New Initiatives
Using New Technology to Find Old Burial Sites
Our cemetery was established in 1763, and while records have been kept of lot sales and burials, some of the records in the distant past have been less than detailed. The Property Manager and team recently recommended that one particular area of the cemetery be examined using ground penetration radar to identify locations where undocumented burials may exist. This is important in order to avoid disturbing interred remains.
Ground Penetration Radar Detector
The Board arranged for a Ground Penetration Radar Study to be conducted by Dr Jonathan Fowler and his team from Saint Mary’s University in July 2022. This advanced technology is used to detect and map any underground objects that may be undocumented and/or unmarked graves. A detailed map was generated by Dr Fowler that showed numerous underground items in addition to the sites marked by gravestones. Based on these results, one of the older sections of the cemetery (Section 3) is now permanently closed to future burials.
Dr Fowler collecting ground penetration radar results in older section of the cemetery
Assembled group of Board member and SMU experts
Initiation of an Electronic Database of Gravestones
Some years ago Briana Crosby photographed the gravestones in the Onslow Cemetery and recorded the wording on inscriptions what were legible. The envisioned electronic database will, when completed, be fully searchable and a great resource to individuals wanting to know more about ancestors interred in the Onslow Cemetery. This was initiated by Marie McCully-Collier before she retired recently from the Board. She has graciously offered to continue working to get this database completed and up-to-date.
Care and Maintenance of Headstones
While the care and maintenance of headstones is the responsibility of the surviving family, in a cemetery that is 260 years old, some of those interred no longer have living relatives who can be responsible for this. Over the past several years the Board has obtained the services of a local contractor to straighten and re-set some of the headstones.
Straightening and re-setting older headstones
The following video, produced by Transcoastal Adaptation, describes the recent work done to balance the need for flood control while protecting key local features like the Onslow Cemetery.
“In the 17th and 18th centuries, Acadian settlers built dykes throughout the Bay of Fundy to prevent tidal flooding, converting tidal wetlands into agricultural land. Managed dyke realignment and tidal wetland restoration is a process that involved removing existing dykes to allow for the restoration of historical and naturally occurring tidal wetlands.
Restoring tidal wetlands is a nature-based climate adaptation solution that can help protect homes and infrastructure. Tidal wetlands can serve as the first line of defence against flooding by absorbing flood waters and reducing wave energy during extreme weather events and storm surge.
In 2028, two new dykes were constructed in preparation for the project, one to protect the intersection of Onslow Road and the nearby CN Rail line, and a second to protect the historic Onslow Island Cemetery.”
