Local History

Have you visited Sambo's grave?

gail ormarod
enjoyed the walk and seeing tbe grave made me think about the poor boy away from home . It was peaceful and thought provoking

David Phipps
Visited the spot many times over the years and plan to visit many more times. It is a magical place that time has forgotten. I love it.

Peter Mason
The Rev James Watson who composed the above epitaph and elegy was the son of James Watson, labourer, of Airton, a few miles from Settle (N Yorkshire). From 1737 to 1767 he was curate of Wyresdale Church. Two years prior to relinquishing the curacy he was appointed Head Master of Lancaster Grammar School – a position he held from 1765 to 1794. He was also – probably during the whole or greater portion of the time he was connected with the Grammar School – Chaplain of Lancaster Castle. And it is said that he was, some time anterior to 1786, appointed a prebendary to Lincoln Cathedral. During his Head Mastership at Lancaster he on one occasion (in 1779) got into “hot water” in consequence of his “behaviour” towards one of the scholars – a son of Mr Thomas Hinde, Mayor of the borough. The matter was brought before a meeting of the Corporation (the Corporation owned or had control of the Grammar School at that time), and it was resolved that Mr Watson’s behaviour had been “improper and inhuman and unjustifiable” (he had probably given the youth referred to a specially heavy thrashing); that he had by means thereof, and owing to his conduct at the Corporate meeting (may be he had vigorously vindicated his “behaviour” and told the members that they knew nothing at all about the duties of a schoolmaster) “highly incurred the displeasure of the Council;” and that if he persisted in such a course as that complained of steps would be taken to “amove” (obsolete word, meaning remove) him from his office as schoolmaster”. Fifteen years afterwards, when Mr Watson resigned the Head Mastership, The Lancastrian Corporate mind had a swing round very strongly in his favour, for at a meeting of the Town Council at that time (evidently at Midsummer, 1794) it was resolved – “That thethanks of this Corporation be given to the Reverend James Watson, Clerk for the faithful discharge of the duties of his Office of Master at the Free Grammar School in this Town for a period of near Thirty years, for the great services he hath thereby rendered to the Publick, and also for the honourable manner in which he hath now resigned.” Watson died five years later at the age of 56.It seems rather ironic, or was it guilt ? that Watson moved by the story of poor Sambo and being ‘much affected’ by this collected enough money to erect a suitable tombstone in his memory as his two younger brothers William and John Watson were prominent investors in the Lancaster slave trade (1750’s – 1790’s).

Jennifer McGuigan
When we visited the grave we noted he had been buried in unconsecrated ground, is it now time for him to be buried properly in a Churchyard

Pam Sandiford
well looked after by the local children

keithhardy
asleep with his god

Tony Stanley
The term Sambo has always been and still is racist and offensive. It is a term that came out of an age when it was fashionable to be outwardly and openly racist. It has no place in modern Britain. To sneak it back on the pretence that this is some legitamate historical event that is being innocently commemorated is disgusting and an insult to the intelligence.