St James 
West Tilbury, Essex    
© Nigel Anderson - St James Trust

Other Memorials

After the original refurbishment of the church in 1712, a number of memorials were erected in memory of wealthy and influential parishioners of St James. The memorials to servicemen who died in the Great War are covered in the War Memorials section. Positioned on the North wall of the chancel, the bronze plaque to the memory of James Burness is inscribed: In Loving Memory of James Burness, born at Pitgarvie, Kincardineshire January 16th 1799 Died at Garden Lodge, Addison Road, Kensington, May 20th 1879 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love The Burness Family controlled much of the land around West Tilbury during the nineteenth century, with James Burness first purchasing the estate lands from the trustees of Frances Kelly during 1872. After that his son George Richard Burness expanded the estate further by purchasing nearly every farm in the parish until his death in 1925. The Burness family would remain largely non resident in the village (James Burness residing in Leytonstone) but under their influence West Tilbury, became a modern estate-village, and was vastly improved with excellent new cottages at Low Street and others over looking The Green.  The family were generous and also paid for the new church tower in 1883 and extended the burial ground as a proprietorial gift. The marble plaque in the tower also commemorates James Burness and gives us the date of when the new stone tower was completed under the guidance of Rev Dobree. Positioned high up on the south wall of the chancel (and matching the memorial to  Lady Gordon). Miss Pritchard was the ward of Reverend Gordon. “Sacred to the memory of Louisa Susannah Pritchard Only daughter of the Rev John Pritchard MA Late of Boughton under Blean in the county of Kent and Susannah his wife She died at Tunbridge Wells on the 22nd August AD 1818 Aged 27 Years Her remains are deposited in the churchyard Of this Parish, and as she expressly desired near those of her revered relatives Sir Adam and Lady Gordon” The monument is made by Watson of Dartford. Positioned high up on the north wall of the chancel, Lady Gordon was the wife of Reverend Gordon. There are four other prominent memorials in the Nave of the church : Henry Cole (1831 - 1909)  & Louisa Cole (1831 - 1915) Richard Hunt Mickelfield (1737 - 1798) & Honor Hunt Mickelfield (1744 - 1802) William Hunt Mickelfield (1743 - 1826) & Katharine Hunt Mickelfield (1754 - 1842) Joseph Walker (1754 - 1807) & Elizabeth Walker (1757 - 1814)
Bronze plaque in the Chancel
James Burness (1799 - 1879) Louisa Susannah Pritchard (1791 - 1818) Louisa Pritchard Memorial Lady Gordon (1811) & Rev Sir Adam Gordon (1817) Lady Gordon Memorial To the Memory Of Lady Gordon - Wife of the Rev Sir Adam Gordon, BaronetRector of this Parish. Who departed this Life after a very short illness. On the second day of June 1811. In the 61st Year of her Age. In universal Benevolence she was unrivalled. In the Characters of Daughter; Wife-Friend, and Neighbour Most Exemplary: Extreme Affability :- Judgment in Beneficence :- The strictest Respect for Truth, - dread of giving Offence, And the most generous Spirit of Hospitality. Peculiarly distinguished her, - Above all :- an uniform, unaffected Piety, flowing from a deep sense of the Redeemer’s Love, enhanced the value of her Character. - The Richness of the Price paid for her, was ever uppermost in her meditations, and influenced and qualified her Religious duties. - Fourteen years, an unwearied benefactress to the poor of this parish, and a ready friend to the needy and afflicted, far and near, - she is as deeply lamented as she was justly esteemed. The Consolation is:- “she will rise again” - To which blessed event, does he who erects this memorial of her worth, look forward, as to the period, when that affectionate remembrance of her, which will remain through Life, shall no more be accompanied with sorrow for teh loss of her endearing, and improving society: his final happiness being then completed by partaking with her of those perfect joys, which Divine Mercy hath reserved for  The World to come. Also deposited in the same Vault The Remains of the Rev Sir ADAM GORDON. Baronet Who was Rector of the Parish 21 Years And departed this Life November 2nd 1817 Aged 72 Years. DESERVEDLY BLOVED and MOST SINCERELY LAMENTED Added later to the memorial, on the passing of the Rev Gordon the following text has been inscribed:   Also deposited in the same Vault The Remains of the Rev Sir ADAM GORDON. Baronet Who was Rector of the Parish 21 Years And departed this Life November 2nd 1817 Aged 72 Years. DESERVEDLY BLOVED and MOST SINCERELY LAMENTED   This monument was also made by the company Watson of Dartford. Memorials in the Nave