Gravestone rubbings...help!

[MaryAnnDVC]

Ever do one? What products are the best to use...type of paper, crayon/charcoal/etc?? It's a school project for DD. Have been out several times to cemeteries and have been having a tough time. The person has to have died before 1900 (plus 1) be famous OR have died in an unusual way (?) OR have a decorative stone. Trouble with old tombstones is that they're bumpy and/or hard to read.

Any advice?

 

[HollyJoy]

I've done it!
What I used was tracing paper (get the largest pad you can find) and black crayon. Works great. I found that if you use charcoal, it is much more easily smeared. Be careful with the old limestones.. they don't rub so well.

 

[amid chaos]

In England we used brown paper...like the kind you would use to wrap up a box to be mailed and charcoal or a cray-pas...remember those? Always go in one direction back and forth.

 

[gallaj0]

Also, check with the cemetary to be sure it is OK to take a rubbing; in Boston, some of the stones have been rubbed so many times they are wearing out, and they no longer allow rubbings.

 

[BlkBearSuz]

I found this website when I was looking for information on how to clean a grave stone. It also has some information on rubbings too.

http://www.ctgravestones.com/Conservation/Rubbings.htm

 

[Microcell]

Originally posted by HollyJoy
I've done it!
What I used was tracing paper (get the largest pad you can find) and black crayon. Works great. I found that if you use charcoal, it is much more easily smeared. Be careful with the old limestones.. they don't rub so well.

That is what I have done.

 

[Mary Ellen]

Cyndi's List (a genealogy web site) has many links to sites that could be of interest to you. Try the 'How to' section in Cemeteries & Funeral Homes. Other links may help you find what the symbols mean or find the grave of a famous person near you (hopefully there is at least one - since the teacher gave that as a possibility).

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Thank you for your help!!

We're heading out AGAIN after school today. This is due Thursday, so we better have some luck SOON!

There aren't too many "famous" people buried in Rhode Island, but I guess "fame" is relative. Obviously, lots of governors. I did get a bad rubbing of Thomas Dorr's gravestone yesterday (of the Dorr Rebellion) at Swan Point cemetery, which I called TODAY and asked about rubbings (my 2nd question was going to be "so then where is General Burnside buried?") but they said they don't allow it there. Glad I didn't get caught yesterday! (However, I DID decide that's where I'd like to be buried...it's lovely there! )

I've got some good leads for this afternoon, and I hope we...I mean "she"... can just get this DONE! Today we're bringing a SUPPLY of all the papers and rubbing materials recommended to try out.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

We did some in England, many years ago, at the cemetary where Charlotte Bronte is buried. It was so nice, they had black paper and gold crayons that you could use for a fee that went towards the upkeep of the cemetary. The gold on black was really nice....
I also did a rubbing at the Vietnam Memorial, and used tracing paper and a black crayon. I agree that it is important to find out beforehand if it is OK with the cemetary..

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

We got one and it came out really nice...the stone was in very good condition. Being in these old cemeteries makes me wonder about all the people and how so many children died so young. (This woman was 33 yrs old. )

Thanks again!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Very cool. That was a great project for the kids, hope you had fun with it!!

 

[roque]

question......why would one do this???? school project? boredom?something different to do?

 

[mtblujeans]

Both of my kids have done this project while in Jr. Hi. It was a field trip. They were studying Montana history and they both went to the same cemetary that was over 100 years old. I think they picked a headstone and made a tracing of it then researched the family name in Montana history and tried to find them or their family name through the years. It also had the unexpected lesson of making them more comfortable with cemetaries and discussing death. They both had the same excellent teacher!