Name on headstone

[bugbear]

If you can take a shot with the light coming from a low angle, you'll get a clearer image;

Either:

Pick your time of day carefully
use a reflector (tinfoil on cardboard works well)
go at night with a torch... (there may be non-photographic difficulties with this approach...  )

You can see the results of some of my experiments here:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=729041.msg5736621#msg5736621

and

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=700562.msg5436465#msg5436465


I also attached a pair of recent shots, taken at night with a torch; one with the torch straight on, one "raking".

These were intended for use with the "difference" trick, but weren't similar enough for the maths to work. They show the effect of light angle very well, though.

 BugBear

[Barbara.H]

Took a second look and was wondering about the surname third letter being y, not n. The n in the word 'in' (in the 50th year of..) does not go below the line as that letter does.
So maybe something like Heyden or Heydon?

[eadaoin]

First, thank you all for your input, it's greatly appreciated!

Pat , thanks for that -looks like Henders  there

Took a second look and was wondering about the surname third letter being y, not n. The n in the word 'in' (in the 50th year of..) does not go below the line as that letter does.
So maybe something like Heyden or Heydon?

I'd discount that "n", Barbara - the "e"s and "d"s and "a"s are all different in the name, compared to what's in the rest. But you got me thinking . if the second letter were an "a", Hayden is a name

Bugbear, it's a problem getting down to the church (the one in my avater at present) - it's not a million miles away, but it's nearly 2 hours drive, so definitely not a night trip, and a bit lonely so I like to have a companion.
 I'm not sure that I can get a better photo . . (I'd no problem figuring out the other words )

I'll have to go back to do 2 other headstones where the photos weren't clear - maybe then . . I might use the finger-tracing technique!

At the moment I've transcribed it as HENDE_? I won't be uploading  these photos for a while - I've to straighten, crop, resize first, and maybe try to improve the contrast with some .

regards, eadaoin

[bugbear]

Bugbear, it's a problem getting down to the church (the one in my avater at present) - it's not a million miles away, but it's nearly 2 hours drive, so definitely not a night trip, and a bit lonely so I like to have a companion.
 I'm not sure that I can get a better photo . . (I'd no problem figuring out the other words )

You might consider trying some of my techniques on a more accessible, local, gravestone, before doing another 2 hour drive.

The light really can make a spectacular difference. I note in the UK that many cemeteries are closed at dusk, so the torch-at-night option might not be available.

With a normal East facing burial, the headstone faces West. As such, the sun from behind the stone before noon, side on at noon, and straight on at sunset (sun in the West). The best time to read or photograph a stone is somewhere between 1pm and 3pm, when the sun is on the face of the stone, but at a low angle.

(this actually depends a little on time zone and summer time and so on, but it's near enough).

 BugBear

[eadaoin]

When I move on to the next graveyard I'll try out some of your techniques - they sound useful.

Unusually, most of the stones in Greenane face NNE, but four of them, including this one, are slabs on the ground.
Naturally, they're in the darkest part of the graveyard, under trees to the east and south and in the shadow of the church to the west!

regards eadaoin

[bugbear]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/RAC-Heavy-Duty-Lantern-LEDs/dp/B005X7J06K

 

 BugBear

[Flattybasher9]

Just curious, but which cemetary is this from?

Regards

Malky

[eadaoin]

Just curious, but which cemetary is this from?

This is from Greenane St Columba R.C., Co Wicklow Ireland. Rathdrum is the nearest town, I guess.
It's a small church with about 20 graves in the church grounds.

There's a much bigger cemetery with 100? 150? 200ish? graves about half a kilometre east of this - I think that's going to be my winter project, if I can persuade the troops to accompany me! (OH's family are from that general area, so whenever we go searching for family graves I take extra photos and "donate" them.

[despair]

This site gives her as Abigail Heyden-Grave 5

http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/cemetery_records/st_columbus_church_cemetery_greenane_wicklow.shtml

Regards
Roger