An odd space on a headstone

[Mart 'n' Al]

I came across this in Bedlington, last week.  Does this space suggest that it was removed as an error, or is it waiting for an insert? 

The only similar thing I have ever seen was a headstone with the word 'faithful' chiselled out after a widow found out that he hadn't been.  I have a photo of the latter, but I can't recall where I took it, and my photos are arranged by date and location.

Martin

[Finley 1]

The fairies did it   

sorry in need of a bit of jollity


xin

[Finley 1]

On reflection, it could be a sibling rivalry thing..

suddenly finding out that his dad was not who was thought to be.. and so they took him out ...

just a thought


xin

[River Tyne Lass]

This is quite bizarre.  Perhaps someone made a gross error with the name and an annoyed family member wanted it removed.  Or perhaps a repair was going to be done but just never happened.  It looks a bit too neat to be vandalism.

This is intriguing.  If you can remember where photo was taken perhaps you could email cemetery office to ask if they know why this part of the stone was removed.  Personally, I have not come across this type of thing.

[arthurk]

From its position, it looks as though it's removed all of the father's first name except the initial.

My guess is that the mason spelled the name wrong, so either (a) the mistake was cut out and a repair was inserted with the correct spelling, but it later dropped out; or (b) the family decided to leave it with just the initial.

[Mart 'n' Al]

Some interesting and credible ideas.  It was in the yard of St Oswald's church in Bedlington, but sadly the church was closed.

To cheer Xinia, here's another photo I took at the same place on the same day.  I don't think I have ever seen so many ladybirds, and certainly not on a stone cross.

Martin

[Finley 1]

oooh      are they attempting to get some out or do they want to go in  

we shall never know..


More likely they like lichen    I could make a song about that.. but must behave


xin

[LizzieW]

Mistakes often made, my 4 x g.grandmother Mary Woodward was buried on 10 February 1805 - according to parish records, which are all in date order, but her gravestone shows 10 February 1808. 

Oddly, on the back of her son and daughter in law's gravestone is carved "Mary late wife of George Woodward of Norley who died February 8 1808 aged 58 years. Also Betty wife of John Woodward who died January 31 1825 aged 41 years".  Which suggests the gravestone wasn't carved until 1825 by which time everyone had forgotten which year Mary Woodward had died.  The front of the same gravestone is carved with Betty and and later John Woodward's deaths.

[Viktoria]

 I did a little work with the wonderful group who have worked so tirelessly to record the names etc in Manchester’s General Cemetery(Quen’s Park)
The number of ladybirds was staggering,heaving,sunning themselves on the warmed stones.
People often feel that birds and lost loved ones are somehow connected, but
I wonder if there is a similar belief regarding ladybirds?
Just a thought.
I wonder about some monumental inscriptions,what a quandary for the masons when there is an error of grammar in the desired inscription.
In a Cemetery not far away one says instead of “taken away too soon”
it says “took away too soon”.
It is a very sad one too so perhaps sympathy and genuine respect for the mourners stayed their hand and it was allowed to pass.
I ask myself, does  it really matter ?And the answer is of course no it really
does not.
I am so thankful I have not been through what they have suffered.
The missing block must have been to correct an error and for some reason the correction was never done.
Interesting.
Viktoria.