Genealogy Chat

I have always been happy wandering round a graveyard, I find it so serene and peaceful. Now having this hobby has made it even more interesting for me, always look for people from my tree. not found any yet but it's early days and I live in hope Linda

I have travelled quite a way to visit graveyards. Now when my husbands talks about holidays and days away, he knows I'm going to say somewhere near a graveyard I want to visit. It use to be garden centres and craft fairs.......... Jean

..... and St Andrew's, Little Glemham, Suffolk. Just inside the gate of the churchyard, under a yew tree, there is a grave that has a large double headstone with the following inscription, for my great-great-great-Granny and Grandad:- 'In affectionate memory of JONATHAN SADD who died May 4th 1874 aged 84 years. Oh the sweet joy this sentence gives, I know that my redeemer lives. In affectionate memory of SARAH SADD who died February 7th 1852 aged 62 years. We part in hope to meet again. Erected by their daughter Mary Ann Dyball.'

I have always been fascinated wandering around in churchyards, not just in the last 7 years of family history researching. If you look in my have you trod in their footsteps thread on gen board, you will see the following that I saw at St Peter's, Charsfield, Suffolk recently:- ''In Affectionate Memory of AMOS FLETCHER WHO DIED AUGUST 23RD 1846 AGED 34 YEARS. LORD LET ME YIELD IN PEACE MY BREATH AND THY SALVATION SEE. MY SINS DESERVE ETERNAL DEATH BUT JESUS DIED FOR ME. ____________________________________ ALSO OF WILLIAM FLETCHER WHO DIED JANUARY 5TH 1872 AGED 29 YEARS. NOT DEAD BUT SLEEPETH. ALSO ARTHUR BROTHER OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED FEBRUARY 1ST 1872 AGED 29 YEARS. WE PART IN HOPE TO MEET AGAIN. AND ALSO TRELAWNEY THEIR BROTHER WHO WAS DROWNED IN THE RIVER THAMES APRIL 17TH 1863 AGED 15 YEARS. IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH. WILLIAM, ARTHUR AND TRELAWNEY ARE INTERRED IN BROCKLEY CEMETERY.''

After searching all the census to find my rellies I then go to the graveyards to try and find them. A lot of the graveyards I wander round are quite small and, because I've already searched the census, I recognise most of the people in the graveyard. I can say oh that's so and so he lived round the corner. Or you see familiar names buried together, sometimes both dying days apart or years apart, but nice to see them together nonetheless. They almost become yours too! Snowdrops

Often you will find carved on a gravestone a line or two that gives a little insight into the deceased as a person rather than just a statistic. A parish register doesn't tell you if a person was loved.

I love wandering round graveyards too! But I take my camera with me and have started to make web pages with my findings. While doing my tree and tracing ancestors I have found distant cousins in USA, Canada, NZ, Australia etc - and a lot of them will probably never be able to get over here and see where their ancestors are buried. http://www.*maryjane-sue.*com/kingsbury/kingsbury.*htm http://www.*maryjane-sue.*com/martock/martock.*htm And yes, I have to look them up on the census and try and find marriage etc when I get home. Is we sad or what? lol Sue

Yes sue I do that! Take my notebook write them down, then get home and check them with the census - somtimes they are not even mine!

I dont know what it is but I am attracted to them and always wandering around them, were ever I go. I would rather do that than shopping. My hubby says its not normal for a women to prefer them to shopping, but then he says I not normal liking all this stuff as he calls it. But his happy as it helps his bank balance!!!!!!

Is it me just me being very sad or does anyone else enjoy looking around a good graveyard! lol Sara