“Jigsaws”
Around 2005, and with good intentions, broken fragments of headstones were collected and placed near the PEACOCK Mausoleum where Blocks 32&35 join. Eventually they covered more than 20 grave plots. They were grouped according to depth in the hope that pieces that had strayed from each other could be brought together. Then when a maintenance team was working in the cemetery on behalf of the Christchurch City Council, it could join the pieces, return them to their original plot and sink them in any spare concrete that may be left over from the contracted work. A frequent visitor living nearby to the cemetery also offered to use computer softwear to help determine which pieces went together when there were no other clues on a piece.
Time has passed and policy, practice, personnel and pennies are now allocated with different criteria and reshuffled just as the fragements themselves have been. Throw the earthquake events of 2010-2011 into the mix and the area was a hopeless jumble and the Trust could see the pieces deteriorating further – not only by ne’er do wells and local visitors trying to be helpful but also the elements.
We were very conscious of the disrespect that was being shown to the patient encumbants of the grave plots covered in broken fragments. A solution was needed, and one that would be temporary (as only an approved Monumental Mason can make permanent changes to grave plots) and prevented the fragments “travelling” again once they were returned to their plot.
One of the Trust Board members (who is, undisputedly, a genius) suggested pieces were glued to garden pavers in a way that would make it possible for the pieces to be properly set if a family wished to do so in the future yet not be easily moved by meddlers.
We started with headstone pieces where the location could be easily worked out by just using the CCC Cemeteries Database. We sourced pavers at a very reasonable price from several suppliers throughout the process and managed to return fragments back to 40 plots.
Enthused with our success, we then wondered whether we could find the locations of any others. For this we need the NZSG Headstone Transcripts for Linwood Cemetery - a manual project carried out in 1979, that in 2013 the Trust had been able to have run through a machine that made the pages PDF searchable. And a full set of photographs of the cemetery plots so that the work could be done from a desk. This had been completed in early 2015 (thank you same genius!).
It was amazing how some fragments with little on them had enough exclusive information to identify their location and yet others with more information had too many options to make a full cross referencing with photos of the plots viable.
After about 2,500 volunteer hours, the bulk of which were spent in December 2015, we were able to return those 180 listed below to their correct locations with confidence. There are 9 more that are too big for pavers and the Trust will seek funding to have them properly installed on a concrete desk by a Monumental Mason.
This left a large amount of “currently unidentifiable” pieces and the same genius had the idea of storing them in one or more gabion seats until there is the technology and resources for someone to find their correct locations. At the conclusion of this phase of the project, there are 4 gabion seats grouped at the end of Block 30 providing pleasant, practical and much needed seating.
| Block | A | Plot | Extn | Name | First Names |
| 35 | 85 | AITKEN | Emily Beatrice | ||
| 28 | 221 | AMESS | Martha Jane | ||
| 18 | 76 | ANDREWS | William Arthur Henry | ||
| 18 | 173 | ANSLEY | Frederick Wm. | ||
| 15 | 50 | ASCHOFF | Herman Henry + Florence + Flo Mary | ||
