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The gravestone might have been added later by family.
Could it be someone had a family bible with birth and death dates in it.

Does the stone seem old or fairly new?
Can there be a record of when the headstone was erected.

Margaret

There is a gravestone in Brixham St Mary’s Churchyard with the following inscription –

John Reeves d23/8/1828
father John Reeves drowned off Lundy 28/7/1843
& two of his infant children
& his wife Johanna d24/7/1868
Also Thomas Taylor d21/11/1840

There is no record of either John Reeves burial in the Parish Records of Brixham St Mary’s. It is believe John Reeves Junior would have been about 15 years of age when he died and his father, John Reeves Senior, would have been in his mid-sixties when he was drowned off Lundy. A full search has been carried out for the record of a Death Certificate being issued for John Reeves Senior without success.

I wonder whether anyone can throw any light on the mystery of how precise dates of death are known (as recorded on the gravestone) yet it would appear that there is no trace of a burial or death record. Who would have recorded John Reeves Senior’s death and why would details have been so precisely recorded? The same question applies to John Reeves Junior.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.