Illegible tombstone inscription

[ElizabethHerts]

Yesterday I found the tomb for my Bailey family of Middle Claydon, Buckinghamshire. You can see it is engraved but it was fairly difficult to read any of it. I have taken several photos of it but I'm still struggling to read the inscription, even enlarging each area.

Luckily the church is less than an hour's drive for us, so I could re-visit in the next few weeks. Does anyone have any tips how to make the inscription more legible?

[ElizabethHerts]

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/lambelizabeth/P1220390_zpswtwzu9tq.jpg (http://s219.photobucket.com/user/lambelizabeth/media/P1220390_zpswtwzu9tq.jpg.html)

The above picture gives an idea of the size and location of the tomb.

The following picture shows the most legible face of the tomb:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/lambelizabeth/P1220391_zpsgma46b26.jpg (http://s219.photobucket.com/user/lambelizabeth/media/P1220391_zpsgma46b26.jpg.html)

I think this one says THOMAS BAILEY and underneath
who died?

[ElizabethHerts]

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/lambelizabeth/P1220396_zpsg0psvoyq.jpg (http://s219.photobucket.com/user/lambelizabeth/media/P1220396_zpsg0psvoyq.jpg.html)

A badly eroded face.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/lambelizabeth/P1220392_zpsgixonsma.jpg (http://s219.photobucket.com/user/lambelizabeth/media/P1220392_zpsgixonsma.jpg.html)

I think this is on the other side.

[ElizabethHerts]

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/lambelizabeth/P1220387_zpssw3np9zo.jpg (http://s219.photobucket.com/user/lambelizabeth/media/P1220387_zpssw3np9zo.jpg.html)

[ElizabethHerts]

According to the booklet of MIs for Middle Claydon some of the tombstone reads:

Jane, wife of Thomas Bailey, died Sept 3rd 1751 aged -
Thomas Bailey died Sept 10th 1766 in the 44th year of his life.

[Merry]

I still stand by trying talc or water (not together! lol)

Depending on the porosity of the stone, water can work well, spread with a large flat, not too wet, sponge. The idea being to try and wet the part that's not indented. You could try it on a different grave stone than the one you want to read first, as once you've wetted the stone, if it's not helping you would need to wait for it to dry before trying another method.

Talc has worked brilliantly for me in the past, including on a stone that didn't appear to have any engraving left, no matter what angle the light or whatever.

[ElizabethHerts]

Merry, thanks for the advice. I will try your suggestions. I did think of trying water but yesterday I had no way of wetting the stone. The inscription is there for the reading.

I'm dying to find out if Thomas Bailey senior is buried there.
The inscription given in the MI is for his son.
Thomas senior made his will in 1763 but added a codicil on 19th September 1766 after the death of his son Thomas.
His will was probated on 25th July 1767, so he died in the intervening period.
However the PRs for Middle Claydon don't have his burial but I must look at the BTs.

[Phoenix]

Might be worth seeing if the Medieval Graffitti lot have any suggestions. Their photos are stunning.

Tip I was given (to read, rather than photo) is to take a long cardboard tube - the sort clingfilm comes on - and hold it close to the stone, so that the light source is oblique.

[Jill]

I read somewhere that tinfoil spread over then pressed into the inscription would work, though it didn't for me as by the time I arrived my foil was a bit scrunched up, I had no-one to hold it and as it was soon after my op I couldn't bend very well. If you have help it might be do-able.

[ElizabethHerts]

Phoenix and Jill, thanks for the suggestions. I will go well equipped next time.

[Janet]

How do you use the talc, Merry? :confused::confused::confused:

[Merry]

The same way as the water really, Janet. Dust/smooth it on and hopefully any lettering indentations will remain darker. I used a rolled up pair of socks!! It works best where the general texture of the stone is fairly smooth.

I wish I'd thought to take 'before' photos of the best two stones I've done. They were transformed!!

[ElizabethHerts]

The same way as the water really, Janet. Dust/smooth it on and hopefully any lettering indentations will remain darker. I used a rolled up pair of socks!! It works best where the general texture of the stone is fairly smooth.

I wish I'd thought to take 'before' photos of the best two stones I've done. They were transformed!!

*Taking notes!"

[Janet]

Aha! Socks. :D Thanks!

[Durham Lady]

Elizabeth read this article re using tin foil.

http://organizeyourfamilyhistory.com/reading-hard-read-gravestones/

[ElizabethHerts]

Elizabeth read this article re using tin foil.

http://organizeyourfamilyhistory.com/reading-hard-read-gravestones/

Daphne, thanks for that very useful link. I'll report back on my progress.

[Merry]

Try not to get arrested, Elizabeth!

I have visions of you hanging around a graveyard in possession of tinfoil and a dodgy looking white powder! lol

[Jill]

Elizabeth read this article re using tin foil.

http://organizeyourfamilyhistory.com/reading-hard-read-gravestones/

That's the one I tried - it definitely needs four hands for a large area!

[ElizabethHerts]

Try not to get arrested, Elizabeth!

I have visions of you hanging around a graveyard in possession of tinfoil and a dodgy looking white powder! lol

:D:D:D:D

You find funny people lurking in graveyards!

[Uncle John]

Try not to get arrested, Elizabeth!

I have visions of you hanging around a graveyard in possession of tinfoil and a dodgy looking white powder! lol

I think you're OK provided you don't try heating and snorting it.

[Phoenix]

Just a sample of what is possible with oblique light:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=811941975542094&set=gm.1658488474380747&type=1&theater

[Kit]

Wow that is fantastic Phoenix.

[ElizabethHerts]

We went back yesterday, with only limited success.

I went equipped with aluminium foil, water, sponge, tube, large make-up brush etc. Middle Claydon parish church is directly adjacent to Claydon House and you access it via the National Trust. OH and I looked very odd with all our stuff.

The surface of the tombstone is very rough and pitted and not a smooth surface, so using aluminium foil is only of limited benefit as there are so many other indentations apart from the lettering.

I'm afraid the tube method just didn't work for me. I don't think I was doing it properly, but I couldn't see anything.

I took lots of photos and will have to study them. We really didn't make a break-through, as it's such a difficult tomb to work on.

OH did suggest returning with perhaps greaseproof paper and a coloured/wax crayon because in place we know/can feel where the lettering is and we could just record the letters rather than every little pit and raised part of the surface.

We did get some curious looks and one couple came over to speak to us.

[Merry]

We did get some curious looks and one couple came over to speak to us.


At this moment they are probably telling someone about their visit and the woman with the large makeup brush at the graveside!

[Merry]

I expect they felt brave approaching you :rolleyes:

[Kit]

I used talc once, with reasonable success. what we did was use it to fill the holes so we could read the words in white.

Powder (http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x61/KitTheKat1/Humphrey%20and%20Rebecca%20Thorn%203_zpsmgngtsfi.j pg)

I was worried someone would approach us, although the cemetery was deserted.