About photo requests:

Due to the current high cost of fuel I have decided with regret that I will no longer be fulfilling grave photo requests, except for Ferntree Gully Cemetery. I may fulfil other requests if I happen to be near the cemetery.

When making requests, please include any information that would help me to find it, including the exact location if possible. Also, if the person was known by more than one name, please mention that. Let me know whether you still want a photo even if the grave is unmarked. And you would of course check first whether a photo already exists.

"Thank you" messages are appreciated. You are welcome to use my photos with attribution.

If a grave is unmarked I always check its location by comparing it with nearby marked graves, and I take a photo of the location or my best estimate of the location (unless you have asked me not to).

I notice that some photographers alter their photos so that only the memorial itself is shown. I don't do this as I think people would like the photo to show the memorial as it would appear if they were actually there, standing in front of it.

About me:

I have been doing genealogical research for many years, along with other members of my family.

I am descended from Sir Mathew (or Matthew) Hale (1609-1676), Lord Chief Justice of England. He had a fine legal mind and wrote a number of books. He was knighted by Charles II for his role in the Restoration. We are told that he had "all the prejudices of an Englishman" but I am proud to say that he was also a man of absolute integrity who could not be bought. I am sorry to say though that he believed in the existence of witches and had two women executed for witchcraft.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Hale_(jurist)

grave ID 74487188

The bigger picture:

For readers who are interested in the bigger genealogical picture, I can highly recommend the website of the Irish genealogist Dr Mark Humphrys:

https://humphrysfamilytree.com/

I recommend in particular his article "Common ancestors of all humans". Humphrys believes that the most recent common ancestor of all humans was probably within historical times. In other words, we are all on one family tree. We are all one big not-very-happy family. Humphrys makes the grim observation that in the 9-11 attacks, probably some descendants of the Prophet were killing other descendants of the Prophet.

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine are probably 10th cousins.

https://humphrysfamilytree.com/ca.html

Some general comments:

There is a problem with making GPS (latitude and longitude) suggested edits. Find a Grave does not say what format these have to be in. I am in Australia which is of course is in the southern hemisphere. Apparently you have to use a minus sign to indicate south latitudes (and west longitudes). I have been typing them like this:

XX.XXXX°S
XXX.XXXX°E

I have only just realised that all my south latitudes have appeared as north latitudes. I am in the process of correcting them. I apologise for the incorrect latitudes but Find a Grave needs to be clear about the required format.

I sent a message to Find a Grave about this problem. I have received no reply and the clarification I suggest has not been made. Find a Grave needs to lift their game if they want me to keep contributing.

Can someone please explain the following? Find a Grave contributor "Headstone Genealogist" (member 46999396) says this on their profile:

"If you add data to my memorials, I reserve the right to transfer the memorial to you. DO NOT ADD DATA if you do not want the memorial transferred to you."

What does this mean? It sounds like if I add data to their memorials I am doing something wrong! Headstone Genealogist does not accept messages so I can't ask them direct.

Two ideas I have had for making it easier to obtain grave information:

(1) We already have Google Street View. Maybe something similar could be done for cemeteries? It could be called Google Grave View.

(2) It should be possible to create a GPS map of each cemetery. It could be added to that cemetery's website or Find a Grave or a website created for the purpose.

Someone with more technical knowledge than I possess may know how to do these things.

To readers on the NSW central coast:

Do you live on the NSW central coast and have a loved one buried in the Melbourne area? If so, would you be interested in looking after my mother's grave in Palmdale Cemetery (just a visit every few weeks would do) and in return I will look after your loved one's grave in Melbourne. If you are interested please email me at the above address. Thanks.

To readers in Brisbane:

I would very much like to find the final resting places of Edgar & Winsome Wallace who died in Brisbane in 1991 and 1995 respectively. I have searched for them in every way I can think of, without success. So if you see their graves or know where they are, please let me know. Thanks.

