With a break in the weather Alan decided to go in the cemetery on Wednesday and Friday (24 and 26 January 2024) to work on a couple of graves that were in a sorry state. These being the Greenslade/Durant 10-69 and the Blackmore 13-2.
The Greenslade/Durant grave had been hit by the mower, the green chipping had been removed previously, Alan cleaned off the old mortar on the joints, gave the kerbs a bit of a tidy and fitted them in position ready to be cemented together and the glass chipping to be replaced.
Moving on to the Blackmore grave, all the kerbs and posts had been forced apart by time and weather and the centre concrete slab sunk down one end. First job was to slide the kerbs apart to enable the old cement joints to be chiselled off, this done Alan levered the concrete slab up and packed with bricks and slate, all went well. The kerbs and posts moved were back into position.
Parts of the concrete slab at one end were missing, this will be patched up with concrete when the kerbs and posts are cemented back together.
Alan also decided to tidy up the Prole grave 14-3 as he had a little time to spare. It is next to the Blackmore grave. The tiers once had a small cross fitted but is now broken and partly buried by grass and mud. Using his trusty mattock the grass was soon cleared away and the cross laid back in position. All in all a good couple of working days.
Hopefully will be back to work with the team on Sunday