Working in and around the Midlands

 Headstone and Memorial Articles:

What is a “ground anchor system” when putting up a headstone ?     By Jim Pollard - Pollard Memorials Within the last 8 years or so, there have been a lot of changes in the Monumental Industry.  Due to concerns for safety of the public visiting Council Cemeteries, and Churchyard Burial Grounds, it has been required that authorities ensure that people can’t be injured by headstones falling, or being pushed, over.   Many Councils are testing every memorial in their cemeteries and churchyards every five years, to ensure that the memorials have not become unstable. (Memorials which fail are the responsibility of the grave owner, and must be rectified)  Previously, memorials were cemented together, with dowels between the headstone and the base, but no means of holding the base to the foundation if the cement joint failed. This meant in some cases that it was possible for a headstone to be pushed over, or in extreme cases fall over.  With children and the elderly visiting cemeteries, it was thought necessary to take steps to ensure that things were safe.  All memorials must now be fixed using a "mechanical fixing method" to ensure that the memorial cannot be pulled or pushed over.  In practice this means that a stainless steel bar is set into the base of the memorial, and through the foundation (which must now be of a size set by the National Association of Memorial Masons “”Code of Working Practice) holding the base in place. The headstone is then dowelled into the base, again with stainless steel dowels, so that the whole structure is sound.  The Code of Working Practice sets out the specifications for the size of holes which are drilled, and the diameter of the steel components. These have been rigorously tested to see that the memorial will be safe, even if pushed or pulled.   Memorial Masons must now pass exams to show that they understand this code, and how to work safely within Burial Grounds.  Masons who pass these exams are then placed on a register, either the National Association “Register of Qualified Memorial Fixers” (RQMF), or the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons” (BRAMM).  As long as Masons or on at least one of these registers they are allowed to fix memorials in cemeteries and churchyards.    Jim Pollard  Pollard Memorials      Can an Old Marble Headstone be cleaned?  By Jim Pollard – Pollard Memorials   When I started in the memorial business, over 26 years ago, Marble was seen as a great material for Headstones. It’s easy to carve and gives a nice sharp edge to the letters.   However, in the last decade or so Marble Headstones have been subject to being eroded by acid rain and other pollutants, so that they go grey or black, and in some cases the lead lettering appears to be raised or sometimes falls out.   Rust is also a major problem with marble – the material itself doesn’t rust, but if wreaths are placed with wire in them, the wire can rust which seeps into the marble, and may be impossible to get out.   Because of the nature of the material, and the lettering, it’s difficult for you to clean these memorials yourself. Some people use bleach – but if too strong this will make the marble go yellow. If the lead lettering is not secure, scrubbing on the surface will damage them, and may make the letters fall out.   Getting these memorials back to looking good is possible, but unfortunately, unless they are maintained, can quickly become dirty again.   Most monumental masons will give you a free quote on how much can be done, and the cost to do this work. We use a combination of methods, depending on what needs to be done, and this can range from scrubbing over the letters (if they are sound enough) to re-facing the memorial and re-lettering.   There are many examples of Marble Memorials being renovated back to looking new, and they stand out well against memorials which haven’t been cleaned.   Once the memorial has been cleaned it’s best to wash it over once or twice a year to keep it looking good. Marble Headstones left with no maintenance will quickly go back to being dirty.   Many people decide that renovating a memorial that will get dirty again is a false economy and replace the memorial with one made from Granite.   Granite is a very durable material, and doesn’t suffer from the elements in the same way that marble does.   If you need more information, talk to your local Monumental Mason, who should be able to advise you on the best course of action.   Jim Pollard Pollard Memorials   Can you change a headstone without the grave deeds? By Jim Pollard – Pollard Memorials   Is it possible to place a headstone without having the grave deeds?   The answer is – it depends!   Many Local Authorities will allow a headstone to be placed or replaced without the actual deeds, (the piece of paper that says you are responsible for the grave), as long as you can get the signature of the Grave Owner.   The Grave Owner is the person, often in the family, who signed to say that they would take responsibility for the grave, usually when the funeral or cremation was arranged at the Funeral Directors. The Funeral Director is not the owner of the grave deeds.   The Grave Owner is usually the only person who can say whether a stone can be placed, or re-placed.   However, if they grave owner is deceased, or no longer wants responsibility for the grave, it may be possible for the local authority to allow a re-assignment of the grave deeds to someone else.   So the best plan is to ask the Local Authority if you want a re-assignment, but it’s very unlikely they will do it if the grave owner is alive and unwilling to give up ownership.   Churchyards are much more restrictive in what’s allowed, and this is due to the Diocese Regulations. Anything unusual is likely to be refused, or passed on to the Diocese for their comments. Jim Pollard Pollard Memorials

 

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