Never Give Up!

You may remember I posted a couple of years ago about finding out that the grave rights of an ancestor relative in Adelaide, Australia, were let lapse and the grave taken over by another burial. I had written to the Cemeteries Authority and they explained their policy of reusing a plot when the interment rights are not renewed. 

That was the end of that. 
...or so I thought!

A few days ago I mentioned this scenario on a Gould Genealogy Facebook post about Australian burials and another reader told me that, having ancestors in Australia, she and her husband have researched this. Then the kicker... that it's possible the Cemetery Authority took photos before dismantling. Hope springs eternal!

I went to the Cemetery Authority website and emailed, asking if they took photos. I was hoping for a reply in days, at the most weeks. I received a reply within the hour with four beautiful photos attached! A photo of the whole plot and area...

... and a close up of the main stone and the two little ones...

The whole family is listed there! 

After another query about what happens to the headstones, I was told that families are encouraged to claim headstones of unrenewed leases. When they are not claimed "the headstones are reduced to small gravel pieces with the material reused by the cemetery."

So I am eternally grateful to the reader that commented on my comment and gave me another path to follow, and to the Cemetery Authority for having the foresight to take the photos before redevelopment of expired grave sites in 2006. 

Never give up on your quest!