Dear Supporters,
I regret to inform you that first Battle of Hatfield Investigation Society (BOHIS), Chairman, Joseph Waterfall, sadly passed away on the 6th December 2025 at Westcott House, Dorking, Surrey after suffering ill health for a number of years.
Joseph was Chairman from February 2013 until April 2015.
Joseph’s funeral is today (12th January) in Leatherhead and this appreciation is both timely and richly deserved.
I was at work about 6:15am in late Feb. 2013 when I ‘Googled’ the ‘Battle of Hatfield’.
The top retrieval was ‘OurNottinghamshire.org’, which was in the form of a blog and associated article by Ralph Lloyd-Jones from Worksop library entitled, ‘Did a King Die At Cuckney?’.
Joseph was essentially leading the blog and 3 days previously had expressed frustration at the lack of operationalisation despite his exhortations. So, he had given his involvement 3 weeks, after which he was going to move on to one of his favourite topics, Hampton Court Palace (where he had previously enjoyed working).
Ralph’s article discussed the possibility that some 200 skeletons, found underneath St. Mary’s church, Cuckney in December 1950 and into 1951, represented the vanquished from the 632 AD, Battle of Hatfield. This saw Edwin of Northumbria pitted against the combined forces of Cadwallon of Gwynedd and Penda of Mercia. Edwin lost after a fierce battle.
Serendipity ensured that I was well within that 3 week period and I contacted Joseph that very day.
Much fun and hard work was then had for well over a year as we both energised each other in our quest, aided by other supporters such as Jennie Johnson, Mercian CIC (archaeologists) and Charles Cannon amongst others.
Our tasks took us on many visits to Nottingham (Nottinghamshire Archives, Heritage Lottery Fund offices, J.E. Wright’s printers) and also a few society social occasions at the Greendale Oak, Cuckney, Red Lion at Wellow and Forest Lodge at Edwinstowe.
Quite simply, we wouldn’t have started without each other and the joy of being able to bounce ideas off each other is something that I’ve missed in the intervening years.
Post Joseph’s resignation in April 2015 due to ill health, he and his wife Margaret, continued to attend some BOHIS meetings (when health allowed) and we also quite frequently met at the Harley café, on the Welbeck Estate.
Since April 2015, BOHIS have gained some £70k in Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grants (2016 and 2018) but I’m sure that you will agree that Joseph initial, ‘raising of his head above the parapet’ and I spotting his passion at the right moment has (hopefully) given a lot of us much pleasure, both historically and socially over nearly 13 years. We are still battling don’t worry.
Our next meeting is likely no later than the end of Feb. 2026 and we would love to see your support at the meeting (details to follow).
Please spare a thought for Joseph, Margaret their son and daughter on this sad day.
From Paul Jameson