War Graves

In the churchyard at of James' Staveley there are three casualties of World War 1 and 3 casualties of World War 2. At their Remembrance Day Service children from Staveley School place poppy crosses on their graves.

1914-1918

Walter Edwin Chatham

Walter was born in 1894 in Leominster Hereford. His parents George and Esther had 11 children, born and raised in the Midlands. For many years, his father was a police officer, later an insurance agent so the family moved to different areas. From 1913 the family’s address was Mill House Scroggs Bridge Staveley.

Walter Chatham Headstone

Unfortunately, no military information has survived
but there is an In Memoriam in the Westmorland
Gazette on 27th December 1920:

“In Loving memory of Walter Edwin Chatham: died Hampstead Military Hospital”

Walter is buried in St James churchyard and has a CWGC Headstone.

His date of death was 19th December 1919 and he was 26 years old.

Bertie Rawlinson Nicholson

James & Dorothy Nicholson resided at Bankside Staveley, and James was a timber merchant. They had 8 children, the youngest son born in 1896 was Bertie Rawlinson Nicholson. His mother & all the children were born and grew up in Staveley, and in the 1911 Census Bertie, then 15, was assisting in his father’s business. Towards the end of the war, Bertie enlisted as a private in the Machine Gun Corps but was soon hospitalised.

An In Memoriam Bertie Nicholson headstonefrom the Westmorland Gazette.

“Died at Cannock Military Hospital of pneumonia.

From his parents, Bankside, Staveley”.

Bertie is interred in the family plot in St James Churchyard, Staveley.




Samuel Raven

In 1901 JSamuel Raven ohn & Mary Ann(known as Polly) Raven lived at The Square Staveley with their 8 daughters and 2 sons. Samuel was the elder son, born in 1890. John & all his children were born in Staveley. In 1911 Samuel & his father were employed at Staveley Woodturning as bobbin turners. 

He served for over 2 years in India in the 1st/4th Border Regiment.

An article in the Westmorland Gazette says:Samuel Raven headstone

“Died after a long illness. He was invalided home from India in May 1918”

Samuel died on 10 April 1919, aged 29, leaving a wife Olivia, whom he had married in 1915 and a little daughter. Samuel is buried in St James Churchyard, Staveley.



1939-1945

Sergeant Herbert Hewitt,  flight engineer, was killed on active service on 27th January 1944. Herbert Hewitt headstone

He was the husband of Ivy Hewitt and the youngest son of Mr & Mrs W. Hewitt of Abbey Square Staveley.

He joined the RAF in 1940, prior to which he was employed by Messrs. McCormack’s Kendal before accepting an appointment with the London Co-operative Society Ltd.


Private Alan Wilson died at home as the result of an accident on the 16th March 1944.Alan Wilson

He was the son of Edward & Bell Wilson of Staveley. He had seen active service in North Africa, Sicily & Italy.



Sergeant Isaac Morris was killed on active service on 18th July 1944, whilst returning from operations over enemy territory. He had served in the RAF for over 2 years.

Issac MorrisHe was the only son of Mr & Mrs Joseph Morris of 34 Mint Street Kendal.





Alan Wilson and Isaac Morris were cousins.Alan Wilson and Issac Morris headstone







Further details of the WW1 soldiers will be added to Our WW1 Remembrance page around the time of the 100th anniversary of their deaths.