The May 2019 Family Tree Trip, Part III, Eaton Socon Church & Sidney Thomas Thody Grave Visit After
Channel: semw52
Date: 2019-05-31

Well I am back after 45 years to visit this churchyard where all those years ago  my friends and I were walking and came across a toad on the grave of Sidney Thomas Thody---at the time and ever since we believed this to be some  weird  thing finding a toad on a Thody grave---a little story I have told over those 45 years  just  now and again--Anyway I  came back to carry out family tree research and was on a walk when I thought about finding the grave again--I had already found the old 'Lock-Up' for drunkards where a photo was also taken 45 years ago of my friends standing in front of the old building---At first I  could not find the grave despite looking quite extensively---by chance wardens were  in the church and I mentioned the story of the toad being on the grave--I was about to leave when one of the wardens said he had managed to contact the  church historian and she came out to see me and showed me the grave AND tell me the sad tale of Sidney Thomas Thody who just days after his wedding he fell from the work cart-hit his head and died age 31 years----the whole village was upset by this tragic event---the Thody family  had a farmhouse near the churchyard and built several cottages as well which I do get to view--the historian was extremely  helpful and provided the map of the cemetery and details about Sidney and his family--I was overwhelmed by this and intend sending the photo to the historian which I had taken 45 years  ago...Life works in  mysterious ways...….the toad on the Thody grave  and the tragedy that I was totally unaware of at the time