Bootle M.I.

I have just returned from attending the funeral of a cousin on the maternal side of my family. Such an occasion gave me the opportunity of meeting relatives some of whom I haven't seen for five years (since the last funeral) and some I haven't seen for fifty years! My cousin was her family's genealogist, which didn't get an 'official' mention, though I am confident that all her work will not get lost.

I took the opportunity to visit the grave of my grandparents in Bootle Cemetery, Liverpool, really to check that it was still in good order. Sadly the cemetery in general is not in good shape, and its chapel has recently been demolished, but fortunately the Memorial Inscription is solid and undamaged. It is made of black Indian granite and is beautifully carved in Roman script highlighted in gold. There are three names on it - grandmother, grandfather and their daughter, my aunt. There is room for two more names and my sister and I took the decision to add the names of our parents, that is our grandparents' son and his wife.

The Bootle Memorial Inscription is illustrated above and reads:

In

Loving Memory of

Margaret

Beloved wife of

William McIlhagga

Who died 19th May 1927

Aged 59 years.

Also William

Beloved husband of the above

Who died 18th January 1938

Aged 71 years.

Also Margaret

Dearly loved daughter of above

Who died 31st December 1940

Aged 43 years.

My sister and I visited the responsible Cemetery Office and established that they knew that I am the person now responsible for the grave. Their records said the responsible person was my grandfather, who died in 1938. Many such records must be well out of date. I must make sure that my eldest son knows that one day he will 'inherit' responsibility for the grave! Somewhere there must be a grave in Liverpool for the younger siblings of my grandfather. The Cemetery Officer kindly allowed us to search the 'Mc' Index in his records, but there was no other McIlhagga to be found. There was a James McLaggan, but having seen the relevant signature, this was clearly a different name.