This site was founded by the late John Skakel. Contact us HERE
Cemeteries Office Staff have asked that users NOT contact them with questions directly.

Cemetery Preservation
As we see it
See below

Dennis and Paul bringing a sunken base back to the surface.
Photo by T nigh

The other day I had a conversation with Paul Thorpe as to why we work in cemeteries. Why do we love it so much? What keeps drawing us back?

Why do we do this Unusual Work?
By Paul Thorpe of the Chatham Kent Restorations Group

Paul Writes (Quote)As one that thinks the preservation of the stones that are in need of repair at Maple Leaf and St. Anthony's cemeteries is an important issue, I feel the history of our area is slowly being lost,and without corrective action, any physical record of these people would be lost forever. Whether it's raising a sunken stone or piecing together a broken one, the reward is standing back at the completion,and feeling that you have hopefully preserved the memorial to someone. Personally the most satisfying part of this project is finding, and uncovering a stone you know hasn't seen the light of day in decades. Then taking the corrective measures to presere the stone. The only thing better is finding a stone when just probing at random, as without being just lucky, the stone would have been lost forever. No two stones are the same,as you never know what you will find when you roll that cover of earth off it. You often wonder about the people on these stones, what they did, where they lived, and if they died young, what happened.In a way it's a little like being an archaeologist only on a local scale.

	Click to continue to our Preservation/Restoration area.

Cemetery Preservation As we see it See below

Why do we do this Unusual Work? By Paul Thorpe of the Chatham Kent Restorations Group

Cemetery Preservation
As we see it
See below

Why do we do this Unusual Work?
By Paul Thorpe of the Chatham Kent Restorations Group