Discovery of broken grave in Southland prompts woman to find distant family

Sharon Lankshear and her sister Fiona Lankshear (pictured) are raising funds to repair their great-great-grandparents' broken headstone. Photo / Supplied

While travelling in Southland during the holiday period, Sharon Lankshear found a piece of her family history — broken.

Last month, she visited the burial site of her great-great-grandparents, William and Rachel Judge, at the old Wallacetown cemetery after a cousin told her about the damage.

"It was very special, but also really sad ...

"Nobody has been able to do anything about it."

Lankshear said her relations arrived in Port Chalmers from Glasgow in 1875 with eight children. Two more would follow later.

They settled in the Makarewa area and after William's death in 1899, aged 65 years, Rachel moved to Invercargill where she ran a boarding house and restaurant from The Carriers Arms with her daughters.

Her family background was discovered and researched after Lankshear did a DNA test two years ago, as her mother from this side of the family died when she was young.

The visit has prompted a desire to refurbish the headstone — but that comes at a cost.

A specialist had quoted about $3000 to complete the work, which included stabilising the ground foundation, removing the headstone, gluing and pinning the granite and redoing the lettering.

Lankshear had set up a fundraising page and family members from the United States had already been in touch.

She said the fundraising was also an opportunity to reconnect with distant family members.

"I didn't really know them, and they are part of my family. They told me they want to come to New Zealand when the borders open to visit the grave.

"It is fantastic to find more details and know more about my family."