The collapse of the HOARE vault was the impetus for the whole project.
We need to fully record such monuments as a precondition for effective
management... and for applying for heritage grants!
Working with the Friends of Rookwood, with a wide range of volunteers, and including members of– and co-operation with– the Jewish Cemetery Trust, the Independent Cemetery Trust, the Anglican & General Cemetery Trusts... and the National Trust Cemeteries Committee, oh yes, and the Rookwood Necropolis Trust (alot of different capital-T Trusts!)... well, it is a potentially great project to record the condition and design of many of the historic vaults and grand monuments in Rookwood.
Using the techniques of archaeological surveys, coupled with the incredible power of GIS (Geographic Information System), we are hoping to create a permanent working record of monuments which will serve as a resource for future conservation works. By leveraging the experience and dedication of volunteers to complete the baseline studies, we will be able to document indepth conservation information which help both in managing these historic resources and in applying for targeted grants to help with actual physical conservation maintenance and repairs.
The survey forms are being designed in from my experience in conducting safety surveys and monument recordings over the past 20 years, in consultation with a range of cemetery conservation experts... and attempting to be consistent with international standards for naming and identifying materials and deterioration. The database and GIS are being constructed by Gary Luke of the Jewish Cemetery Trust. The volunteers, well, it looks like the Friends of Rookwood might be taking over much of the actual work of the project... I gave a presentation to them, and, well, it became clear that they are much better equipped and organised than I am... and that, really, it will be my job to help with the training and monumental masonry/conservation side of things... but, if anyone can actually see the work through, it's going to be them... ...and any other volunteers who would like to join in! If you're interested in more information, please have a look at the project website... though please note that it is very much a work-in-progress.
We're hoping to do a few dry-runs in August and then actually start some recording days in September...
The project website is: http://sites.google.com/site/rookwoodmonuments/
and the Friends of Rookwood are at: http://www.friendsofrookwoodinc.org.au/
We should be posting our training/workday schedule within the next few weeks...
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