My husband and I were fortunate to be able to travel to Scotland in 2014. It was the trip of a lifetime for me. We had been to Europe before, but never to Scotland.
My thirteen plus years of family research, combined with family stories gave me deep roots in Scotland.
Through my research I had learned that my maternal 3rd great grandparents, Charles Milne and Margaret Ritchie are buried at Aboyne Parish Kirkyard.
We arrived in Aboyne and made our way to the churchyard. What a beautiful site we saw.
Beside and behind the church are all the headstones.
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It was raining just a little bit, but I was on a mission. I had to find the headstone for my 3rd great grandparents, Charles & Margaret. I looked and looked and looked some more. Of course I was distracted by all the headstones and all the names and I stopped to read so many of them.
FINALLY!!! I glanced down at a headstone in the shape of a cross and there they were.
How easy it would have been to miss this discovery.
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That's me - so happy and the photo on the right is my husband
In the short time we had to spend at the cemetery I began taking as many photos as I could of other headstones. I had already checked on FindAGrave.com and I knew there were only a handful of headstones that had been photographed and entered on the site.
I have the book, The Kirkyard of Aboyne, published by the Aberdeen & North-East Scotland Family History Society. The society publishes a large number of books.
There are currently 207 interments listed on the FindAGrave page for this cemetery. Only 55% are photographed. When I returned home I added 118 memorials and photos to this website. I’m hoping that family members of those listed will find the memorials. I will happily transfer any memorial not related to me (which is most of them).
This was an exciting trip for me and the first time I had visited the grave site of ancestors buried in Europe.
Have you made similar trips? If so, where to and what did you find? I’d love to hear about it.
OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
My Trip to Scotland - What I Did Right and What I Did Wrong
Photo Friday - Can You Help Me Identify This Man? - Photo taken in Aberdeen, Scotland
All pictures shown here were taken by me or my husband
Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright © 2010-2017 Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION
Beautiful photos, Diane! What a trip. That's a great headstone, too. You are a committed researcher to take so many photos for others while on vacation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna. It really was amazing to be there. I have been helped so many times by volunteers on FindAGrave, at libraries, funeral homes, cemeteries etc. I don't think I will ever be able to pay it back. But, I try to do what I can. Very rewarding.
DeleteThanks for stopping by.