Tomb Of John Hives In The Old Graveyard At Ngr 3067 3692

The Tomb of John Hives, located in the Old Graveyard, dates from 1843 and is constructed of gritstone in the style of a Roman altar. It features a stone curb and remnants of a wrought-iron railing. The tomb has a moulded plinth and a plain dado with inscriptions. The Doric frieze includes decorative motifs such as guttae and triglyphs with paterae, along with a dentilled cornice. The top slab has scrolled ends adorned with stiff leaf ornamentation.

On the south side, the inscription reads: "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN HIVES OF GLEDHOW GROVE WHO DIED/ SEPTEMBER 17TH 1843, AGED 69 YEARS/ AND OF MARY ANN HIS WIFE WHO DIED APRIL 5TH 1834, AGED 48 YEARS/ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet/ shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. John XI.v25.26." The north side commemorates the children of John and Mary Ann Hives: "ALSO SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE UNDERNAMED CHILDREN OF JOHN AND MARY ANN HIVES/ ELLEN. DIED MAY 3RD 1821 AGED 8 YEARS. ELIZA, DIED OCT 12TH 1823 AGED 5 YEARS/ MARY, DIED DECR. 30TH 1827, AGED 20 YEARS. JOHN, DIED JUNE 30TH 1828, AGED 19 YEARS./ BENJAMIN. DIED IN LONDON. MARCH 13TH 1830. AGED 18 YEARS."

Historically, John Hives was a partner with Matthew Marshall at Marshall Street Mills and later established a competing flax business at Bank Mills, which became one of the largest flax spinning mills in Leeds. He lived in Park Square in 1817 but moved to Gledhow Grange, now Chapel Allerton Hospital, by 1822. In 1879, a Roman altar was discovered near the northern edge of the graveyard, and this grave is situated on the north side of the old church that was demolished in 1935.