Gravestones - forever?

[Wiggy]

Hello,

Yesterday I went again to visit an ancestors grave to try and get a better photo of the inscription on it.  While there I thought that the stone had been cleaned up to make it more legible
- I also thought I had remembered that the site beside had been marked by a tall stone and stone covered grave.  However, when I was there yesterday it was just a leaf strewn area - still looking old but . . . . 

Anyhow I came home and looked at the first photos I'd taken of 'our' grave and sure enough there was the tall headstone with it's pitched 'roof' and the stone covering the grave beside it.   

Does anyone know if grave sites are only there for so long before they are cleaned up and reused - or what happens after a certain length of time.  "Ours" received it's last occupant in 1908.

Another grave in Ballarat had it's last occupant  arriving in 1899 - but it is still there and in relatively good order.

Please does anyone know any rules governing grave sites/stones etc etc -  both these in Victoria, Australia.

Wiggy

[rachelralph]

i dont know about in aus, but in britain if a headstone is damaged, decaying or falling in anyway then the local council resposibale for the cemetary have the right to remove the headstone, due to health and safety 

maybe have a look at the photo again and see whether there was any indication of the stone decaying or falling, if there was then maybe this is why?

[coombs]

Hacheston  in Suffolk has many of my ancestors buried there and the headstones look good although one was protected by a bush and when I went back a year later the bush had been removed and the headstone was covered in lichen.

[Seoras]

Hi Wiggy,an old headstone in a graveyard by me has a notice on it saying it is unstable and will be removed if the owners don't repair it.As the inscription has totally faded I doubt if even the descendents know it's there.
Mind you the notice giving the information has been there so long it will soon need it's own warning.

George.

[davidft]

Please does anyone know any rules governing grave sites/stones etc etc -  both these in Victoria, Australia.

Wiggy

I recall on one of the Australian WDYTYA's that the markers had been removed from a grave and the grave reused because the family had not continued to pay the fees due. In that respect the rules seem to be more akin to those in some European countries than in England. Still a phone call to the local cemetery office will be able to clarifty it for you

[Wiggy]

David I was wondering about that - but these have been there so long and most of them are not too well cared for that I don't think that rule applies - though I know it does in wall niches in some of the bigger cemeteries. 

Before I was trapped by this FH addiction, I think I would have thought that after a certain number of years (100+ after last 'entry' maybe) it was fair enough to remove and reuse the graves - now I think it would be a sacrilegious thing to damage the history !!      
There are lots of graves in that particular cemetery in much worse state of repair than the one which has been removed - in fact it made 'ours' look quite unstable - without it there 'ours' seems to be much straighter - or maybe someone has straightened and cleaned it
- I will ring the Cemetery people and ask!

Wiggy   

[Wiggy]

In another cemetery we visited one of 'ours' is broken and lying down face up on the ground - but still legible - there are others around in the same state.  I don't think I will be forking out to have it re-instated though.  Last entry to that one was  1873 - so that is why my ideas have changed since pre-FH!!   

Wiggy   

[Tearose]

Okay I know I've a lot to learn here, but seeing a tombstone, is that just for your own curiosity etc. ?
I did not think that there was anymore info on there than what you would find on the death certificate ?
 

[Lydart]

I seem to be following you around Tearose !


Our local churchyard has many very old gravestones ... lots going back to 17-- something, and many inside the church dated 16-- something.

Here in Wales we have to do a graveyard inspection every year, to check that the headstones are safe ... in fact we did it this very morning !   If one is found that is unsafe then we have to try and locate the family and ask them to get it made safe.   If we cant locate any living relatives, then we have to lay the stone down to make it safe ... they are VERY heavy and we dont want them falling on people !

In fact, during our inspection, we found that one very large headstone which wasn't recorded as unsafe last year, has now fallen over flat onto the ground.   In the past, when we find a wobbley headstone, we have had to clear ivy and so on in order to be able to read the inscription ... so if Wiggy found it looked as though something had changed since her previous visit ... that might be the reason ?


As for info on headstones ... oh yes !   Often LOTS more than on a death certificate !   For e.g. you might find that a deceased wife was a second wife you didnt know about; often whole families share one grave, and you'd find other names from that ... there are also often cryptic verses on headstones, which you might be able to understand once you have more information ... my own mothers has a line from her favourite hymn 'Be jubilant, my feet...' which comes from 'Mine eyes have seen the glory ...'  and I chose it because she was crippled and always wanted to be able to dance, but couldn't ... so now I'm hoping she is able to dance 'jubilantly' in heaven !