If anyone can help with this, please do by adding what you know with a comment.

Dear Pont Valley Forum.

I stumbled upon your website when I was researching something for my colleague. We live in Portsmouth, but both originate at different times, from your area (Dipton and Stanley).

Ours is a strange story which I would be happy to share with you later, if anyone's interested.

Firstly though, I'm appealing for help from any one of your members who can offer it please.

My colleague Elizabeth is trying to find her mother's grave which she believes is in St. Ives graveyard. Her mother died while giving birth to her on December 5th 1951.

I believe her parents had only been married 9 months previously (in Brooms Church) when this occured. Her mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Alice Pearson born June 25th 1919.

Her father's name is Thomas Bell (still alive in Portsmouth aged 85). The gravestone is an open book design.

I spotted your website with pictures of gravestones but obviously they are not all photographed, and I couldn't find the one in question. I had given Elizabeth the telephone number of the vicarage but she was told that records are not available of the details she requires.

I wondered whether there would be any possibility of anyone from your 'society'  being kind enough please, to enquire about/ look for the grave in question, as Elizabeth plans to travel North next week to visit the area and relatives, and hopefully visit her mother's grave for the first time in her life. She has very limited time though.

Please can anyone help?

Pam

P.S your website is very impressive and I have subscribed, and signed the petition against the open-cast mining.