Thomas Brierley grave cipher

The gravestone of Thomas Brierley (1785 – 1854 or 1855) in Mellor, Greater Manchester, is one of the few in the United Kingdom known to incorporate masonic pigpen cypher in its inscription.

Returns to the Clerk of the Peace between 1834 and 1841 show that the Lodge averaged about 20 members each meeting; chiefly miners and minor tradesmen.

A number of members complained and made unpleasant personal remarks, as apparently his illness coincided with a slack time at Strines Printworks.

(Other sources refer to him as one who was prone to display his membership of the masonic fraternity and to make it known that his worth was not sufficiently recognised.)

Not to be frustrated, Thomas had a memorial headstone prepared covered with 'cipher-writings' and ornate masonic emblems which was placed over his grave before he died.

However, at the time of its placement in the graveyard the common impression was that it contained the old charge against his fellows and it was stated to be purposefully written in Hebrew to defy objections to it being placed over the grave during Thomas' lifetime.

According to some, Thomas Brierley fell to his death from the church tower, but other sources disagree so this story may be an urban legend.