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. Brierley's life and freemasonry Thomas Brierley was born on 16 July 1785 at Mellor to Joab Brierley and Betty Arnfield. He was also known as "Tommy" and some references call him "Didymus" - perhaps confusing him for an uncle of that name or as a common alternative to Thomas. He became a blockprinter at the Printworks mill in Strines, Manchester, where calico was printed. Later as a carter he plied his trade between Ludworth and Disley. Brierley was a regular attendee at the Freemason Lodge of Union (originally a Lancashire Lodge of Union No.50), according to the records that exist between 1824 and 1830 and from 1840 to 1848. The Lodge migrated from Manchester to Mellor in 1822. It met at the Devonshire Arms and several other hostelries in the locality before it shifted to the Shuttle Inn (renamed the George) at Ludworth. 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