The importance of taking photos of family member's graves.
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The importance of taking photos of family member's graves.
Family photographs are an integral part of our family history and even our family memories—but some people may shy away from taking family photographs of a more somber nature, such as photos of death stones. Should you take photos of your family’s death stones? The following are some of the key reasons why you should start taking photos of family death stones to preserve for future generations.
Death stones are an important part of family history
Family history isn’t just about weddings or births or photos of family homes—death is just as much an important part of family history as people’s lives. Death stones provide key information regarding the year and usually the day and month that people died, along with their birth date; death stones can also provide information regarding where people died or where family plots are located. And in some cases, depending on the style of the stone itself, they can provide an interesting insight into family history. For instance, some death stones may contain quotes, poetry, or imagery that were important or relevant to a person in their life.
Death stones may get moved or damaged and then be lost forever
Unfortunately, death stones can sometimes become damaged or moved over time. In some cases, death stones can get damaged during storms or due to the degradation of materials. And in other cases, stones are moved due to new developments on the land. This may not happen during your lifetime, but who knows what can happen a few decades down the line. If something does happen to the stone, your family will have a record of the death stone (along with its important family history related information) thanks to the preserved photographs. Make sure to always create back-ups of your family photographs as well.
Photographs of death stones can help with family research
Death stones can help you or other members of your family if you are delving into family history research. Since death stones can provide a wealth of history related information, they can help people find out more about various family members. In fact, information provided by a death stone could be a useful “springboard” to finding more records and information about people in your family.
They are a unique element of family history that future generations will be interested in
Death stones may be a reminder of mortality, but that doesn’t mean that they should be kept hidden away. Future generations of the family will likely take an interest in the family death stones if they are preserved through photographs. This may lead future generations of the family to take an interest in family history, and in learning the stories and family memories behind the names engraved on the stones.
Taking family photographs of your family’s death stones is important. The above reasons should help convince you to begin taking photos of the death stones in your family so that the current and future generations can preserve them.
To discover what good things you have learned from your parents click here.
To discover whether we should record dark family histories click here.
To learn how to back up our old photographs click here.
To learn more about the Trafalgar Cemetery, Gibraltar, click here.