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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Sparklecat170 on Tuesday 14 November 23 16:20 GMT (UK)

Title: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Sparklecat170 on Tuesday 14 November 23 16:20 GMT (UK)
Hi, Does anyone know if the MI's for Norwood have been transcribed and of so where I can get hold of them?  I have an ancestor Merena Grace Fido who was buried there in 1933.   I have looked on deceased on-line so I know she was buried there but I'd like to be able see the actual MI.
Many thanks
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: rosie99 on Tuesday 14 November 23 16:36 GMT (UK)
Hi, Does anyone know if the MI's for Norwood have been transcribed and of so where I can get hold of them?  I have an ancestor Merena Grace Fido who was buried there in 1933.   I have looked on deceased on-line so I know she was buried there but I'd like to be able see the actual MI.
Many thanks

Death was registered as
FIDO, MINNIE  GRACE MERENA    age 78 
GRO Reference: 1933  Dec Quarter in CROYDON  Volume 02A  Page 466

ADDED
Probate in 1935 suggests she left £410. 
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: BumbleB on Tuesday 14 November 23 16:37 GMT (UK)
I would suggest that you contact Norwood to ensure that there is an MI.  AND the burial is registered as Minnie Grace Merena Fido - 27 December 1933.  There would also appear to be another burial in the same grave.  Information from Deceased Online.  Grave details appear to be available for the sum of £1.60. 
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: BumbleB on Tuesday 14 November 23 16:58 GMT (UK)
Not sure, but have you got her marriage details to William Fido in 1873?

Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Enumerated on Tuesday 14 November 23 17:37 GMT (UK)
There is no complete list of MIs. Presumably you have looked on Findagrave and Billiongraves to see if this grave has been photographed. If not you can make a memorial page on Findagrave and make a photo request, but you would need the plot number to have any chance of the photo request being fulfilled.

West Norwood Cemetery (formerly the South Metropolitan Cemetery) is over 40 acres. By the middle of the 20th century it was full and was abandoned by the South Metropolitan Cemetery Company. It became completely overgrown and was eventually taken over by Lambeth Council who set about bulldozing graves to make room for more burials. So even if there was a gravestone once it may not be there any longer.

The cemetery staff/Lambeth Council won't be able to tell you if there is a surviving gravestone. Your best bet would be to contact the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery (FOWNC) who have been very helpful in such situations in the past.

Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Sparklecat170 on Wednesday 15 November 23 10:21 GMT (UK)
Many thanks everyone for your very helpful replies. As suggested I will follow up with the Friends of Norwood Cemetery.  I wasn't aware of Billiongraves so I shall check that out as well.  Also, I didn't know that you could make a request via Find a Grave so that is another avenue for me.
I could make a day out to Norwood Cemetery but I'd rather be sure that the grave exists before I do no.
Thanks again.
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Enumerated on Thursday 16 November 23 16:03 GMT (UK)
I wanted to give you a link to FOWNC but I still can't get the website to load - it just times out. I don't know if it's just me or if the website is down. Are you able to get on it? www.fownc.org

If you do decide to come and look for yourself you will definitely need the square number or it will be hopeless. Even then you would need to come early and allow plenty of time. The cemetery is on winter hours now and closes at 4 pm.

This findagrave memorial has photos of the cemetery map and a plot map.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187533039/william-henry_wentworth_atkins-bowyer
You can see there are a lot of graves in each square and I hope this will give you an idea of the difficulty of finding a particular grave. Just working out where a particular square is will be hard enough as they are not marked on the ground. If you are lucky and your ancestor has a gravestone with a clear inscription you might be able to find it easily. Otherwise you will be peering at numerous worn and crumbling monuments which are barely legible.

Whether or not there is a gravestone FOWNC should be able to locate the grave. They are familiar with the layout of the cemetery and have many years experience.

Good luck.
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Sparklecat170 on Friday 17 November 23 20:22 GMT (UK)
Thank you so much for your reply. I have contacted the friends of the cemetery as you suggested and I’ll wait to see what they say. I have another ancestor buried at Camberwell
Old Cemetery so I could make a day of it!
Thanks again
Title: Re: Monumental Inscirptions at Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth
Post by: Enumerated on Friday 17 November 23 23:33 GMT (UK)
Good luck and do let us know how you get on.