The Coultate Tomb
Discovered
On a cold, wet,Tuesday, April 3rd 2018, my daughter Helen and I descended on St. Peter's church in search of the final resting place of my great, great grandfather, Dr. William Miller Coultate.
From 1882 newspaper reports we knew he had been buried somewhere in St Peters and we thought he was inside, maybe in a crypt, but no one seemed to know where.
Over the past few years we had searched inside and out but had been unsuccessful.
After we parked in town and walked up to the church, alas it was locked. Undaunted Helen began hunting over the sodden, bramble covered ground.
But then a car drove into the church yard. It was a woman who was the church catering manager. We were able to look round the internal walls at the different plaques but found nothing. But just as she was about to lock up she pointed out a brass plaque in memory of him. It stated that he was interred outside in the church yard. We now began searching in earnest.
After sometime, suddenly, from under a distant holly tree there came a cry of delight - 'I've found it!'
Dr William Miller Coultate 1813 - 1882 At his passing he was:
Alderman of Burnley, Borough Magistrate, Chairman of the Gas Committee
Vice Chairman of the Improvement Committee
Chairman of the Trustees of the Mechanics Institution
Governor of Burnley Grammar School, President of the Burnley Choral Society
Chairman of the Liberal Association
Gallery brass plaque, tomb discovery, before cleaning, after cleaning (Click above)
St Peter's Church, Burnley