Was this photo taken in Old Monkland Cemetery?

[Bearcroft94]

Hi everyone,

Bit of a long shot, but does anyone recognise the background of this photo being Old Monkland Cemetery? I appreciate it's small and unclear, but I'm hoping the hills in the background are distinctive enough to establish yes or no. It's a family grave, and the relative who gave me the photo says he thinks it's Old Monkland Cemetery, but can't be sure.

I don't know when the photo was taken, but it would have been after 1950.

Thanks for any help!
H

[Forfarian]

Might this help?

http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=144553668

[still_looking]

Old Monkland is on a slope, I don't recall seeing a similar hill from my only visit to it nor can I spot it on street view. That said, the lower part does flatten out so I may simply have been in the wrong bit for the view as it is very large. Might be worth searching the likes of rootschat and findagrave in case the headstone has been transcribed by someone. Alternatively you could try asking if anyone recognises the distant hillside from a cemetery visit.

S_L

[Lodger]

It could be OM cemetery, the topography has changed a bit since the 1950s, the pit bing (slag heap) on the right has gone but if you send a name and date of death I will try to find out for you.

[Istrice]

I would agree with Lodger that this is a photo taken from within OM Cemetery looking west towards Glasgow.

The wooded slope on the left is to the east of Aitkenhead Farm and the old Nackerty Road.  The bing referred to by Lodger, lay between Viewfield Road in Old Monkland, and the "old" A8 Edinburgh Road.  The bing which was part of the Kirkwood Oil Works and collieries existed into the late 1960's/early 70's when it was removed to provide an industrial site occupied by a "Marshall's Chunky Chickens" processing plant.  When this company ceased operations the site was extended to the west (the burn was part culverted) and eventually was occupied by the cinema complex that presently exists.

Istrice

[Ruskie]

Could you not look up the names on those headstones to find out which burial ground they are in?

[Bearcroft94]

It could be OM cemetery, the topography has changed a bit since the 1950s, the pit bing (slag heap) on the right has gone but if you send a name and date of death I will try to find out for you.

Thanks, Lodger. The names of those buried, in order, are Margaret Wilson, died 02 July 1936, William Young, died 05 Feb 1944, and Samuel Young, died 02 Dec 1950. It's Samuel named as the one erecting the stone, so I don't know if that means he bought the lair?

I would agree with Lodger that this is a photo taken from within OM Cemetery looking west towards Glasgow.

The wooded slope on the left is to the east of Aitkenhead Farm and the old Nackerty Road.  The bing referred to by Lodger, lay between Viewfield Road in Old Monkland, and the "old" A8 Edinburgh Road.  The bing which was part of the Kirkwood Oil Works and collieries existed into the late 1960's/early 70's when it was removed to provide an industrial site occupied by a "Marshall's Chunky Chickens" processing plant.  When this company ceased operations the site was extended to the west (the burn was part culverted) and eventually was occupied by the cinema complex that presently exists.

Istrice

The value of local knowledge! Many thanks for sharing. I thought the slag heap was a natural hill so had been trying to spot it on Google maps with no luck (of course).

Could you not look up the names on those headstones to find out which burial ground they are in?

Is there a publicly-available resource for Lanarkshire burials? I've tried FindAGrave to no luck (for these particular names).

[Lodger]

Thanks, Lodger. The names of those buried, in order, are Margaret Wilson, died 02 July 1936, William Young, died 05 Feb 1944, and Samuel Young, died 02 Dec 1950. It's Samuel named as the one erecting the stone, so I don't know if that means he bought the lair?

I'll check them out and get back to you as soon as I can.

[Bearcroft94]

Thanks, Lodger. The names of those buried, in order, are Margaret Wilson, died 02 July 1936, William Young, died 05 Feb 1944, and Samuel Young, died 02 Dec 1950. It's Samuel named as the one erecting the stone, so I don't know if that means he bought the lair?

I'll check them out and get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks Lodger!

By the way, is your signature a list of research interests? I have a Torrance not far from Hamilton, Margaret Torrance (1789-1877), who died in Rosebank. I wonder if related?