Old Monklands Cemetery

[Marion Patrick]

Hello! I visited old Monklands cemetery this morning looking for the grave of my great gran Marion Erskine nee Kennedy who died in 1916. I have the section 227 and lair number 69 but I just couldn’t find it. Any suggestions/help would be much appreciated 

[Lodger]

Hello Marion and welcome to Rootschat,

O.M. cemetery is a "working" cemetery and if you go during normal working hours, I'm sure one of the ground staff would be able to assist you. If it's like other North Lanarkshire Council cemeteries, there will be a record of all lairs kept on-site.
Perhaps going back Monday - Friday or Saturday before midday, you would find the chargehand, who , I'm sure, would be happy to help.

[sancti]

I think the gravedigger's bothy was converted into a private house a few years ago.

[Lodger]

I think the gravedigger's bothy was converted into a private house a few years ago.

Perhaps so but they must have the records on-site, otherwise it would be impossible to locate lairs to be opened for current interments.

[sancti]

The gravediggers might only be on-site when there is a funeral

[Marion Patrick]

I was told by a grave digger yesterday to come back on a week day as one of the grave diggers has been there 25 years. They were cutting the grass yesterday when I was over.
Fingers crossed I can find something out.

[Lodger]

The gravediggers might only be on-site when there is a funeral

There is a permanent staff of gravediggers at O.M. and there are some but not a complete set of records there. I presume that this means no historical records of perhaps over a certain age, 75 years maybe? are kept there. 

[MrLevity]

Hi Marion,

That section is on the Old Parish Church area of the cemetery, you can google and find a layout of sections.

scottish-monumental-inscriptions.com have done excellent work in documenting this area and if the stone doesn't appear in their work then chances are it is no longer there or is not legible.  Do you know if anyone else was in the plot and perhaps mentioned on any monument as some names may be more legible than others.

I will be visiting Old Monkland in the next week or two would you like me to have a look around the area for you?

[MrLevity]

Hi Marion, I was down there yesterday and had a good look all over that section and didn't see any stone with your names.  It is part of the oldest section of the cemetery and many memorials are sadly no longer present.