Mary Jane Walby was born in Nottinghamshire in 1860 but was baptised along with her brother William at Kenilworth St John in 1862 when she was two years old. Her father William was a coachman, born in Hatfield, and was employed as such at Stoneleigh Abbey in 1861. His wife Mary, meanwhile, was staying with their daughter at his parents' cottage in Hatfield. Perhaps he had inadequate accommodation at that time, for a wife and small baby.
Mary's gravestone gives her age as 5 years old when she died on 7 September 1864; she was buried on 11 September. The stone also reads "
Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of God."
The Walbys went on to have more children and William set up as a livery stable keeper in Leamington.
Mary is memorialised both with a head and a footstone, but an oak tree was planted between them, which has distorted the grave itself.
