The White Lady

One of the many impressive graves in Darwen Cemetery is that of Martha Jane Bury 1850-1913. Her remarkable memorial is referred to as The White Lady. According to the Friends of Darwen Cemetery, Martha was a stalwart of the Cooperative Movement and a staunch supporter of the rights of working-class women. She was also involved in Darwen's Temperance Movement. Fuller details can be found HERE.

I found many references to what is probably an apocryphal tale about the White Lady. Evidently, among other things, her eyes open if poked! She is said to be a very violent ghost and is the talk of pensioners around the town. It is claimed she killed a group of teenagers who went on a camping trip in the late 1980s, within two hours of them visiting her grave!

Whatever the truth, there is no denying it is a remarkable memorial to a wonderful woman!

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