William Hulbert and the lost headstone

How is it possible to lose a headstone, especially such a striking one as this?

I took this photograph about fifteen years ago, but when I recently decided to update my records, I couldn’t find it. It once stood proud and very obvious in a area of Section C where there are few other headstones. How was it that I just couldn’t find it anymore?

This headstone, with it’s symbolic entrance to eternity, has a very interesting history. The plot was first established as a public grave for the burial of infants. The first child buried here was Ethel Louisa Marsh, just three months old when she was buried on October 18, 1897. All that can be discovered about this baby (without purchasing her death certificate) is the address her death was registered at in the burial registers – 34 Avenue Road. Just five days later Edith May Burgess, aged one month old was buried here. Again, all that can be discovered (without a death certificate) is the address in the burial registers at which her death was registered – 11 Carfax Road.

The two babies lay undisturbed for more than thirty years until Joan Edna Hulbert was buried here on January 9, 1934 and just days later Molly Gwendolen Dodson on January 25, 1934. Molly was eight months old, the daughter of Edwin and Ivy Dodson who in 1934 were living at 48 Percy Street, Rodbourne.

There are still a few gaps in my reasearch and it is not known at what point the Hulbert’s decided to purchase the grave.

Both William George Hulbert and his wife Beatrice Alice Shepherd would appear to have been born and raised in London. They married in the Lambeth registration district in the June quarter of 1921. By 1934 they were living at 54 Exmouth Street, Swindon where little Joan Edna died that year aged 2 years old. William died in 1960 aged 65. His last home address was 27 Beckhampton Street. Beatrice died more than 20 years later at St Margaret’s Hospital, Ridgeway House, Wootton Bassett.

But, thankfully, this distinctive headstone has not disappeared completely, as I discovered when armed with a cemetery I went exploring. A seedling has sprouted through the opening and toppled the whole thing over while grass has grown up and covered the kerbstone. If there are any family members still living in Swindon who would like to help restore the headstone, we’d love to hear from you.