Graves
We know from parish records that several hundred people have been buried in the cemetery, however, we have approximately 150 gravestones in the cemetery at the current time. How is this possible?
There are a few reasons that we can identify:
Sandstone gravestones tend to degrade seriously over time. There are several in the cemetery at the current time, with a few in very good condition, but more often than not, these stones erode significantly over time.
Broken stones - Over time, many stones will crack and fall into serious disrepair. During past restorations, which we know of occurring in the 1970's, it is possible that many of these stones were moved from the present cemetery, or they may have simply sunk into the ground over the years. During the recent restoration, many stones were found that were completely sunken into the ground!
Relocation to the current Parish cemetery - in the early 1900's, with the construction of the new St. Margaret's Parish Church, a new graveyard was established, and many of the stones from this cemetery were moved to the current cemetery.
Wooden Crosses - Even in recent years, many families cannot afford the cost of tombstones, and wooden crosses are used, as can be seen in the Souris Cemetery. Wooden crosses would have eroded over a short period of time, and are a likely reason for the discrepancy been known burials and remaining tombstones.
