Roy Evans Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Visiting a local cemetary yesterday for the first time in thirty + years, I noticed some CWGC headstones in various locations. Much of the cemetary is overgrown and so it is impossible at this stage to see just how many CWGC graves there are. I am in touch with someone who has a record for the whole graveyard - names, positions etc and will try to establish more locations. My question is: Is the upkeep of these graves a local issue or one for the CWGC, who I know have limited funds. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.r.f Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 ROY TERRY DENHAM has records for all CWGC sites,even those in England.For a small fee he will eiyher send you an original register or a copy.They are very good value for money. JOHN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 This could be a case for the local community to get in involved with CWGC in a Community Involvement Initiative: http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/comm_involv.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Just last week, while visting my Dad's grave, I noticed the two CWGC headstone there are going green. We had taken cloths to wipe my Dad's stone, when I finished Dad's I then went over to one of the CWGC headstones to see if the green suff would wipe off with water, which it did but I only had a small amount of water so did not do much. So I plan to go with serveral bottles of water next time, so as I can clean both CWGC stone. Are there any does and donts when it comes to cleaning CWGC stones, as I was thinking of taking a brush and fairy to help clean the stones ? Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 The cleaning of stonework without damaging it is a specalised job. Water can seep into microcracks and leave the stone wet inside. Come the frost and crack!! There is a section on the Friends of War Memorials website regarding this. See www.war-memorials.com You may be better informing CWGC that they need cleaning. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 19 September , 2003 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2003 I have this morning visited the graveyard again, the associated church is All Saints in Sedgley, West Midlands, and to my surprise found that the church was open for a coffee morning. Chatting to the locals, it seems that the war graves (in an extension cemetery, in Gospel End Street) are maintained by the local cadet corps but no one seems to know who they are. What really ‘made’ my visit was that one lady there told me that the CWGC are to erect a communal memorial in the church grounds proper but she was not sure when this would happen. I will keep tabs on the situation. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Nobody should EVER touch a CWGC headstone no matter how good your intentions. Well meaning but inexpert cleaning will damage the headstone even just using water. Contact CWGC on ukaoffice@cwgc.org (UK headstones only) to inform them of a headstone that needs cleaning and it will be done in due course. These stones are the property of CWGC and only they can clean them properly. Please don't damage them by applying water and cleaning fluids. If anyone wants any info on any cemetery of the 25000 worldwide, I can help with details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Good job I made post first, I will leave them well alone and inform CWGC, thanks Terry and Malcolm. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Don't worry, Annette. That's how I found out that CWGC are very careful about cleaning headstones. I volunteered to do the four in my local cemetery and innocently enquired from them how I should do it. I was told firmly that I should leave well alone as unskilled hands may cause damage - albeit by a very small degree. The 'green stuff' always grows on stones that are very near trees or large bushes and it will always return. I believe CWGC use some sort of inert inhibitor when they clean them to delay its growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Annette, I thought the info below may be of interest to you. CWGC will of course attend to all markers in their care but the surrounding cemetery is usually not their responsibility but they can help put pressure on the authority that does.. The Experience Corps is a new body set up by the Home Office earlier this year to encourage people in the 50 - 65 age group to share their skills and experience through volunteering, and to provide opportunities for volunteers to get involved with projects in their area. Friends of War Memorials (FoWM) is the charity concerned with war memorials of all dates and types countrywide, their condition, significance and care. FoWM has been asked to assist the Experience Corps in identifying suitable war memorial sites for the project's launch in November 2001, and beyond. The Experience Corps is seeking external war memorial sites which would benefit from volunteers' practical assistance with tasks such as gardening and planting, tidying hard landscaping (e.g. levelling and weeding paving), tending trees and flowerbeds, repainting gates and railings, basic repairs to surrounding walls etc. It is not intended at this stage to involve volunteers in work such as cleaning or conservation of war memorials themselves, as this usually requires specialist input or supervision. There may be opportunities for volunteers to get involved in helping schools with research and recording projects focusing on war memorials. If you know of war memorial sites in your area (regardless of ownership) where the type of work described would be of benefit, FoWM would be very glad to hear from you. Please let us have details of the location, the condition of the memorial and a local contact (such as the Parish Council Clerk, Royal British Legion Branch Secretary or similar). Thank you. Contact: Maggie Goodall, Conservation Officer Friends of War Memorials 4 Lower Belgrave Street London SW1W 0LA Tel 020 72590403 Fax 020 72590296 E-mail: fowm@eidosnet.co.uk Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 19 September , 2003 Share Posted 19 September , 2003 Terry, the churchyard at Doddington is surrounded by beautiful Conker trees, I had guessed it may be the trees. Malcolm, the grass is cut and its kept clean but a little extra tender care would not hurt. I will take a look at the Friends of War Memorials website over the weekend. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest keep fit. Posted 22 September , 2003 Share Posted 22 September , 2003 Terry Denham how do i go about getting a copy of the records for the CWCG sites that you have. Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 22 September , 2003 Share Posted 22 September , 2003 Susan Email me off-Forum with what details you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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