The Mary Beal Appeal: do you know of this Portsmouth woman?

It is St Peter’s in the tiny village of Falstone, Northumberland, close to the huge reservoir Kielder Water.

Today’s Remember When is devoted to a recent discovery there and churchwarden Jill Swaile would like your help.

She writes: ‘I was part of a working party clearing a corner of our churchyard, which was under a mass of brambles, when we uncovered the grave of Mary Beal.

‘She died in 1879 aged 15 and was the rector of the time’s daughter.

‘Her headstone says she was born in Southsea. Her father would have been a navy chaplain who would have been sent to our area when he was no longer needed at sea, a bit of a change from the warm coast to the wilds of Northumberland.’

Jill and her husband Alan are now planning to tackle a challenging via ferrata in the Lake District next month to raise money for The Mary Beal Appeal to refurbish the headstone.

She wonders if any reader might be a distant relative or know anything about the family. Please get in touch if you do.