Tombstone Tuesday

This headstone, located at the Skipton Cemetery, had always fascinated me - ever since I was young, visiting my grandmother who was buried about 15m further down the row.

I think it was the name "Elizabeth Lyle" which I had always thought to be very unusual.  Or, perhaps the Bunston surname at the top was also of interest as I knew a Bunston (the only one at the time).  Maybe I wondered if they were related to each other?

I would stop and stare at this headstone every time we went to the cemetery, at the time unaware of who these people were... I still stare today when I visit, but now with a known connection.

Buried here is George Bunston - my great great grandfather.  With him, his wife and my great great grandmother - Elizabeth Lyle Bunston, nee Thompson and their infant son Andrew Thompson Bunston.

I have written about George before - the eldest of 11 children, born in England on 8 February 1835 and migrating to Australia with his sister and first wife Sarah at the age of 20.  He died in Skipton on 18 April 1923 from bronchitis.  He had married his second wife, Elizabeth, in 1864.

Elizabeth was the fifth of seven children, born in Scotland on 13 August 1848 and migrating with her parents and siblings in 1852.  She died in Skipton on 14 June 1926.

Andrew was the youngest of ten children of George and Elizabeth.

This grave is also the resting place for two of their infant grandchildren, buried but not mentioned - though never forgotten.

Thelma May Bunston was the fifth of six children and only daughter of Phillip Henry Bunston and Gertrude May Reyland.  She was born on 22 December 1925 and died aged just three weeks old on January 12 1926.  She died six months before her grandmother.

Also buried here is John William "Jackie" Nash, my great uncle.  Jackie was the youngest of four children of Percy Victor Nash and Georgina May Bunston.  He was born in Linton on 26 January 1927 and died two years later on 14 September 1929 of pneumonia and meningitis.