GENEALOGY FROM THE GRAVEYARD

What information are we likely to see on a gravestone? They all vary enormously; you might get a name or just initials followed by a date right up to reams of facts about an extended family.  Here are some of the things you may find:

NAME: These sometimes include alias names. Married women are memorialised using their married surname. However, In Scotland married women are memorialised using their maiden name. This can be extremely useful information.

AGE: This may be the year or possible birthdate and date of death (so you have to work it out!). Ages may be inaccurate because of informant’s lack of knowledge.

RELATIONSHIP: Generally this refers to the common terms...usually husband or wife of, son of...and so on. 

MILITARY/NAVAL SERVICE: These details usually include rank and sometimes the regiment or ship on which they served. Gallantry decorations and awards can also be noted on a gravestone sometimes. 

MEMBERSHIP OF FRATERNAL SOCIETIES: This might be denoted by a symbol of the society or the grave is in a special burial ground such as one for Quakers. 

PLACE OF ORIGIN: If the deceased is an immigrant, you might be lucky to see his place of origin on his stone.

RELIGION: This is usually determined by where the graveyard is located; is it in a churchyard or in a separate religious burial ground? The gravestone may include a symbol or be inscribed in another language - the deceased could be a French prostentant or Jewish. 

OTHER CLUES:  Gravestones sometimes reveal the cause of death.

And a bonus might be finding infant deaths of children you knew nothing about.

Angels on a gravestone represent guardianship of someone’s soul and protection on their journey to heaven. Weeping angels convey the sorrow of an untimely death.

Anchor symbolises hope and steadfastness to the Christian faith. It can also signify that the person was a sailor.

Broken things shown on a gravestone symbolise a life cut short. A rose bud with a broken stem represents a girl who died before blossoming into womanhood. A broken link in a chain represents a death in the family.

Candle A broken candle symbolises a life that ended too soon.

Cherubs traditionally marked the grave of a child, guarding their soul on its journey to heaven.

Circles represent hope of eternal life. They are sometimes depicted in the form of a snake swallowing its own tail, or as a wheel. A broken wheel symbolises the end of someone’s life on earth.

Cross This is the Christian symbol of faith and the hope of resurrection to eternal life in heaven. The Celtic cross is common in cemeteries across Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Dove This bird represents love, peace and the freedom of someone’s spirit. It’s also a Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit and hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Skeletons are a depiction of Death in human form, reminding visitors of their own mortality.

Skull is a reminder of our own mortality.

Clasped hands are a symbol of parting from a loved one who has died. They are also a promise of reunion when the bereaved person goes to heaven.

Hand pointing upwards indicates gone to heaven. A hand pointing downwards is the Hand of God and sometimes represent a sudden death.

Star of David is a symbol of the Jewish faith. On some gravestones a Hebrew inscription is placed inside the star.

Sun is a symbol of life. A setting sun represents the end of life, and a rising sun indicates faith in resurrection.

Urn is a classical Greek symbol of mourning, symbolising bodies as a vessel for the soul. An urn covered in drapes on a Catholic gravestone represents death’s final curtain.

Snakes or Serpents usually indicate a Masonic follower.

Yes, there is an etiquette regarding cemeteries and graveyards! But actually, much of it is common sense and politeness.

Be respectful at all times and do not tread on graves; be especially respectful around those who might be there mourning the loss of a loved one. 

Preserve the grave making every effort not to damage the grave as you investigate it. Rubbing a grave can damage the stone so you should only clean and clear it in a recognised way (see later). You must retain the integrity of the gravestone for the future. 

Contact the cemetery manager. In active cemeteries always consult the cemetery superintendent; for churchyards contact the incumbent or the churchwarden. Their details are normally on the church notice board. They will often be able to help you locate the desired grave quickly or indicate the location where no stone exists or has been removed. 

Do not leave any litter in the graveyard.

Cleaning gravestones has to be undertaken carefully so as not to damage either the base material or lettering. For the purpose of reading monumental inscriptions, the only areas which need attention are where the wording is, and then only to make the lettering sufficiently visible to record. Cleaning a whole monument is not necessary.

Depending upon the site of a grave, considerable work removing weeds, overgrown bushes and accumulated soil may be required. Because they are relatively heavy, stone memorials tend to sink over time, and some may have to be at least partially dug up. 

