ONE of the oldest residents in a village near York has unveiled a memorial stone created in memory of its lost babies - including her own daughter.

Peggy Brown, who has lived all her life in Escrick, between York and Selby, unveiled the stone in the churchyard of St Helen’s Parish Church, in memory of numerous still births, infants and children who were buried there without gravestones in former times.

Peggy’s daughter, Valerie, who lived for only a month in 1951, was buried in an unmarked grave there.

The memorial stone, donated by J W Myers Monumental Masons, has been laid in the part of the churchyard where victims of the all too high rate of infant mortality were buried.

It reads: “Remembering with love the babies and children buried in this part of the churchyard who have no marked graves.”

The memorial was unveiled by Peggy, assisted by her daughter Jane Gardener, during a simple, special service of remembrance led by Lay Reader Chris Elliott, and supported by representatives of the Mothers’ Union.

St Helen’s churchwarden Caroline Wandless said that as part of a heritage programme following a successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, an oral history project had been undertaken.

“Peggy Brown was one of those interviewed and she revealed the sad story of the loss of a month old daughter, Valerie, who was buried in an unmarked grave.

“A search of the registers confirmed that in times of shocking infant mortality, especially in the later nineteenth century, there were scores of lost infants, each one a tragedy to their families, and who were laid to rest in this part of St Helen’s churchyard.

“Once the idea of a memorial was suggested, it gained heart-warming support and I would particularly like to thank Peggy and her family, J W Myers, the Mothers’ Union, Chris Elliott and our heritage volunteers for making this lovely memorial possible.”

The parish church was built in 1857 and is a Grade II* Gothic Revival building, which has recently been fully refurbished and revitalised.