In memory …

of those who have gone before us and now rest in a House of Life.

The aim of this project is to preserve for future generations the information that has been inscribed over the centuries on headstones across the country before it is lost to the insidious ravages of acid rain, urbanization, neglect and vandalism.

Many of our original cemeteries are now gone forever and many others are no longer open to the public. With so many good causes requiring the Community's support, cemetery maintenance is, understandably, not a high priority. We hope this project, to photograph and database as many headstone inscriptions as possible and make the information widely and freely available, will help preserve the memories, if not the memorials.

Whilst this started out as a database of record, we came to feel that it was important, where possible, to place the individuals in the context of their family settings ­—to identify their parents ­—to show whom they married, where they lived, and what they did.

It must be stressed that the basis for many of these entries is an old or damaged headstone. Therefore, our data may contain omissions or errors attributable to faded or missing inscriptions.

We hope that this will be an ever-evolving database and welcome any additional data or photos you may be able to supply.

G. Laws. & A. Shire.