| 32 | 313 | ASHCROFT | Auora | ||
| 48 | 112 | AUSTIN | Elizabeth | ||
| 31 | A | 62 | AUSTIN | ||
| 34 | 188 | BAKER | Rupert Douglas | ||
| 14 | 101 | BAKER | Victor Euries | ||
| 18 | 79 | BARRETT | Thomas | ||
| 12 | 69 | BARTON | John & Mary | ||
| 32 | 122 | BASTION | John Webb | ||
| 46 | 240 | BERLAND | Alice Louisa | ||
| 32 | 2 | BERRY | Frederick | ||
| 10 | 84 | BISMAN | Charles | ||
| 31 | A | 60 | BRIGGS | Joseph | |
| 24 | 20 | BRITTENDEN | Molly | ||
| 29 | 481 | SEC | BROWN | Eric J. E. (Little Eric) | |
| 36 | 356 | BROWN | Mary Jane | ||
| 29 | 172 | CADWALLADER | Alfred | ||
| 26 | 50 | CAMPBELL & JEFFREY | Minnie | ||
| 42 | 111 | CAREY | Denis | ||
| 45 | 56 | CARMODY | Denis | ||
| 18 | 164 | NEC | CARR&COOKSON | Arthur & Chrissie | |
| 35 | 376 | CHALMERS | Jane | ||
| 29 | 103 | COWIE | Alexander | ||
| 30 | 211 | CRAIGHEAD | James & Charles | ||
| 23 | A | 83 | NWC | CROPP | Frank E |
| 28 | 189 | CUFF | Helen Brown | ||
| 32 | 186 | DAVIES | Andrew & Elizabeth | ||
| 18 | 190 | DAVIS & HILL | Emma, Jim, William, (DAVIS) Alice (HILL) | ||
| 7 | 2 | A | DAWE | Nina Ellen Geraldine | |
| 27 | 191 | DEARSLEY | Elvira | ||
| 32 | 67 | DIXON | M. A. (Mary Ann) | ||
| 12 | 31 | DIXON | Robert & Isabella | ||
| 45 | 178 | DOYLE | William | ||
| 33 | 483 | DUGGAN | Anne & Charles | ||
| 21 | 27 | DUNCAN | Kenneth | ||
| 46 | 270 | DUNN | Agnes (wife of Fred Murray) | ||
| 31 | A | 183 | ELLINGFORD | K. H. aka Jane | |
| 38 | 88 | A | EVANS | Margaret Jane | |
| 15 | 29 | FISHER | Maria (March) + Maria S. | ||
| 18 | 120 | FOREST | J & Helen | ||
| 15 | 77 | FUNSTON | Frederick Say | ||
| 31 | A | 77 | GADD | Emma & Alfed | |
| 45 | 72 | GARDE | Thomas G | ||
| 28 | 58 | GARDNER | Elizabeth & Frank | ||
| 27 | 94 | GEARRY | Fanny | ||
| 10 | 40 | GEORGE | Daniel & Lucy | ||
| 38 | 53 | SEC | GOODGER | Grace Colleen | |
| 24 | 260 | GRAHAM | Julia Anne | ||
| 15 | 111 | GREEN | Eunice Elizabeth | ||
| 31 | A | 113 | GRIBBIN | Johanna & John | |
| 20 | 233 | GRIERSON | Trevor & Ella | ||
| 33 | 367 | HALE | Charles | ||
| 30 | 235 | HANNA | Robert | ||
| 12 | 18 | HARRIS | Alice Mary | ||
| 33 | 300 | HARRISON | Elizabeth & Leslie | ||
| 31 | A | 208 | HAY | Jessie | |
| 10 | 44 | HAYSTON | Lydia | ||
| 31 | A | 79 | HERBERT x2 | Anne & Charles | |
| 27 | 167 | HICKS | Hannah | ||
| 24 | 268 | HILL | Charity | ||
| 32 | 306 | HILLARY | Dorothy Grey | ||
| 45 | 117 | HIRST | Eliza | ||
| 35 | 48 | HOBBS | Hubert Frank | ||
| 24 | 161 | HOOPER | Thomas | ||
| 22 | 189 | HOPKINS | Hereward Phelps | ||
| 25 | 46 | HUBBARD | …Rd B. (Memorial) | ||
| 28 | 429 | A | HUDSON | Herbert de Carl | |
| 18 | 67 | JACKSON | Alfred & Inex | ||
| 46 | 72 | A | JACKSON | Richard Burns | |
| 14 | 32 | JENKINS | Edgar Henry | ||
| 29 | 295 | JONES | Margaret | ||
| 30 | 168 | JUDGE | Agnes Kennedy | ||
| 28 | 207 | KELLY | Graeme Usher | ||
| 29 | 111 | KENNEDY | Helen | ||
| 25 | 148 | KERMODE | Bert (Killed In Action 18 Apr 1918) | ||
| 25 | 148 | KERMODE | George, George, Jane | ||
| 33 | 361 | KEYS | William Ernest | ||
| 35 | 160 | LANDELLS / LAUNDELL | Elizabeth | ||
| 22 | 42 | LE SUEUR | James & James Fred | ||
| 15 | 120 | LEADER | Henry | ||
| 32 | 85 | LOUGTON | Dorothy E & Arthur F | ||
| 24 | 262 | LUCAS | Louisa Hanna | ||
| 28 | 371 | LYONS & WALKER | Janet | ||
| 31 | A | 30 | MACDONALD | John | |
| 25 | 67 | MANKS | Robert S | ||
| 22 | 147 | MANN | Caroline | ||
| 42 | 76 | MARCHANT & RODGERS | Judy Celine & Celine | ||
| 25 | 56 | MARKHAM | Charles Henry | ||
| 26 | 61 | MARTIN | Fanny | ||
| 30 | 197 | MASON | Elizabeth | ||
| 18 | 21 | MAXWELL | Edith Frances | ||
