What rights do living relations have regarding headstones

[KarenM]

Dollylee where was this??

I was at a genealogy conference on Saturday and that was one of the topics they brought up.  Apparently (speaking for Ontario) cemetery's have no "real rules".  The OGS (Ontario Genealogical Society) went to court recently over a gentleman buying an old church with a churchyard.  They tried to stop him and lost.  They did say they would keep a close eye on what the fellow was doing, he says he wouldn't take the church down, but things hapen.  They said since it's an election year here, to ask your local MPP what his views are on cemeteries and what can he/she do to protect them.

Karen

[loo]

Good idea, Karen.
I think we all realize that "things change".  But that's no reason to treat the deceased with carelessness and disrespect.  You'd think we would have learned that from the issues with native burial grounds by now, if nothing else.

See "Bones discovered on edge of Pond Mills Cemetery", about 3/4 down on this page:
http://thelondonfog.blogspot.com/2004_04_11_thelondonfog_archive.html

Just this week, with help from rootschatters, I discovered my ggggparents are buried in Pond Mills Cem, and I found it quite upsetting to read this.  Those bones could belong to my family.

[dollylee]

It was in Belleville Karen.  It was quite a few years ago but not something you are apt to forget.

dollylee

[JoJoBuggins]

I think that its awful and at the end of the day, the only people gaining anything from this are the contractors - its all down to money, money

[newbie]

I found my husbands grandmothers grave at the weekend   
after much searching for over a year, off we went to visit,  it's an extremely large London cemetery. Armed with the map we found it, the headstone is as it is (except it is now dark grey in colour and doesn't look at all like white marble)
in a photo I found in my husbands mothers effects. The Headstone has the inscription for  Grandmother, in front of the stone is a (large) urn with an inscription to grandfather, whose death I had been unable to find, despite sending for various death certs.
But underneath the inscription for grandmother is another inscription to an unknown person (different nationality- easily identified by name), I have no record anywhere in my research of this person I wondered is it a son in law?
So I phoned and checked with the Cemetery Office - definitely only two people in the grave  they said no more room , are you sure?
Later I heard from them, the stone mason given the permit to add the inscription has added it to the wrong headstone, e.g. grandmother is in Section 57, grave 430
the other person is in Section 37 grave 430.
What to do? is there an obligation on the cemetery to correct the error, they don't know if they can find out who the mason was?
I was so upset...
newbie

[dollylee]

Being a practical person I would believe that since they defaced the headstone that a one time member of your family paid for, it would be the cemetery's obligation to put it right.

But sadly I have found that is not always the way life works.

I would approach them and ask them what they intend to do about the error and how they are going to make it right by your family.

dollylee

[dollylee]

just wanted to add that it was the cemetery's obligation to make sure that it was done on the proper grave.  They have to hold some responsibility in the mistake and not pass it all off to the engraver.

dollylee

[aghadowey]

It is also the stonemason's job to do the work correctly. It is possible that the family  in Sec.27 grave 430 told him the wrong number and he was just following their instructions. Do you know how long ago the name was added? Wonder if the other family ever knew of the error?

[dollylee]

the other person is in Section 27 grave 430.


Then who is the second body in with Grandma?  Could it be your missing Grandfather? 

Sorry, but I also find this very upsetting.

dollylee