Sylvia Barnard wrote about Susannah Brown in her book 'To Prove I'm Not Forgot' page 45, (available via Friends of Beckett Street Cemetery’s website).  It is known Susannah Brown was married and lodged in York Street, Leeds but no details can be found, nor any details of any children.  We cannot find her burial or her grave number in the Cemetery.

The following is taken from the book:-

“Susannah Brown was a velvet purse maker and seller. Born about 1823 she was about twenty-six years old.  She had suffered from 'purging' for a day or two before her fateful journey on 22 August 1849.  She walked to Horsforth and Guiseley then towards Bradford.  At half past three in the afternoon she had reached Eccleshill, covering fifteen miles.   Mr Newstead, surgeon, and Mr Baxter, overseer, found her sitting on step outside the beer house.  After examination Mr Newstead ascertained she had violent purging, 'thready' pulse (meaning - scarcely audible - "a thready whisper") and cold hands.  Rumour was flying round she had cholera.  People locked their doors and hid upstairs.  The obvious course would have been to remove her to the workhouse, but the expense would have fallen on ratepayers of Eccleshill.   Susannah wanted to get home so they took her to Apperley Bridge Station and escorted her back to Leeds by train and cab.  There was only one cab in the Station and the driver took one look at her and said he was already engaged, so they made their way to York Street, but never reached their destination.  In Duncan Street she said 'Oh master, I must sit down'.   A cart was called and she was taken to the poorhouse known as the Mendicity Office, where she died next morning.”  She was buried in the mass graves of the cholera burial area.   As burials shot up from 3 or 4 a day to 30 or 40 mass graves were dug, they are unmarked.

Death Certificate

Her Death is listed on the GRO, 1849-Q4 BROWN, Susannah, 26 yrs, Leeds. Volume: 23 Page: 401

Certificate Nos. 459, Died 23rd August 1849, Mendicity Office, 1 Grantham Street, Leeds. Susannah BROWN, Female, 26 Years, Wife of Henry BROWN, Cause of Death: Asiatic Cholera, Registered 31st December 1849 By J. Blackburn, Coroner, Leeds. Registrar: Edward Cooke.