CEMETERY CONSERVATION

GRAVE SITE
MAINTENANCE

READING
INSCRIPTIONS

One of the purposes of The Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand is to create awareness of cemeteries as an important part of New Zealand’s heritage. On the monuments of our ancestors lies a record of the past, which enables the tracing of family history whilst providing a rich source of local history. The symbolism of death through monuments and structures is demonstrated in 19th century examples of the stonemason’s craft and formal garden design. Cemeteries are a vast resource for researchers of our history and people. It is our hope that this guide will encourage you to take an interest in the conservation of your family grave and maintain our heritage for future generations.

We encourage you to consider the conservation of your family grave. We are available to advise on sympathetic restoration or conservation of any family grave. If you are contemplating any such work you must contact the cemetery authority before proceeding. All repair and restoration work will need to be undertaken by qualified trades-people and executed in sympathy with the surrounding grave sites. Note also that physical cemetery remains in a place older than 1900AD may be considered an archaeological site under the Historic Places Act 1993 and therefore be protected legally (section 10). If so, an archaeological ‘authority’ (see sections 11, 12 and 14 Historic Places Act 1993) may be required before any modification can be lawfully undertaken. Please refer any other matters to your Local Authority.

IDENTIFYING MATERIALS

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Various materials have been used historically as headstones and footstones. In spite of the name they are not all necessarily made of stone, although stone is the most common material used. Stone is more or less resistant to weathering and other damage in accordance with the physical and chemical properties of the rock concerned. Because of this it is important that a properly trained expert directs the application of any conservation treatment to a headstone or footstone (whether of rock or other material).

Three of the more common and durable rock types that are relatively hard are listed below.

• Granite which can be of red, black, or shades of grey, is the strongest and most long-lasting stone. It can have polished faces or rough faces, or a combination of both. Inscriptions do not erode easily. It remains relatively free of lichen and moss. Slate has not been widely used in New Zealand as it has to be imported. It can be long-lasting and usually remains free of growths but can split along cleavage planes.

• Marble is usually white in colour, is a reasonably hard stone and long-wearing, but is subject to staining as salts emerge, and also suffers from some erosion.
  
  Two relatively soft (sedimentary) rock types are also fairly common.

• Limestone is a soft stone which is white in colour when new. It erodes badly and grows mosses and lichen well.
   
  

• Sandstone is much like limestone but is usually brown to grey in colour. Undressed stone of varying rock types sometimes serves as a headstone. In general, unpolished stone is more susceptible to weathering and other damage.

• Wood was used in the early days but is not a longlasting material unless it is in a very dry situation.

• Bronze plaques are sometimes used to good effect. They are long-lasting and almost indestructible.

• Brass is widely used on cremation kerbstones. It suffers from tarnishing which can remove the incised lettering.

• Plastic coated plaques have proven to be totally unsatisfactory and should be replaced.

• Cast Iron headstones should be treated as for wrought iron (read further on).

GRAVE SITE MAINTENANCE

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Subsidence of the ground and poor footings under the headstone will eventually cause the stone to lean and fall. This can cause damage which cannot be easily repaired. If your headstone is leaning you should seek professional advice from a qualified monumental mason. He will be able to stabilise it for the long-term.

Do not dispose of any broken material. It may be very useful for any future conservation or restoration. Some cemeteries were ‘cleaned up’ in the past and many valuable pieces of graveyard furniture were lost forever. You should replace broken pieces nearest to where they originated, if obvious.

Stones lying flat deteriorate faster than those standing upright because of constant dampness. Should you try to stand the stone upright if intact and not cracked, lean it against something. Be very careful – stone is very heavy and difficult to handle and could easily be broken and/or result in injury to yourself.

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Over time the stone erodes and some of the lead lettering will fall out. Because of the erosion the lettering cannot be easily replaced without further stone cutting. However, because of the channels cut for the lead it is usually still possible to read the message. We advise that in such circumstances it is best to leave the stone well alone.

Early wrought iron surrounds are works of art and can have great historical and architectural significance. It is a shame that so many of them have been broken and lost their gates. Any loose pieces should be stored inside the grave site where in future they can perhaps be restored. If you wish to commission a new gate or any other repair work you should contact the cemetery authority who will recommend an approved tradesperson. If rusting is superficial and not flaking painting with fish oil on a regular basis is the best preservative. If heavily pitted and/or flaking, scrape before treatment with fish oil.

Originally grave enclosures were to protect the graves from being trampled by wandering livestock, and were an indication that the grave was being maintained. Subsidence and tree roots are the main causes of concrete surrounds cracking. They were usually not reinforced and not much can or should be done with these items. If you want them restored you should contact a master stonemason in the area.

You should avoid walking on the surface of the grave. If it is soil or wood chips there is a risk of sudden subsidence. If it is a plaster or concrete cover, again it may be hollow underneath, and there is a risk it may collapse.

Marble headstones are particularly prone to staining as the chemicals leach out. Stains are a normal and harmless process and no effort should be made to use other substances to remove them.

These are part of the normal weathering process and most do not cause a great deal of damage. They are best left alone, otherwise you risk damaging the stone and lettering. If the inscription is largely unreadable, the moss or lichen can be removed by applying copious amounts of water with a natural bristle brush. It will take time. Alternatively you can apply a good proprietary moss killer. Do not use wire brushes.

These are normally controlled by a contractor but their maintenance cycle may still allow weeds to flourish. We suggest you remove weeds where necessary and take away with any other litter.

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It was sometimes considered appropriate to plant trees in the four corners of a new grave. These were often yew or holly. Over time they will have grown into substantial trees and may need to be pruned or removed. All trees and their roots have the potential to cause much damage if they are in or near to graves. Wilding or seedling trees and shrubs should be removed before they grow too large by cutting off at the base and applying a stump killer. Do not attempt to remove the roots as they will have wrapped themselves around anything and everything and their removal could do great damage.

READING INSCRIPTIONS

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This is the important part of the headstone. If you are having difficulty in reading the letters, we recommend that you do not attempt to clean the stone. To do so risks doing possible irreversible damage to the stone and the lettering. Refer to Photography and Genealogy.

Good light will always produce a better photograph. If you wish to photograph the headstone and inscription in a shaded position and you want the lettering to be readable it may be necessary to provide additional lighting. This can be done on a sunny day by using a mirror at an appropriate angle.

Full transcriptions of all headstones in New Zealand have been recorded by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, and are available from most public libraries and family history centres. The local cemetery authority maintains a database of all burials in their area of responsibility.

• Do not use a wire brush on stonework. It will do much damage to the surface of the stone and encourage the growth of moss and lichen.

• Do not apply any proprietary sealer to the stone. Stone must be able to breath and allow air and water to pass through.

• Gravestone rubbing is not recommended because so many gravestones are made from soft sandstones and limestone that are easily damaged.

The Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand is endorsed by The New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the Master Monumental Masons Association.

Should you require more information on the Trust or be interested in furthering the work of the Trust please contact:

The Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand
Stewart Harvey - Trust Chairman
65 Every Street, Dunedin
Phone 03 454 5384
Email stewarth@orcon.net.nz