Hove Cemetery gravesite photo

[treeshaker]

Greetings from Canada, this is my first post. My great, great aunt's husband is buried, along with his second wife, in the Hove Cemetery (south side) and I am wondering if there is anyone in the area who might be willing to see what is recorded on their headstone(s) and/or take a photo. The kind folks at Woodvale have advised that the grave location is Section RD Number 47. Their particulars are:

William Henry Vincent Albert Mondelet, buried on 18 October 1921 aged 76
Elizabeth Mondelet, buried on 13 February 1942 aged 76

William Henry Mondelet was a medical doctor/surgeon (obstetrics) who lived and worked in Brighton and Hove during the years 1894-1921. His wife, Elizabeth, at the time of her death was a Nursing Home Proprietress at 45 Norton Road, Hove.

[dawnsh]

Hi treeshaker

Welcome to Rootschat 

Have the staff also confirmed that there was or still is a headstone on the plot?

Dawn

[treeshaker]

Hi Dawn,
The Woodvale staff did not mention if there was/still is a headstone on the plot, only that they "have searched our records and found that both William and Elizabeth Mondelet are indeed buried in our Hove cemetery (South side) in the same grave.  Their grave number is section RD, number 47".
They also said "If you would like one of the staff to go out to the cemeteries and take a photo of the grave, you will need to formally request it.... there is a fee for this service", so perhaps they wouldn't know if there is a headstone on the plot or not until they actually went out to the cemetery to check? I see that the fee for them to go out and take a picture would be 21 pounds for the first person named and 14 pounds for an additional person named so that would be 35 pounds total which translates to nearly $66 CDN. If I need to, I guess I could go with that option but I thought I would check on this forum first to see if there was anyone residing in the Brighton/Hove vicinity that has done or might take a personal interest in doing this sort of thing.
PS: The Woodvale staff did include a link to an overview map of the two Hove cemeteries and stated "Section JD is on the bottom section" (but perhaps "JD" was a typo as they had already said the grave was in section RD). Maybe I should get them to clarify the section as well as ask them if they know whether a grave marker was/is in place without actually going out to the cemetery? Thanks for your interest and response Dawn.

[dawnsh]

I don't know if it is possible for anyone on the Suusex Board to visit on your behalf, but I had hoped the cemetery could tell you whether a headstone had been erected before someone goes on a wild goose chase and there is nothing there. Seems the cemetery may not have up to date records showing a headstone or not.

[sillgen]

Hi and welcome
It might be worth contacting the Sussex Family History Group as they have transcribed a lot of monumental inscriptions for various cemeteries in the area.    Membership is c£12 a year so not expensive.   They may also have members in the area who can help.
http://www.sfhg.org.uk

[treeshaker]

Thanks for your replies Dawn and sillgen, the Sussex Family History Group will be worth checking into!

[artifis]

Just a thought, as they are both buried in the same plot then if there is a monument/headstone then that will identify both persons so I'd think only the initial fee would be applicable.  I'd think the further person fee is if they are in a different grave.

Definitely sensible to clarify which section they meant, JD or RD, as they are likely to be some ways apart.

Even if there isn't a monument or headstone then a photo of the grave site is worth having to add to their records in your files, I've done that with several of my ancestors.

If you want a plan of the cemetery Google Brighton & Hove cemetery, click on Family history research of burial & cremation records | Brighton....  goes to Live events & communities.  Click Cemeteries on left hand side, click Hove cemetery, scroll down to Hove cemetery, Old Shoreham Road and click on A sectional plan of Hove cemeteries is available to view (PDF879KB).  Sorry couldn't get direct page URL.  Area JD is near the Old Shoreham Road just to the right of the centre line and RD near the top left hand corner immediately next to the Old Shoreham Road.

www.bing.com/maps  aerial view gives you a good idea of how many graves had monuments/headstones in each area.

[treeshaker]

Thank you artifis, some good information. I contacted Woodvale again and they clarified/confirmed the section as RD number 47 and also said their records do not indicate whether there is or isn't a memorial stone. Yes, on the cemetery map I see section RD is on the south side immediately next to the Old Shoreham Road. And thanks for your suggestion, through Bing/Google maps I was able to see both an aerial view and a street view of section RD. The Google street view especially gives a real sense of walking along the footpath and looking over the low wall right onto the graves in section RD, so close but alas (I am) so far away.. in Canada! Before I consider requesting Woodvale to go out to take a photo (and you're right since they are buried in the same plot there would likely be only the initial fee) I will, as sillgen suggested, also contact the Sussex Family History Group to inquire about membership and what that might provide, as perhaps they would take a photo and have other information about my ancestors as well.

[artifis]

Interesting that many of the plots alongside the pathway appear to be north-south orientated rather than east-west.  Also interesting that some appear to be either family plots or double burials with the graves alongside one another rather than one above the other.  You might therefore be lucky and there is a headstone.

SFHG worth a try and if you have many ancestors in Sussex the annual membership fee gives you unlimited access to all its baptisms/burials in its parish records on line.  Its marriage index is currently on CD only.