Thomas & Isabella Malseed's Headstone Refurbishment

Welcome to this family fundraiser for descendants of Thomas & Isabella Malseed of Pine Grove, Myamyn, Victoria.

My name is Hayley Justice & I have been working on my family history via Ancestry. My direct family line descends through Thomas Malseed & Isabella Cowan's eldest daughter, Carrie (Emma Caroline Cowan Malseed) who was my great-grandmother.

Part of my research requires locating and (where possible) photographing each descendant's final resting place, and the information on the headstones has been so helpful in confirming dates, etc.

In March this year, I visited the Condah/Myamyn Cemetery in Western Victoria where our pioneering great grands rest.

While most headstones were in amazing condition for their age, this was not the case for Thomas & Isabella’s, which has not fared well over the years.

The headstone itself is in great condition, but the inscription is illegible. The gold lettering has perished, and green algae/moss has filled in the details. The inscription MUST be available for future generations, to help with family searching!

I contacted Portland Stonemasons GW Parker & Son who offer restoration work. After visiting the site they submitted a quote for just under $1500 to complete the restoration. This includes cleaning the headstone and re-guilding the letters of the inscription in gold.

I have a written quote for anyone who would like to view it but the page didn't allow me to upload any extra photos.

I can't manage the full cost myself so I hoped that other descendants of Thomas & Isabella may be willing to help by chipping in a little to help fund the restoration. Are you a great grandchild? Great great grandchild? Great nephew or niece?

Thomas & Isabella's legacy is US!

I also have an idea brewing to hold an unveiling of the restored headstone early in the new year, followed by an informal family gathering/reunion to meet & share stories with other descendants.

While I have your attention, do you have any old family photographs or stories (written or verbal) that you can share with me? I am attempting to scan and store as many historical family and district images & documents as possible before they are all lost and share them with other family members. I'm interested in any old family photos, homestead photos, area/district photos from Drik Drik, Myamyn, Dartmoor, Condah and all surrounds.

Please contact me through this page!

Hayley

Thank you family!