WANDERING around a graveyard may seem like a strange thing to do, but that’s exactly what Debbie Hicks has been doing for the past several years.
“I moved to Gloucester in December 2020 during Covid and you were allowed to go about on your own,” she told NOTA.
“Gloucester Cemetery was close by and I enjoyed the delightful babblers.”
On her walks through the cemetery, Debbie noticed that the wordings on some older headstones were deteriorating.
She then began photographing headstones and uploading the images to “Find A Grave”, a free genealogical resource owned by Ancestry.com and used by people all over the world researching their family history.
“Rural cemetery information is then digitally preserved,” Debbie said.
Debbie started photographing the Presbyterian Section, then worked row by row, covering the Anglican Old, Anglican New, Catholic, Methodist, Non-Denominational, and a large portion of the Columbarium Walls, Baptist and Lawn Sections.
Find a Grave users can request photos of specific graves, and volunteers like Debbie will take and upload the images.
Debbie’s unique work was recognised when she was nominated for the Gloucester Local Citizen of the Year Award in January 2024.
Although Debbie moved away from Gloucester in June 2024, she continues photographing headstones in the local cemetery whenever she has the opportunity.
“I couldn’t have done as much without the support of the Mid Coast Council and resources from Gloucester District Historical Society,” she added.
By Kim TEOH
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