Tombstone of Sarah Johnson

Inscription on mysterious tombstone of Sarah Johnson from Wood Gate Baptist Burial Ground

On display in the Old Rectory Museum Loughborough

In memory of Sarah Johnson wife of Moses Johnson who died August 4th 1819, aged 28. S Johnson was taped for ascites* 28 times, 6 operations by Mr Vickers, 22 by Mr Brown of Wimeswould, the following is the stated periods.

Period	Gallons	Quarts	Pints	Period	Gallons	Quarts	Pints
1	8			15	10	1	
2	9			16	10	2	
3	11			17	8	2	
4	10			18	10	2	
5	12			19	10	3	
6	13			20	10	2	
7	11	2		21	11		
8	14			22	12		
9	14	2		23	10		
10	13			24	10	1	1
11	13	2		25	9	1	1
12	18	3		26	8		
13	14	2	1	27	10		
14	12	1		28	8	

Total        6 years      310 Gallons 1 Quart  1 Pint	

"Oh Reader reflect when viewing of this stone
What sore afflictions in my life I’ve borne
And in my debilitated state was given
Two tender Babes but Death has laid us even."

Towards the end of her short life Sarah Johnson appears to have lived with her husband Moses in Rempstone. Below are details of the payments made to them by the Overseer of the Poor.

1816
March 30th	Paid Johnson 22 weeks at 5/-	5.	10.	0.
	21 weeks at 3/-		3.	3.	0.
  There is an item “Paid for *gin 3/- which could well refer to Mrs Johnson
June 22nd	Johnson rent			1.	11.	6.
July 27th	Johnson 14 weeks at 3/-		2.	2.	0.
Aug	Johnson when ill			6.	0.	
Oct	Johnson	 			3.	0.
Nov	Johnson	 			3.	0.
Dec	Johnson (2 payments			3.	0.	
1817
March	Johnson when his wife was tap’d		5.	6.
April 	Mr Walker for *liquors for Johnson’s wife
					8.	8.
	Johnson rent			1.	11.	6.
	Johnson 3 cwts coal			3.	3.
May 31st	Johnson when his wife was tap’d		6.	6.
June 14th	Moses Johnson	 		5.	0.
July 3rd	Moses Johnson’s rent		1.	11.	6.
Aug 16th	Johnson’s wife	 		6.	0.	
Aug 30th	Moses Johnson 2 weeks			11.	0.	
Sept 6th	Moses Johnson	 		5.	0.
Sept 20th	Moses Johnson 2 weeks			10.	0.
Nov 1st	Moses Johnson 7 weeks			18.	0.
Dec 27th	Moses Johnson 9 weeks		1.	2.	6.
1818
Jan 10th	Moses Johnson’s rent		1.	11.	6.
Feb 21st	Moses Johnson 7 weeks			17.	6.
April	Moses Johnson 6 weeks			15.	0.
Dr.Brown’s bill for taping, etc Johnson’s wife	
				8.	19.	6.
1819
Jan 9th	For purchasing Moses Johnson’s goods
				2.	16.	0.
	Moses Johnson’s rent	 	3.	3.	0.
	Pd do 23 weeks pay at 2/6d	2.	17.	6.
	Dr. Brown for tapping Moses Johnson	12	5.	9.
Nov 27th	Johnson rent			3.	3	0.
1821
March 31st	Mr Ball for valuing Moses Johnson’s goods	
												5.	0

(Nottingham Record Office)
*Nursing procedure suggests Brandy in case of shock due to lowering of abdominal pressure.