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On The Table Read, “The Best Book Reader Magazine in the UK“, Godfrey Bell’s new book, Unloved Graves, shares with the reader his quest to discover the lost graves of his ancestors.
An unexpected outcome of the Covid lockdowns was the exponential increase in visits to genealogy sites as based at home, people used the time to explore their roots and discover more about their forebears.
Unloved Graves
Godfrey Bell takes this thirst for gaining a better understanding of those that have gone before a step further as he shares his quest to find the final resting places of his ancestors in his book, Unloved Graves.
In a venture that takes him as far afield as Australia, this poignant book retells his discoveries, with graves ranging from the opulent to the unmarked.
Far from a morbid read, Unloved Graves is a celebration of our inherent desire to be connected and belong.
This is an unusual and perhaps unique search for unloved graves that have been forgotten for generations.
Ancestors
The author looks for the graves of his ancestors from one side of the world to the other and restores the ones he is lucky enough to find.
Some headstones were several hundred years old, other graves had no headstone at all. Some headstones were ornate, even sumptuous. But, where there was or had been a headstone, most were plain and modest. The author was responsible for the restoration of graves in Melbourne and Dunedin, as well as Fairfield in the United States.
One ancestor was even found to be buried in a common grave which no family history to-date had accounted for. It is a story that uncovers sadness, there is a satisfaction too as abandoned graves and headstones are restored and re-loved once again.
Finding ancestors in old cemeteries shares insights into their lives, their families and the surrounds they lived in – from the lonely hillsides in the Scottish Borders to city cemeteries in Melbourne, Australia.
Family histories are expanded and enriched.
About Godfrey Bell
Godfrey Bell was born and educated in New Zealand but has spent most of his adult life in England. As a small-time entrepreneur he has made the most of opportunities and challenges to try any new venture, but he has always enjoyed researching and writing. He is now retired and lives in the Cotswolds.
Find more from Godfrey Bell
Published by Godfrey Bell Publications, Unloved Graves is available in hardcover (£20.00) at the publishers – https://bit.ly/3K2Lx0O
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