Peter Francis Jones (Brockhall Cemetery)
Peter was the first child of Glvnn and Elizabeth Jones who lived in Childwall in Liverpool. He was born 16 May 1936 at Liverpool Maternity Hospital in Oxford Street. I didn't know my brother who died before I was born.
Peter's birth was normal, he was teething at 10 months, walking at 14 months and initially talked well. At the age of 14 months, he had an epileptic fit which lasted 4 hours. A second fit lasted 8 hours. It was thought later that the cause was probably a stroke which also resulted in what we would today call a severe learning disability.
When the time came for Peter to go to school, the school could not cope with him given his medical conditions and my Mum was told that he would have to go to Brockhall Hospital. This arrangement was meant to be just for the duration of the war. Mum was on her own with Peter at that time, as Dad was away with the RAF, and she felt that she had to agree. Peter was admitted to Brockhall - Thistle ward - on 30th May 1941. Mum used to visit him, travelling by bus from Liverpool via Blackburn.
Brockhall Hospital records describe Peter as height 3'5" weight 2 stones 9 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. His coordination was very poor and his attention constantly wandering. He could state his name indistinctly and could repast a few monosyllabic words and several letters of the alphabet. He had frequent and increasingly severe epileptic fits. He must have been a very tormented boy.
Peter had been at Brockhall for about 6 months when Mum and Dad visited him together on 14 November 1941. His condition must have deteriorated. Peter died in his mother's arms at 3.10. The cause of death was recorded as Status Epilepticus. Mum and Dad had to decide where Peter should be buried. Because of the bombing that was taking place in Liverpool they decided that he should be buried in Brockhall Hospital's cemetery. Peter's grave is in the Church of England section grave number 38 in the third row and quite close to the lych gate. It has no memorial (as was normally the case in this cemetery) but once permission has been granted by thecemetery owner my brother and I will have a memorial stone installed.
Jeff Jones, Peter's brother, 8 February 2023
Memorial for Peter
After many years trying Jeff jones and his wife Jan were finally able to erect a memorial cross on the grave, on the 13 May 2023. Maria Evans and her family were very helpful in sourcing the memorial, which is similar to that of Geoffrey Tebb and Joseph Tetlow in the Calderstones Cemetery. On hand to mark the occasion was Kath Bowen who was involved in locating and marking Peter's grave.