Samuel Kirkland has an impressive tombstone erected by William Henry Lord Leigh.
Information about Samuel's life is difficult to verify but the stone describes him as a faithful servant to the Leigh family over the space of 42 years - to William Henry, his father Chandos and his grandfather James Henry.
In 1841 Samuel is named as the first servant in the household of Chandos Leigh in Belgrave Square; his wife Elizabeth, meanwhile, is resident at The Gatehouse at Stoneleigh Abbey with their children Isabella, Henry and Harriet. Four years previously in January 1837 Samuel Kirkland is described as butler on the baptismal certificate of Harriet Elizabeth, in Kenilworth, St Johns.
By 1861 he had been pensioned off and was living at Castle End, Kenilworth, and his death is recorded on the tombstone as having occurred at Kenilworth. The Stoneleigh Register shows Samuel Kirkland from Kenilworth was buried 16 December 1870 aged 81, with the service performed by the Vicar of St. John's Kenilworth.
The Biblical quotation is from Ecclesiastes 9:
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.