The Electrician, the Engineer, the Canon and Brooks

This area of the churchyard reflects the changing nature of Prestwich and the Church in the 19th Century as the former rural and craft-based economy gave way to the wealth of the industrial revolution.

At the corner of the pink tomb, lies the sloping grave slab of William Sturgeon, simply described on the stone as "The Electrician". William invented the electro magnet which led to many aspects of modern life such as starter motors, washing machines, MRI scanners and hi-fi speakers. Technology which allows you to listen to me today. Sadly William died a pauper.

Beyond the pink tomb is a grey tomb in the shape of an anvil, and the grave of another inventor, and Engineer, Sir William Fair bairen. He worked on the Conway and Mennai Straits bridges with Robert Stephenson as well as building the first steel hulled ship. His funeral procession, set off from Ardwick and is claimed to have been witnessed by 50,000 people.

This tall monument to the west of the Church Tower is the Brooks memorial, and is listed grade 2 star. It is made from Sicilian marble and Aberdeen granite. John Brooks was Secretary to the Anti-Corn Law league. The monument, was designed by John Thomas, who also worked on Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Houses of Parliament. One of the four statues, Charity (which faces the church) was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851. The other 3 statues are Integrity, Commerce and Industry, but I will leave you to decide which is which !

Face the church tower, that birch tree with seven white trunks should still be on your right.

To your left now, are three trees showing where the old circular boundary would have been, you need to head over to the second of those trees on your left.