FAMILY GRAVE RESTORATION APPEAL
We've launched an appeal to raise money to stabilise the grave where Jeanetta and George Menzies and several of their children are buried in a monumental family plot in the Stockton Cemetery.
The site is in a bad state of repair. The monument itself is in good shape but the site has subsided and the monument is at risk of falling. In fact the council considers it a safety risk and has erected a temporary fence around the grave since the family visited in March for the reunion. They have said that they may need to push the monument over to satisfy safety standards unless we stabilise the centre monument.
George was buried at Stockton in 1907, Jeanetta in 1915, son Robert in 1909, sons Richard and William in 1935 and the last inscription dates from 1936 for Bessie Menzies.
Geoff Brew has been discussing some repairs with a number of local stone masons and has finally met with and selected one, Brad, whose work Geoff vouches for. Brad is the 3rd generation of stone mason and grave digger and his grandfather used to live in a little cottage near the cemetery.
It appears most of the subsidence had been caused by the collapse of coffins. The grave seems to have moved sideways as well as vertically. It is probably due to the digging of additional graves close to and outside of the north side of the Menzies Grave. Brad has quoted a maximum price of $6500 (there are some unknowns in the excavation) in order to:
- remove & dispose of existing monument concrete top
- support centre memorial
- lift & realign 3 of the 2.4m long sandstone left kerb slabs
- reinforced concrete top to support monument and
- supply granite chips
Nothing will be done with the ironwork. The objective is not to make the grave look like new but to make the assembly safe and allow the vicissitudes of time to show through.
We need your help
We need to raise $6500 by the end of this year (December 2017) and if every member of the family is able to contribute we're sure to be able reach the amount we need. This will secure the site for future generations and descendants of Jeanetta and George, our descendants. As of the date of writing, we've managed to raise $500, we we're on the way.
To give you some idea, if 40 family members donated equally, that would be $160 each, if 30 donated, it would be $220 each, if 20 donated it would be $325 each.
If you'd like to talk to Geoff or John, you can give them a call or send them an email. If you like you can deposit directly to our dedicated bank account for the purpose. It is a Commonwealth Bank Account in the name of John Brew with BSB 062 692 and account number: 2868 9125.
Get your name on the monument
Everyone that contributes will have their name inscribed on a brass plaque to be fixed on the obelisk ensuring that your contribution is acknowledged by all our descendants.
