Southern Necropolis - missing monumental inscriptions

[greenrig]

I wonder if anyone has an opinion on this puzzle in my family. There is no-one of left who would remember the details...I have burial lair details from Southern Necropolis, in Glasgow as follows:

"Lair 2562....price of six pounds.....Central Section
Lair owner...Robert Neilson, Linn Terrace, Cathcart, Glasgow
and the following individuals buried within the lair...
8th Feb.1913  Evelyn Neilson....aged 35 years
8th July 1939  Grace Neilson....aged 52 years
16th Oct. 1942 Robert Neilson..aged 66 years"

Robert Neilson was my Grandfather, Grace Neilson my Grandmother, and Evelyn Neilson was Robert's first wife.  I have located the monument in the Necropolis. But the ONLY inscription on the stone is for Evelyn - the first wife. There is NO subsequent inscription for Grace or Robert.....

Now, WW2 broke out in Sept 39 so I could see how Grace's inscription might have been deferred. And when Robert died in 1942 his children (my father, and uncle) were away - so perhaps no inscription was ever put on the monument.

My question is... How common was this in 1930-1940? Is it unusual to have inscriptions missing like this? What is nagging me is that when I visited the Necropolis with my father in 1960's I seem to remember a DIFFERENT grave. But the interment record say all there are buried in this same lair.....  I appreciate any comments or suggestions to resolve this.

[apanderson]

Hi Greenrig,

I think your presumption that the outbreak of WW2 would definately have affected what did and what didn't go on the stone. Evelyn died before WW1, so she's obviously the first one to be buried there, but the Lair had room for 3 burials and subsequenly, when both Grace and Robert died, not only would money be tight, but folks' minds would have been on other things and perhaps it's simply a case that no-one ever got round to it.

I suppose it's the opposite side of the coin to gravestones having loads of names inscribed on them but only 2 or three actually being buried there.

You actually made me laugh with your comment about remembering a 'different' grave. I can remember when I was about 4/5 years old, walking to Old Monkland with my mum and her twin sister to visit a grave. I had forgotten all about this until I started doing my family history and a wee vague memory came to me about this. Like you, I don't have anyone left who I could have asked. I went along to the cemetery half a dozen times thinking I'd know, or recognise the stone - or at least the general area. I found the area right away but I couldn't for the life of me, find any familiar names, then one day, I found my gt. grandparents stone. I had walked past it time and time again, but this particular day, the sun was shining at just the perfect angle and the inscription was as clear as day. It was quite a weird feeling!

Sorry, I'm blethering on here . . . . . . . !

If the Lair Records say they're all there - I would imagine they probably will be.

Anne

[greenrig]

Thanks Anne;  for others researching the Glasgow Southern Necropolis...

This website documents the Glasgow Southern Necropolis http://www.southernnecropolis.com/

Through that site I made contact with the webmaster - who has access to lair details and a cemetery map.  He was able to locate the lair and also went to the cemetery, took photos and sent them to me!!.   This was all about 3 years ago.


Alternatively, you can request lair details by sending what information (names, date) you have, to Glasgow City Council at this address (this page has details of all Glasgow City Council Burial grounds)

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/BirthDeathMarriage_Citizenship/Death/Burialgrounds/

Glasgow Council staff may be able to meet you and conduct you to any specific grave or monument.

Doug.

[ladybird]

Hi Greenrig
You are lucky to have a headstone...I have a patch of grass in the general vicinity 
Luckily I have the Burial Plot Subsciber's Passbook with the Lair no. in the Eastern Division for my gg/granddad in 1848, but the only other occupant with him was buried some 80 years later and is so far totally unknown to me
Sylvia

[Evelina]

Hi Sylvia, This happened to me too  at Renton Churchyard but i was told it was practise to sell the plot on so the person in your plot may not even be a relative.  Cheers Evelina