About photo requests:

Due to the current high cost of fuel I have decided with regret that I will no longer be fulfilling grave photo requests, except for Ferntree Gully Cemetery. I may fulfil other requests if I happen to be near the cemetery.

When making requests, please include any information that would help me to find it, including the exact location if possible. Also, if the person was known by more than one name, please mention that. Let me know whether you still want a photo even if the grave is unmarked. And you would of course check first whether a photo already exists.

"Thank you" messages are appreciated. You are welcome to use my photos with attribution.

If a grave is unmarked I always check its location by comparing it with nearby marked graves, and I take a photo of the location or my best estimate of the location (unless you have asked me not to).

I notice that some photographers alter their photos so that only the memorial itself is shown. I don't do this as I think people would like the photo to show the memorial as it would appear if they were actually there, standing in front of it.

About me:

I have been doing genealogical research for many years, along with other members of my family.

I am descended from Sir Mathew (or Matthew) Hale (1609-1676), Lord Chief Justice of England. He had a fine legal mind and wrote a number of books. He was knighted by Charles II for his role in the Restoration. We are told that he had "all the prejudices of an Englishman" but I am proud to say that he was also a man of absolute integrity who could not be bought. I am sorry to say though that he believed in the existence of witches and had two women executed for witchcraft.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Hale_(jurist)

grave ID 74487188

The bigger picture:

For readers who are interested in the bigger genealogical picture, I can highly recommend the website of the Irish genealogist Dr Mark Humphrys:

https://humphrysfamilytree.com/

I recommend in particular his article "Common ancestors of all humans". Humphrys believes that the most recent common ancestor of all humans was probably within historical times. In other words, we are all on one family tree. We are all one big not-very-happy family. Humphrys makes the grim observation that in the 9-11 attacks, probably some descendants of the Prophet were killing other descendants of the Prophet.

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine are probably 10th cousins.

https://humphrysfamilytree.com/ca.html

Some general comments:

There is a problem with making GPS (latitude and longitude) suggested edits. Find a Grave does not say what format these have to be in. I am in Australia which is of course is in the southern hemisphere. Apparently you have to use a minus sign to indicate south latitudes (and west longitudes). I have been typing them like this:

XX.XXXX°S
XXX.XXXX°E

I have only just realised that all my south latitudes have appeared as north latitudes. I am in the process of correcting them. I apologise for the incorrect latitudes but Find a Grave needs to be clear about the required format.

I sent a message to Find a Grave about this problem. I have received no reply and the clarification I suggest has not been made. Find a Grave needs to lift their game if they want me to keep contributing.

Can someone please explain the following? Find a Grave contributor "Headstone Genealogist" (member 46999396) says this on their profile:

"If you add data to my memorials, I reserve the right to transfer the memorial to you. DO NOT ADD DATA if you do not want the memorial transferred to you."

What does this mean? It sounds like if I add data to their memorials I am doing something wrong! Headstone Genealogist does not accept messages so I can't ask them direct.

Two ideas I have had for making it easier to obtain grave information:

(1) We already have Google Street View. Maybe something similar could be done for cemeteries? It could be called Google Grave View.

(2) It should be possible to create a GPS map of each cemetery. It could be added to that cemetery's website or Find a Grave or a website created for the purpose.

Someone with more technical knowledge than I possess may know how to do these things.

To readers on the NSW central coast:

Do you live on the NSW central coast and have a loved one buried in the Melbourne area? If so, would you be interested in looking after my mother's grave in Palmdale Cemetery (just a visit every few weeks would do) and in return I will look after your loved one's grave in Melbourne. If you are interested please email me at the above address. Thanks.

To readers in Brisbane:

I would very much like to find the final resting places of Edgar & Winsome Wallace who died in Brisbane in 1991 and 1995 respectively. I have searched for them in every way I can think of, without success. So if you see their graves or know where they are, please let me know. Thanks.