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Alexander's Grave

The Old Woodville Cemetery

Woodville, quiet and peaceful, about a half-hour's drive from Palmerston North. I first went to Woodville hoping to find something about my great-great grandparents Alexander GORDON and Ann Lawrence SMITH on the way back from a job on the Kapiti Coast. Finding little in Woodville, with the museum only open for a short time - and not the time I was there, I carried on through to Dannevirke - home of Alexander and Ann's eldest son, Alexander Lawrence.

The House of Memories on Gordon Street (yes - after us!) in Dannevirke is one of the best museums I have had fortune to step foot in. Wonderful displays and fantastic staff provided me with a wealth of information. They even unearthed a portrait of Alexander Lawrence from the days when he was mayor of Dannevirke (1903-4).

Back in Woodville I found the old cemetery tucked away on the road east. A tranquil cemetery, and a little overgrown, it took me a good half hour to find the grave of Alexander and Ann. The stone is cracked through, and could do with a good clean, but otherwise the grave was in reasonable condition.

And what a view!

A couple of years later I returned to Woodville, and paid a visit to the site. The cemetery had undergone a transformation! Freshly mowed grass, and a cemetery map at the entrance, showing the location of every grave. Impressive - every small cemetery should have one!

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