Tour organiser and taphophile Adele Pentony-Graham visiting Charles Rooking Carter’s grave. PHOTO/GIANINA SCHWANECKE
GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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A Clareville resident wants to encourage a walk among the graves of the Carterton district’s founding settlers as a way to mark the 160th anniversary of the naming of the district.
Taphophile, a person who takes an interest in cemeteries, Adele Pentony-Graham has organised the tour to coincide with the historic event on July 27, just a week after the anniversary of when founder Charles Rooking Carter died.
The tour will be held at Clareville Cemetery where many of Carterton’s founding families are buried.
Pentony-Graham has spent more than 20 years caring for and researching the histories of those who’ve found their final resting place at Clareville.
“I like old graves like this,” she said. “There’s so much history here.”
Pentony-Graham’s tour will include stops at the notable graves of Carterton settlers, such as the first mayor Richard Fairbrother, Walter Francis and Edward Wakelin.
Other names from the tour may be identifiable from geographic landmarks named after them – like the Dakins family.
The tour will also include a visit to a woman Pentony-Graham said is the first registered nurse in the world, Ellen Dougherty.
“I don’t copy from books, but I try to find their descendants and ask questions,” Pentony Graham said.
“They are all related to everyone else.”
She hopes the event will teach people more about the district’s past and local people’s family histories.
“It’s one way of learning about history and more about their ancestors.”
The tour will be held on July 27 at 2pm and those interested in attending are asked to get in touch on [06] 379-6402.
