burial hunting

[louisa maud]

Yesterday I met a relation in London to look for a burial plot in Paddington Old Cemetery Willesden Lane, the date was 1925 and we were told the stone  had been moved against the wall, we duly found where it should be, no stone, we found the number next door to where it should be so we searched as far as we could, we even looked amongst the brambles under a tree as we saw a few stones laid there wishing we had secateurs,  I had given up hope till my relation suddenly saw the surname, it was laid against the next doors stone the other way round and leaning, we easily could have missed it, we managed with difficulty to take a photo to give to the persons son, he is now 97 and his mother died when he was 5, it was quite emotional really as we were astonished to find the stone at all given it had been moved

Was well worth the exorbitant fare I had to pay from Essex, a good  day out

Louisa Maud

[lizdb]

So good that you spotted it! Would have been such a shame if you had missed it and had a wasted trip, when it was hiding there all the time.

These occasions when it all works out make it all worthwhile, don't they?  In Family History, as one tries to pursue any lead, you win some and lose some - but if you never try then you never have that satisfaction when you do win!

[jfchaly]

I think something that is hard to find brings more joy, when it is found.

I was looking for a relative's gravestone and much to my amazement, I found my neighbour's ancestors, dating back to early 1800's. I wrote down all the names and dates.
It turned out that the grave stone that I was looking for, was moved into a locked area.
I got to see it at a later date.

Jfch

[Milliepede]

I've been somewhere twice looking for a gravestone confident from photos I had seen I knew exactly where to find it and never did 

Next time I will be sure to take copies of the photo and every scrap of information I have about the location which is a good tip for everyone. 

[louisa maud]

It is very rewarding, almost like a needle in a haystack, I found one years ago in Tooting, covered by lawn cuttings and it was just by accident I uncovered it
Often now when the gravestones fall they are lined up alongside a wall which I though this one was, when I was searching one years ago the local office told me they had written to the grave owner listed on the deeds, well when they wrote he was already in the grave so no one knew where they where  but I will say the local office concerned was very helpful
It is always useful to have a grave number and possibly a map, Paddington Old Cemetery seems to have markers telling you which section you are at, very useful

Louisa Maud