Update to e-mails I posted to this List in August and September. After numerous failed attempts to obtain a detailed graveyard plan of Johnshaven old graveyard I was finally assure by Aberdeen Council that their Cemetery staff would have no difficulty locating the lairs of my grandparents and family. With that assurance I commissioned a gravestone from a memorial specialist company in Aberdeen. We followed all the correct regulations/conditions to comply with the requirements stipulated by Aberdeenshire Council.  Last week I was finally about to have a memorial erected to mark my grandparents grave in Johnshaven old graveyard. Unfortunately things don't always go to plan!  The memorial specialists I had commissioned arrived at the graveyard with this new memorial only to find that AberdeenshireCemeterystaff had failed to install the concrete base for the stone.  The reason given by the cemetery staff was that they had wanted to double-check the location but on phoning the appropriate Council department were told the records had been uplifted for digitising. Unfortunately neither me nor the monumental masons were kept informed.  The company I paid to do he job had a wasted journey and the memorial has been returned to storage. So here's hoping that the friendy Stonehaven Registrar who has assisted me so far can get the Cemetery staff to complete the task they have already been paid to do. Sy in Dumfries ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sandy PITTENDREIGH <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, 23 September 2013, 12:30 Subject: Re: Johnshaven Old Graveyard  Update: In March 1909 my grandfather Walter Freeman bought three layers in Johnshaven graveyard. Burials were as follows:- Lair 553 - Walter Freeman (Lair Owner) buried on 15/09/1925 Lair 553 - Isabella Freeman (Wife of Walter Freeman) buried 27/07/1943 Lair 554 - Elizabeth Freeman (daughter of Walter) buried 22/11/1918 Lair 554 - Williamina Freeman (maiden surname Wyllie, wife of David Freeman my grandparents eldest son) buried 07/05/1932 Lair 555 - Alexander Adam (brother-in-law of Walter Freeman) buried 09/03/1909 Lair 555 - Mary Jane Adam (sister-in-law of Walter Freeman) buried 25/01/1915 These three adjoining lairs are almost certainly located in a large grassy which is almost totally without any memorial stones.  So I now know that at least six of my relatives are actually buried in this old graveyard, what I don't know is the actual location.  I have been told by a local memorials specialist firm that if I want to raise a replacement memorial the Council staff will be responsible for installing the concrete base.  That means they must have a plan of the graveyard that allows them to determine the location.