TOMBSTONE ERECTED AT RESTORED ALBERT CO. CEMETERY

A tombstone for the late Laulin Knockwood has been erected at the restored St. Aloysius cemetery in Albert County, said John O'Connor, a Moncton man who is responsible for the restorations.

Nelson Monuments, a company located in Sussex, called up O'Connor after hearing about the restoration of the graveyard, and informed him they planned to erect a stone on Knockwood's grave.

Knockwood, who worked for Nelsons Monuments, died on July 17, 1930 while loading and unloading granite stones at the Albert County Mine. Knockwood was electricuted as a boom from one of the crates swung into electrical wires at the mine, said O'Connor.

O'Connor has a particular fondness for the cemetery because he was baptised in the adjoining St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church which was torn down in 1918. He has childhood memories of both the church and the cemetery, which has graves dating back as early as the 1880's.

Work on the cemetery , which O'Connor first began tackling in 1987, has been completed. However, he said that general upkeep such as mowing and repairing minor damages caused by frost must still be done.

O'Connor estimated the total cost of the project at about $8,000 with $3,000 if that coming from his own pocket.

However, he said he did not mind spending the $3,000 because the compliments he has received regarding the changes are well worth any amount of money.

O'Connor has erected a sign at the cemetery which lists the names of people who have made contributions and donations to the cause. "It was the least I could do," he said.