| 45 | 256 | McGRATH | Margaret | ||
| 28 | 250 | McKENZIE | Ann | ||
| 30 | 205 | McNAE | Helen & Andrew | ||
| 37 | 168 | McNAMARA | Amy Catherine | ||
| 35 | 178 | MILLICHAMP | / 1907 / years | ||
| 42 | 201 | MILLS | Francis | ||
| 20 | 276 | MILLS | Harriet & Richard | ||
| 29 | 519 | MILNER | Ellen | ||
| 11 | 10 | MORRIS | Arthur, Charles, Elizabeth, Eileen | ||
| 34 | 190 | SWC | MORRIS | Olive Mary | |
| 42 | 51 | MULLINS | William | ||
| 29 | 131 | MUNRO | John William | ||
| 28 | 270 | MURCHIE | Maggie et al | ||
| 45 | 36 | MURPHY | Ann & James | ||
| 43 | 223 | NELLIGAN | Catherine | ||
| 29 | 495 | NEWTON | William Richard | ||
| 18 | 104 | NORRIS | Hilda (2 x pieces) | ||
| 43 | 87 | O’GRADY | Bedelia (& Malachi) | ||
| 32 | 81 | ORR | Rose | ||
| 33 | 168 | OZANNE | Jane | ||
| 35 | 270 | PAPPS | Margaret & James | ||
| 23 | A | 93 | SWC | PARSONS | Reginald & Sydney |
| 35 | 272 | PAUL | Thomas Thomson | ||
| 33 | 215 | PEARCY | Henry Charles | ||
| 46 | 90 | PECK | Edward & Eleanor | ||
| 35 | 161 | PENTECOST | Isaac, Clara, Alfie, Malcolm | ||
| 7 | 8 | PIERCY | George Arthur | ||
| 31 | A | 114 | PITHER | Mabel Annie | |
| 41 | 160 | B | POPPELWELL | Ellen | |
| POPPELWELL | |||||
| 16 | A | 19 | PRINGLE | Lillis | |
| 16 | A | 19 | PRINGLE | Thomas & Eliza Lillis | |
| 34 | 23 | SWC | PRISK | Ina | |
| 32 | 69/71 | PUGH | Frank | ||
| 30 | 141 | REECE | William & Martha | ||
| 28 | 306 | REID | John James | ||
| 30 | 303 | ROCHFORT | Mary Ann | ||
| 39 | 1 | ROOKS | Frank | ||
| 20 | 275 | ROSE | Henry Charles | ||
| 18 | 97 | ROWE | James, Emma & Arthur James | ||
| 45 | 219 | RUMBLE | Annie | ||
| 36 | 383 | SCOTT | Richard | ||
| 34 | 206 | SHADRACH | Walter | ||
| 38 | 172 | SHAW | Julia | ||
| 12 | 39 | SMITH | John Stalker | ||
| 32 | 41 | SMITH | Maria (Sister LOL) | ||
| 47 | 280 | SMITH | Mary | ||
| 25 | 31 | SMITH | Roy | ||
| 34 | 65 | SMYTHE | James Alexander | ||
| 47 | 136 | SPROSEN | Edwin Stanley Neville | ||
| 29 | 342 | STEWART | John | ||
| 32 | 422 | STEWART | Willie | ||
| 18 | 245 | STONE | John | ||
| 18 | 245 | STONE | Other | ||
| 33 | 466 | SURIDGE | Fanny | ||
| 33 | 493 | TABLEY&GRIFFITHS | Eleanore & Charlotte | ||
| 4 | 34 | THEAKSTON | Emma | ||
| 28 | 383 | THOMPSON | George | ||
| 35 | 103 | THOMPSON | Maria | ||
| 28 | 383 | THOMPSON | Thomas | ||
| 28 | 369 | THOMSON | Mary | ||
| 46 | 201 | THOMSON | Robert | ||
| 28 | 24 | TOWNSEND | William | ||
| 47 | 225 | TREADWELL | Miriam Louise | ||
| 29 | 40 | TUCKER | Elizabeth Drew | ||
| 10 | 63 | TULLEY | Frederick | ||
| 28 | 420 | TURNBULL | Annie | ||
| 17 | 9 | UNDERWOOD | Robert Arthur | ||
| 31 | A | 117 | VALE | Sophia Ann | |
| 23 | 15 | WACHSMANN | Eric Hamilton | ||
| 18 | 136 | WAGHORN | Margaret | ||
| 28 | 371 | WALKER | Helen | ||
| 46 | 255 | WALLACE | Grace Matilda | ||
| 37 | 90 | WATT | Robert | ||
| 47 | 338 | WHITE | AUNTIE | ||
| 46 | 14 | WHITE | Babs | ||
| 23 | 161 | NEC | WHITE | Ivy Eveline | |
| 45 | 26 | WILLIAMS | Harold | ||
| 45 | 26 | WILLIAMS | Harriet Christmas | ||
| 25 | 29 | WILLIAMS | John & Ann | ||
| 32 | 333 | WISKER | Elizabeth & Philip Henry | ||
| 15 | 41 | WITHEY | Mary | ||
| 32 | 33 | YOUNG | (Salvation Army) Ensign William M |
Awaiting professional installation (dependant on funding)
| 36 | 358 | BLAKELEY | Edith Frances | ||
| 45 | 161 | DRISCOLL | Madeline Ethel | ||
| 28 | 386 | HERVEY | Elizabeth Ann & Lettie | ||
| 35 | 233 | MALLOCH | Archibald & Mary | ||
| 28 | 85 | MOORE | Isabella | ||
| 45 | 147 | O’LOUGHLIN & DONOHUE | Sarah, Margaret, Richard, Catherine | ||
| 22 | 87 | STAVELEY | Edmond George | ||
| 43 | 287 | SULLIVAN x2 | Cornelius | ||
| 15 | 7 | TURPIN | Oliver Woodley |
