St Leonard the Less Church, Samlesbury

 

St Leonard the Less Anglican church is situated in Samlesbury, Potter Lane, in a sleepy hamlet.

Family connections recently brought me to make a visit. My uncle, the late Herbert Miller-Crook had often mentioned this church in connection with ancestors from Stanley Grange, home of the late Thomas Miller-Crook and his wife Alice (who later became Mrs Baxter in 1910).

This beautiful church is remarkable by its box pews. The churchwarden, Mr Daunton explained that there were few remaining churches in England which had retained box pews. 

They were allocated to specific families, indeed we see the de Hoghton pew, dating back to 1678. Other local families and dignataries such as Henry Fielden, conservative member of parliament for Blackburn from 1869-1875.

Mr and Mrs T Miller-Crook broke away from Holy Trinity Church, Hoghton, some time after the death of John Miller-Crook (Thomas' father) in November 1891. John, and other members of his family are buried there. Quite why the change I do not know, as both churches seem equidistant from Stanley Grange -  but John's brother Eli, a coal merchant of Crook and Thompson, had been a benefactor of Holy Trinity, donating the stained glass west window. 

Perhaps Thomas and Alice want to distance themselves from other members of the extensive Miller-Crook family in Hoghton? He did have six uncles and two aunts! Did they want to make their mark on a different church? I guess I will never know the answer to this question, but I think at St Leonard's church, Thomas would have had more connections  to Blackburn, where he grew up. His father John had had a brewing business in Darwen and owned many public houses  and properties in Blackburn. (See Stanley Grange post for more details).

They seem to have made very generous donations to Leonard the Less church. The porches were added in 1899 when Thomas also donated money to have the bell tower erected with a clock and peel of eight bells. 

Photo : The Miller-Crook tomb

His wife Alice, laid the corner stone which is now seriously eroded.

The font made from sandstone which dates from the 12th century had been in the churchyard for centuries. Mrs Glen Clayton kindly guided me around the church pointing out the various interesting features.

It was placed in the church in 1896 and Thomas Miller-Crook donated its cover. 

When Thomas and Alice's only son John Eric Jack Barker Crook died aged 8 in 1902, his parents had a stained glass window added to the church in his memory.

I do not know what he died of, but his death was registered in West Derby, Liverpool where he was staying at his Aunt's residence in Everton.

The lovely window behind the font is in memory of their son.

 

There is a side window shown below dedicated to Thomas's memory.

He died from a stroke 8th March 1905.

Thomas Miller-Crook's tomb is located outside the bell tower. His wife, son, and two daughter's are also interred in the same vault - Kate Edna died in died 12th March 1927, aged 34. Alice Leonarda (Betty) died 21st June 1971 aged, 70. The two sisters had married twins, Harold and Leslie Iddon, of Iddon Brothers Ltd, Leyland.

The primary school is located behind the tomb.

Kitty's obituary is interesting to read and was forwarded to me by Kitty's sister's granddaughter, Jenny Whybrow.