Some three years ago Friends of the Old Anglican Cemetery at Jerry's Plains launched a second appeal for funds. The first appeal had enabled them to securely fence the cemetery. This new appeal was to obtain funds to engage professionals to repair and re-erect damaged and fallen headstones, and other work if enough money was forthcoming.
Interested people from near and far, most of whom had ancestors interred in the cemetery, subscribed generously, and in due course a local firm of funeral directors and monumental masons was asked to advise on what work could be safely undertaken and to estimate the cost involved.
The committee was pleased to find that they had received sufficient in donations to cover the work required to straighten and stabilise leaning stones, and re-erect some broken stones. Some headstones had been repaired and re-erected by the families themselves-for instance the Ellis, Duff, Redman, Baxter and Barry family monuments. The estimate obtained covered all the rest of the monuments needing attention.
This work took many months to do, as it had to fit it around their usual work, but has now been completed. No attempt has been made to recut or otherwise or repair the inscriptions on the stones, nor did funds run to work on the metal surrounds of many plots. However, some $900 remains in the bank and it is planned to use this to do as much as possible on the metal fences.
The committee wishes to thank our subscribers for their financial help and patience. The job has taken a long time, but has been well and carefully done by Partridge Bros. who also merit our thanks and appreciation. The twice-yearly clean-ups of the cemetery continue, though our workforce has sadly diminished over the years. Anyone who can lend a hand would be heartily welcomed. Chairman Don Barry can be contacted on 65764068, and secretary Valma Gee on 65764123.

Valma Gee
31.5.1998