A Likely Lad (in Poynton, Cheshire)

I was wandering around the graveyard of St. George’s Church, Poynton, in Cheshire, searching for the headstones of some of my Poynton and Adlington ancestors (on my father's side of the family).

Many of the graves were overgrown or the inscriptions were covered in ivy or other creepers.

Two police-women suddenly appeared and asked me if I’d seen “two likely lads” prowling around a few minutes earlier: they’d received a tip-off that they were acting suspiciously.

As I was on my own (my wife was waiting in the car), I assumed that I was not “a person of interest” or a “likely lad”, with my camera slung around my neck and a good reason to be there.

I hadn’t seen the lads (although I did see two young men fitting the description when I returned the following day; one of them was carrying a large black bag). They seemed innocent enough.

I eventually found the last grave I was seeking, and although I’d brought no tools apart from the pair of pliers I kept in the car, I managed to clear some of the long grass, prickly wild holly and weeds. 

I gave two of the headstones a wash-down so that the letters and dates became clearer.

I arranged for the kind volunteer with a strimmer to complete the job after we’d left.

If only the tombstones could talk...