From the Salisbury and Winchester Journal of Mon 21 Apr 1817 p4:
FROME FREE CHURCH. —On Tuesday last, the 15th, the corner stone the new Free Church at Frome was laid by the Most Honourable the Marquess of Bath. On this truly memorable occasion it is computed that not less than twenty thousand persons were assembled in various parts of the town, to view the procession. A number of special constables had been sworn in by the Magistrates on the preceding day, and owing partly to this precaution, but still more to the lively interest which every individual seemed to feel for the prosperity of the undertaking not the slightest disturbance or accident occurred throughout the day, but the whole passed off in the most orderly manner, and highly to the gratification of every person present. . . .
From the Salisbury and Winchester Journal of Mon 21 Sep 1818 p4:
Consecration the New Church at Frome.—The performance of this most interesting ceremony took place on Tuesday last. The venerable Bishop of Bath and Wells, to whose zealous support this important undertaking has been much indebted, was prevented by ill health from officiating in person, and the Hon. and Right Rev. the Bishop of Gloucester attended in his stead. At an early hour, great numbers of persons began to arrive in the town from all parts of the surrounding county; and by eleven o'clock, all who were to take part in the proceedings of the day had assembled in the Old Church. The procession then commenced, preceded by a band of music. The Bishop, in his carriage, went first, followed, on foot, by the Clergy, Subscribers, Schools, &c. attended by a number of Special Constables. Among the distinguished characters present on this solemn occasion, were the Marquis of Bath, the Earl of Cork and Orrery, T. S. Champneys, Esq. of Orchardleigh, as Hereditary Sexton, Sir T. B. Lethbridge, Bart. J. Acland, Esq. C. Knatchbull and W. Knatchbull, Esqrs. W. A. Sanford,Esq. ―Thring, Esq. and most of the gentry of the neighbourhood, a large assemblage of clergy, in their gowns, and subscribers and well-wishers to the undertaking. . . .
The Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette of Thu 29 Mar 1832 p3 carried a report on a second migration from Frome to Canada with 156 people setting off in hired waggons for Bristol. This included that they were ‘entertaining the most sanguine hopes of being enabled by their industry to do much better for themselves and families in the land to which they were going than in this country. Many of these persons had been induced to emigrate by the success which attended those who left Frome last spring, and they were exulting at the prospect of joining their relatives in Canada who had preceded them in their enterprise.’
Newspapers in June 1856 reported that an order in council had been applied for permission for the (anticipated) burial of the Earl of Cork and Orrery in the family vault. The implication is that burials at St John’s had been curtailed and special permission was required.
Questions were raised about the drainage in Christ Church’s graveyard (Frome Times Wed 8 Jan 1873 p2). Mr Holland, the Government Inspector, was due to visit and a committee had been established to enquire and report on the state of the graveyard. Holes were dug to ascertain the level of the water. The report stated that all graves were dug to 6 feet and vaults were mostly 8 feet with the few that were deeper having been specially drained by the proprietors. It was acknowledged that certain areas just north of the church were waterlogged.
From the Somerset Standard of Sat 7 Apr 1888 p4 col f in a report on the Frome Board of Guardians:
The Clerk called attention the mode of conducting the funerals from the Workhouse as they were not allowed to be taken into Christ Church, and the Master produced the correspondence between the Vicar of Frome and the Rev. R. R. Bromage relating thereto. It was resolved that the Chairman be requested to see the Vicar of Frome and the Rev. R. R. Bromage, and endeavour to arrange for the use of Christ Church as heretofore.
From the Somerset Standard of Fri 14 Jan 1921 p6:
When Christ Church was built it was intended to be merely a chapel of ease to the Parish Church, and in order to save expense it was erected in the Parish Churchyard. In 1847 an Order in Council altered its status. The officiating clergyman became a perpetual curate, and a parish, cut out of the old Parish of Frome, was assigned to it. The incumbent of the new district obtained equal rights in the churchyard with the Vicar of Frome. But the old status of the burial ground was unaltered, and it remained, and still is, the churchyard of the Parish church. A rather astonishing fact has come to light. It appears that as long ago as 1857 an Order in Council closed Christ Churchyard, except in those portions in which graves could be dug without water coming in. No notice seems to have been taken of this.
For a history produced by Caroline Thornycoft see A Guide to Christ Church at https://www.christchurch-stmarys-frome.co.uk/_files/ugd/7a3403_d0209e9be9394134b65c528c645e080e.pdf