This section has more detail regarding what you will need for your graveyard visit. Ultimately, you are going to have to plan the visit carefully as you will need all sorts of bits and pieces. 

Let's begin with what you need for clearing the area around the gravestone.

- Kneelers to protect knees and clothing from stones, mud, thistles etc.

- Gardening gloves

- Secateurs and small snips

- Garden trowel and a hand hoe

- Old wide blade

- Large bags for removing green waste to a recycling centre.

- Lawn edging spade for removing grass around edges, particularly kerbs. An edging spade can also dig out smaller sunken stones.

When dealing with the gravestone itself, consider the following items:

- A Holy Bible (and possibly a Latin Dictionary) to read epitaphs.

- Water spray and container of water. Not all cemeteries have a water tap.

- Used soft brushes such as an old washing-up brush or a toothbrush. New brushes are too coarse and may damage the stone and lettering.

- A mirror or homemade foil reflector to angle the sun across the lettering when reading.

- A torch for use in shaded areas, under trees etc. to achieve same effect as a reflector.

 - A tape measure to help in location of a grave position and recording the size of the headstone.

- Paper and pencil to record the information. Pens don't usually work in inclement weather.

- Your digital camera or smart phone with a good camera to take pictures of the grave. 

A headstone cleaning spray called  Resurrect is available on Amazon. Make sure you use it in accordance with the instructions and not as a general cleaner.

The simple technique is... spray, agitate, leave a few seconds and rinse off.

TIP: Use Vaseline on any letters before cleaning with a proprietary cleaner as this preserves them.

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING!

Scrapers either metal or plastic.

Wire brushes.

Brute force

Bleach or non-specialist soaps, chemicals, solvents. Use water only.

Pressure washers. Even on a low or wide-spray setting, pressure washers may loosen lettering, remove paint and damage the surface. Most old stonework is cleaned by soaking, not water under pressure.

Granite and marble can be damaged by inappropriate cleaning more easily than other stonework.

Do not attempt to clean rusted iron memorials as this will cause irreparable damage. Surface rust acts as a protective cover for good iron beneath, so disturbing it causes the next layer to rust. The same applies to the verdigris on copper.

Do not stand on paving covering the central part of a kerbed plot. It may not be as solid as it looks, resulting in a sharp drop into the burial void beneath!

This should be your plan of action!

Clear any vegetation which obscures a clear view of a monument; look for hidden kerbing and footstones, and examine any fallen uprights and crosses.

Look for signs of lettering at the bottom of sunken and crooked uprights, and on kerbs.

Attempt to read as much of the inscription as possible at first, without clearing or cleaning the grave. Some will be clear enough without further cleaning.

If you need to clean the surface, start  from the top and spray the surface with water. Gently remove any surface debris and lichen with a soft brush. More water will need to be applied in most instances. The most effective method is to spray water onto the stone whilst brushing, as water helps clean both brush and surface and provides a lubricant, reducing the likelihood of damage. Clean from the top down, as it allows the water to soak the lower lines of lettering, and washes surface debris away as you progress downwards.

Dirty water, settling into incised lettering, actually can help to reveal the shapes of letters, particularly with horizontal memorials where mud or lichen-coloured outlines stand out better. Alternatively, rub mud gently across the lettering - but do remember to leave the surface clean when finished!

Examine the wording from various angles. Worn lettering tends to become clearer when examined from one side rather than straight on.

Use a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the memorial in need be. Shadows are helpful. If there is no sun, use a torch, the more powerful the better.

Obscure and worn lettering is often best read by two or more people together. Don't guess!

Carvings with lettering are frequently overlooked. They can be difficult to make out and liable to crumble unless cleaned very gently. Use a reflector and more than one person to read.

It is helpful to read initials and dates on footstones first because they might be clearer than what remains on a headstone.

Using a soft toothbrush between the letters is best for cleaning. Where letters have already dropped off, they might be at the base of the monument, and thus provide clues; you may also see small holes left where a letter has come away.

Use a Latin dictionary and bible to decipher worn quotations. 

Finally, it goes without saying - write everything down! On separate lines, note the location of the gravestone (section, plot etc.). And where practical, take a photo! A picture points to a thousand words!

