In the 1700s, the Gorners were primarily methodists and many records of Gorner deaths can be found in the St Thomas Parish Registry. In the 1800's, the Gorner family appear to have drifted in their religious views. Some of the family are buried in St Thomas's methodist church yard, some in St Oswald's RC church yard and others in Our Lady (where most of my immediate relatives are).
All the early male Gorners from the Ashton in Makerfield (and some in the Preston area) appear to have been manual workers, usually associated with the many coal mines in the area. The female Gorners worked in factories or on farms. The manual working and associated poverty of the time explains to some extent the absence of graves in St Thomas's even though the records indicate many Gorner burials there.
The following pictures are of related Gorner graves.
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The grave of Isaac, Annie Elizabeth and Elsie Gorner in Our Lady on Rectory Road in Downall Green. |
The grave of Miriam and Horace Leslie Gorner (founder of HL Gorner Mercedes garage) in Our Lady. |
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The grave of Alice, James, Stanley and Glenella Gorner in Our Lady. |
The grave of Norman Gorner (husband of Mildred) |
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The grave of Joseph and William H Gorner in St Oswalds RC on Liverpool Road. |
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The grave of Mary May and William Brennan in St Oswalds RC. |
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The grave of Ann Gorner in St Oswalds RC. |
