General Chat

Does anyone else get the stare of disgust/fear from their families when you say that you're going to a cemetery to find some relatives? And you try explaining to them that no, it isnt the most glamorous part of family history but its useful information that needs to be found, but they still can't quite get it!

Does anyone else have the same problem?

Well Matthew, my husband's face was a picture when I told him HE had bought me (on his credit card) today, the Memorial Inscriptions for a family cemetery.

Priceless. lol

Dianne xx

To be honest I think some people find it really creepy..I must admit I love going round and finding out info..Good for you

It's odd but it's the one thing my OH never minds doing ... he's not that interested in the family history but he's quite happy to help me find gravestones.

Mind you, we've always been looking around them on fine days so I'm not sure what he'd be like if it was pelting down with rain!

Jill

Family are used to our funny ways by now, but OH did get strange looks when work collegues asked if he'd enjoyed his long weekend off work and he produced lots of pictures of graves.
We even managed a bit of grave-spotting when we went to New Zealand last year. One of Mum's relatives had travelled out there c. 1859 and it was a strange moment to be able to stand at his grave and reflect on his life and the line of our family that he started out there. I'd visited the church in a Herefordshire village, where he'd been christened and I stood at his grave and felt I'd visited on behalf of all his English family.

Gwyn

Hi Mathew,
I was delighted to see this thread, if only to know I am not alone. Last summer I decided to realise a long time ambition. I wanted to visit a graveyard in Essex, where I knew generations of my ancestors originated.
Leaving home in the middle of the night, armed with a can of shaving cream and a squeegee to pick out worn lettering, a flask and a pack of sandwiches, I made the five hour drive to Essex, arriving just after dawn. Spent seven hours in the graveyard, accompanied some of the time by the local vicar, who was very interested. Made copious notes, took dozens of photo's, and drove the 250 miles back home again, arriving in the early hours. Tired but happy.
My OH said she was sure it was grounds for divorce on grounds of Unreasonable Behaviour - if she didn't have me sectioned under the Mental Health Act first.
It was a very worthwhile excercise - I found information that would not be found in any census, or any other records.

I may be deranged..........but I'm happy

Tec.

My screensaver is a slideshow of my photos..............there's a collective "OH Mum!!" every time a gravestone appears:))))

xx

I don't really get funny looks from my folks for doing it\

BUT

I definitely don't think they understand. They don't get how peaceful and respectful I think it is to go have a nose around & see who I can find.

Maria xxxx

I have to agree with everything that has been said. Yes, my family think I am mad but they are used to it now.

Not long ago I went to spend the day with my daughter who suffers with depression. To get her out of the house I asked her if she would come with me to a graveyard in a village not far from where she lives. It was a beautiful day, and when we arrived at the church we found a war memorial with details of a gt uncle and then set off to search the grave stones. I gave her the names of the people I was looking for and we separated to search the churchyard. It was so peaceful and tranquil that I just knew that it would do her good. We didn't find any more info but we did locate the cottage where my gt gt grandparents had lived in the village.
She said how much she had enjoyed the day, but I didn't realise how much of an impression it had made on her until a few weeks later. She told me that she had returned to the church several times, just to sit quietly and think about her situation.
I like to think that those gt gt grandparents who I never knew, are helping their gt gt gt grandaughter get well again.

Frances

* Remembers the grave hunting with Kitty last year in Sussex and the patience of her young daughter while the adults were
'sure it's here somewhere' *

Gwyn

I have always had a thing about walking round grave yards,So has my sister.

Day or nite.

One i went to last year as knew of one grave there that family where in, And on head stone told me when and where two of the children died.

Yes people do think its not normal to go grave hunting. But i love it and hope to some this year again.

Matthew great thread.
Yes and no.
Our Grankids fight to come with us!! They love it.

Tecwyn
Might have to try the shaving foam and widow wiper what a good idea! ops WINDOW wiper. lol

Will keep an eye on this for ideas on how to clean headstones without damage.
Love to all
Tricia xx

Had to chuckle at some of the replies,
of which I agree entirely.
My daughters tend to tut and look up to the sky, and say
Mum's off again.
Also, I hate to admit it, several years ago, I attended a Wedding,
and whilst waiting for the bride to turn up, people were all waiting outside the church, socialising as you do,I wondered off looking at the headstones,someone called out to me,the brides coming get in the church quick,
I was so engrossed with the wonderful writing on the headstones,
I wish I could have stayed there engrossed in my findings.
Naughty me. lol !!!!!!!!!!!

Trish
xx

"If you don't go to other peoples' funerals, they won't go to yours".

Friends at work asked what I had done on my birthday. I told them oh and I had gone to look round a grave yard. With a groan they all said only you could do that. To find a headstone photograph it, and take notes of the inscriptions where they are difficult to read, then lunch in a country pub is my idea of a lovely day out.

Dear All

There is nothing wrong with visting graveyards, providing you go
with a couple of people for safety.

There is something wrong with trying to bulldooze them for property development.

Some old cemetaries have been taken over by the group
"Friend of the Earth". They plant flowers and trees to attract wildlife.
Before this, all information on headstones are transcribed and sent to the
local record office.

Postmans Park in London is a memorial to ordinary people who died trying to save others in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

There are beautiful wall mounted inscrriptions to each person.

Best wishes.

I visited the township of my early relatives with my daughter and granddaughter and we went around the cemetery. I told them three surnames which are in my tree and they enjoyed themselves going around finding them for me. My grand-daughter was photographed, sitting on the corner of the grave of her gr/gr/great grandparents!

While I worked out the relationship of each one- daughter went around clicking the camera on every headstone which bore one of those names - then emailed them to me when we came home and I sorted them out later for the family history.
I give thanks for the modern methods of cameras and computers!!!

No, I have never experienced that stare.

Everyone is interested. Several cousins and a sibling enjoy family history research; and my OH and I have hunted our ancestral families in Cornish churchyards.

I drove 1hr to visit a Hick of a Town called Killamarsh in Derbyshire, as my GGrandmother was born there as were her family some 100 years before. This place only had 1 Church which of course housed MANY of my relatives. So there I was taking various pictures much to the dismay of my OH & Sons and I met a lovely woman who was doing the same thing. We have now become great friends. This village is so old it still had the stocks in the churchyard.................YES ................ of course I had my picture taken in it xxxx

Wow!

I was not expecting this much response to my thread! Now Im glad im not the only one who thinks that pottering around a graveyeard on a sunny afternoon one of the most relaxing and thought-provoking things you can do.

Cheers everyone, and happy grave-hunting!