife. Their son Glanville is buried with his wife Ada in the plot behind his parents.
The 1939 register shows all the Bingham sons living in Tickhill and the daughters Mary and Alice living together in service in Bennetthorpe. Many of their descendants are still residing in Tickhill.
Two views of Westgate looking west
Photos courtesy of Lesley Nicholson, Sue Green and TDLHS