Headstone query

[johnnyb47]

Just a quick update on what I managed to find out today.
I went down to the cemetery this morning with my step dad to see what had exactly was going on with the the headstone.
It turns out the granite headstone is still securely attached to the granite base, but the granite base has separated from the concrete slab that's been placed flush into the ground.With a huge (and I mean huge) push from the top of the headstone,I could see a gap opening up
There's a huge label placed over it stating it's unsafe and a piece of wood leaning up against the headstone.
I counted 13 others in the same condition and that was just in eye sight to my mums, so goodness knows how many more there where.
In order for this headstone to topple over it would take an earthquake and a Force 10 hurricane to shift it, so for the life of me I can't understand why it's deemed as dangerous.
Anyway feeling a little bemused we then went on to the stonemasons who placed it there 12 years back.
As soon as we mentioned the problem he stopped us in our tracks and named the cemetery.
He said he's been inundated with people coming to him about the same problems from the same cemetery.
It seems they cemetery warden is OCD about health and safety and in his opinion the warden is going completely over the top.
He said every July they get a machine into the cemetery that essentially pushes a predetermined amount of side ways pressure to each and every headstone.
If it moves it's deemed as dangerous.
He said this machine has even broken some of the more fragile stones such as crosses and older sandstone monuments.
I asked if I could simply sort it my self with some epoxy glue,but it turns out it can only be done by approved stonemasons.
In the next three weeks there going to sort it for us and charge £72 to what is essentially sticking it back on.
What really erked me was the size of the sign placed over my mums grave.
It looked like a crime scene that has been cordoned off.
It felt almost embarrassing to see and for others to see .
I personally think they deliberately go over the top with the sign,the long length of wood placed on the headstone to embarrass you into getting it sorted asap

 

[Accy cyclist]

I took these photos this aft' in the local cemetery. The council 'buried' many old headstones like these the other year Buried as in dug around them, then lowered the stones into the hole, then filled the soil back around the stones.

 

[Accy cyclist]

It's a bit hard to see the inscription, as I took the photo when my phone was on a 3% left charge, so I more or less took it 'blind', but this poor lad died on Christmas Day 1943, aged just 19.

I saw a woman from the RBL the other year tidying up some of the white stone headstones. She told me that because of the porous stone they can't be washed/cleaned with any harsh cleaners and definitely cannot be power washed! She said a mild non biological cleaner and warm water is all that should be used on the white stones. The brown WW1 headstones are more robust, but due to their age, like the white WW2 ones, only non bio' cleaner and warm water should be used to clean them.