When examining kerbstones, an edging spade is very useful as it can be taken down the edge without damaging the stone. The presence of a headstone does not mean there is no inscription on a kerb. Kerb inscriptions are normally on the inside edge of a kerb.

The main purpose is to record what is on the gravestones but in many cases, some interpretation is needed.

Some burial plots may include the graves of several family members with inscriptions on all sides. Inscriptions are usually invented by the relatives commissioning the memorial stone. They may have had little grasp of grammar or spelling, and it is not the stonemason's job to correct it. The collected inscriptions are a part of someone's family history.

Cover the gravestone in foil and rub. Photograph the result for your records.

Ingenious, really, but very effective!

Once you have prepared the gravestone and recorded the inscriptions, then you can photograph it. A good quality set of photographs is essential.

If you have to remove flowers or remembrance items to get the photograph, do make sure you replace them when finished.

Use quality photography equipment if you can. A good digital camera that has auto-focus, flash, adjustable light settings, and zoom is ideal. Optical zoom is best because it allows you to get the most details in an image.

Use a camera with an LCD monitor. This will allow you to check the photo you have taken. You need to make sure that you have captured all the information you wanted. If you can't read the inscription or it's out of focus, you'll know straight away and you'll have to try again.

Plan for the best lighting. This is the most important step as the fine details of the headstone are what you're keen to capture.

Orientate the grave. Morning light is recommended for headstones facing east. West-facing gravestones are best photographed at the middle of the day and north-facing stones are best photographed in late afternoon light. It is difficult to get a good photo if the stone is backlit.

Reflect light. You can redirect sunlight by the simple placement of a piece of white board with a foil covering. You can also use two mirrors to create light over a shadowed headstone.

Be aware that gravestones are made from different materials and surfaces.  Shiny surfaces reflect a lot of light and will require more positioning to avoid getting a blur of sunshine. Dull stone surfaces will often need dampening to help bring out the inscription clearly. Always check your photos after taking them to see what adjustments need to be made for the headstone surface.

Take plenty of pictures. Digital cameras allow you to take as many as you like; some will work out well while others won't be so good. Also try and take various shots of the headstone from different angles and distances. Take photographs of the section of the cemetery too so that you can document the location of the grave. Take a photograph of the cemetery sign or entrance as well as proof of the name and location of the cemetery.

Photograph smooth and shiny granite gravestones at an angle to avoid getting a reflection of yourself. Wearing dark clothing can minimize your reflection.

Be aware that many gravestones are not upright or straight due to settling over the years. If you want your photograph to show it as straight, then slant the camera as you take the shot. Alternatively, this photo fixing can be done on a photo enhancing program on your computer once you get home.

Most family history societies have surveyed their local churchyards and recorded gravestone and memorial inscriptions. These are then usually available as CDs, booklets or online datasets.

Contact the local society where your ancestors lived to see if any MIs exist for the churchyard in which your ancestor was buried. Some MIs date back to the early twentieth century or even before; some headstones and graves may have been destroyed, weathered or removed altogether.

Some community societies and religious organisations have also transcribed information about their local municipal cemetery occupants.

Contacting these groups before you visit a grave location will help as they can often quickly identify the grave you are looking for. Be aware of the date the inscription was taken.

Churchyards and nonconformist burial grounds

Municipal and private cemeteries (some with crematoria attached)

Prison burial grounds - for example HMP Dartmoor

Workhouse and asylum burial grounds

Royal Navy and military cemeteries

Many cemeteries, for various reasons, have been disbanded.

For example, Ardwick cemetery in Manchester operated between 1830 and 1950. It used to have upwards of 80,000 graves. It is now a community football ground and park, with no gravestones remaining. Such a same but... most disbanded cemetery records such as grave registers survive in record offices.

There are many websites which show grave indexes, but the lists are by no means exhaustive. However, it's worth a look sometimes.

Find A Grave indexes are available on FamilySearch and Ancestry: www.findagrave.com

Billion Graves index is available on FamilySearch, My Heritage and FindMyPast: www.billiongraves.com

This allows you to upload any gravestone details to their website. -t is ideal for smartphone users. Download the app and follow the sequence. You can ignore step 3 (below) if you are just looking at one or two graves in a particular cemetery.