This page is dedicated to the memories shared with us of family members who were born or worked in and around Breedon.
Samuel Greatbatch (1856-1927) and Alma Greatbatch (1850-1932), memories of Great Grandparents from Linda Ford. I have some history of my great grandparents buried at Breedon on the Hill. I was born and lived in Ashby until I was 18. I then left to do my nurse training in 1968 in Birmingham and now live in Worcester. My eldest sister remembers regular trips with grandma to tend the graves, although after searching family members haven’t found them in later years.
Samuel was the son of Samuel Greatbatch Senior who was baliff to the Earl of Harrowby at Sandon Hall. Samuel left this estate to work on the land at Staunton Harold and became head game-keeper. He married Alma and they then both continued to work for the Earl of Ferrers with Alma doing all the estate’s laundry. They had seven children, of which Annie, their 4th child was my grandma.
They lived on the estate for many years and then Samuel went on to work on the Willlesley Hall Estate until that fell into disrepair and then went in to work for the Harpur-Crewe family at Calke, living at Heath Farm Piston Hills. Alma died in 1933, by then living in Ashby. I believe my dad was close to his grandparents as his own dad died of Spanish Flu in 1918 the age of 32, my dad was only 2 at the time. My dad certainly bears a great resemblance to Samuel. I believe there is just one of Samuel and Alma’s seven children buried at Breedon; Amy Jayne b 1892 d 1893.
breedonpriorychurch.org 