This is the grave of Jeremiah Crutchley of Bloxwich, my great, great, great grandfather. Jeremiah was born on January 13th, 1809 to William and Sarah Crutchley (nee Poyner) of Great Wyrley. He was baptised on February 7th, 1809 at Wednesbury Methodist chapel. It was through the records of this chapel that I confirmed Jeremiah's status as my ancestor.

Jeremiah married Ellen Morgan at St Matthew's Parish Church, Walsall on September 29th, 1831. As far as I can ascertain, they parented two children, Thomas and William.

On February 5th, 1838, Jeremiah, now a widower, married Sarah Starkey again at St Matthew's Church, Walsall. His occupation at this time, according to the marriage certificate was a miner. Certainly at this time there were many coal mines close to Bloxwich where Jeremiah was living.

The 1840 tithe map for Bloxwich indicates that Jeremiah was by this date the tenant landlord of the Vine Inn at Short Heath. According to the 1841 census for Bloxwich, Jeremiah was a Publican. The 1851 Directory of Walsall lists him as the keeper of a 'Beer House', the equivalent of the modern day public house, at the time he was living at or near modern day New Street in Bloxwich, an area known as Short Heath at that time. I am not certain where Jeremiah's beer house was located, the historical records simply do not provide that much detail. However, the image below shows the approximate location of Jeremiah's home, New Street in Bloxwich, on the evening of 23rd December 2023.

In 1851, the census records that Jeremiah was a 'Retail Broker' and 'Coal Miner'. The 1861 census shows that he was a 'Grocer' and 'Broker', at the time living at number 69 on the High Street in Bloxwich.

On May 10th, 1855, Mary Ann Somerfield gave birth to Jeremiah's son, also called Jeremiah. He is my great, great grandfather.

On July 10th, 1876, again a widower, he married Ann Summerfield, once more at St Matthew's Church, Walsall. At this time, his occupation, according to the marriage certificate was 'General Broker'. The 1881 census for Bloxwich describes Jeremiah as a 'Grocer'.

Jeremiah died on August 19th, 1883 aged seventy-four, and is buried at Field Road cemetery in his home town of Bloxwich. According to the death certificate, he had been suffering from disease of the liver, heart and kidneys for one year before his death.

In his will, Jeremiah left the sum of £128 13s 6d to his wife Ann Crutchley. The inscription on Jeremiah's headstone reads: 'In affectionate remembrance of Jeremiah Crutchley of Bloxwich, who died August 19th 1883 aged seventy six years. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord'. The biblical quote is from Revelation chapter 14, verse 13.

January 13th, 2009 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Jeremiah Crutchley. To mark the occasion, on Saturday 17th, January 2009 three generations of the present day Crutchley family, all of us Jeremiah's direct descendants, visited his grave in Bloxwich. The photograph included below records the event. Present were Sidney E. Crutchley (65), Gary S. Crutchley (40), Lewis G. Crutchley (12), Cory M. Crutchley (7) and Miles W. Crutchley (5).