Does the small name inscribed on the front of this headstone mean anything?
https://en.geneanet.org/cemetery/view/4499912/persons/?individu_filter=CARLIER+Marguerite
I just found this grave stone in Molenbeek Saint Jean, Brussels, Belgium of my relative Francois Joseph Carlier 1855-1935. It lists his twin daughters Blanche and Marguerite born in 1881. This is the first real record that we have on this family - we just know about them through family letters. I am wondering why their mother (who I believe was Blanche Sotteau) is not listed on the headstone? Also, I noticed that there is a name engraved on the bottom front side of the grave - Vanderstocken - does that mean anything? or is it just the company who made the headstone?
I would also love any advice on how to find more about this family! Thank you!
Answers
-
Vanderstocken sounds like a familyname, however juding form where it is written, it is likely also a the name of the manufacturer.
Joseph was burried with his daughter this likely means they died together. Couples tend to be burried together, even when they don't die together, but if the difference is to great, then they have separate gravestones anyway. That could explain why the mother isn't there.
Considering you know the year and place they died, I would reach for their death certificate. However, records for 1935 are not yet available online.
So, I would try to find the birth certificate of Blanche and Marguerite. As they are younger, it is more likely they were born near Brussels.
Unfortunately in Molenbeek Saint Jean in 1881, there was only one Carlier born and he was the son of Constantin Fidèle Amand Carlier.
Do you happen to have any other information to locate the birth certificate of Francois Joseph Carlier, Blanche Sotteau or any of their children?
0 -
It is curious. The year of death for the two daughters is not given which probably means they died after 1935. Perhaps the mother died earlier and is buried in a separate grave.
0 -
if watched closely, the name Vanderstocken is not the only one on the stone-slabs under the graves.I count more than 6 slabs altogether.This is suggestive to the idea of re-used grave concessions. The lack of dates for the daughters indicates they were still alive on '35.
0 -
You can request the 1935 death certificate for Francois Joseph Carlier by sending an email to etatcivil.1080@molenbeek.iris.net. You can write in English but you will probably get a reply in French.
0 -
Was this common practice to reuse grave sites multiple times? If so it might explain why some graves purported to be in certain cemeteries are not found.
0 -
In my (very limited) experience, graves require a maintenance cost.
If the family stops paying (for example, when they die themselves), then the grave is removed and the grave site can be reused.
0 -
Yes, basically it still is the case. Graves are on a leased plot base, and
are limited in time, if the lease is terminated by not paying the fee,or overshoots its legal term then the grave is exhumed and re-used.
But there are still municipalities and cemeteries that offer eternal leases
for a big lump sum, or exeptions exist for historical cemeteries; like say WW1 or WW2 grave/memorial sites.
0
