Cemeteries are fascinating places. Little Darwin personnel and correspondents have spent many hours in cemeteries, studying inscriptions on tombstones in Australia, NZ , Asia and the UK .Here in Darwin , the Genealogical Society of the Northern Territory (GSNT) does wonderful work researching the last resting place of people in bygone days in scattered cemeteries , resulting in the erection of informative plaques . The above Coomalie Courier photograph was taken at one such plaque installation ceremony at Stapleton . The GSNT secretary, June Tomlinson, recently back from a UK study trip , meeting researchers there interested in the Territory , is in the centre of the photo ; another GSNT member ,Vern O'Brien, a walking encyclopedia of NT knowledge, is on the far right, in the public service- type long white socks. Among other things, Vern is the GSNT cemetery coordinator and many volumes from his large book collection , dealing with the NT , which survived Cyclone Tracy, are in the GSNT reference library. On the far left of this photo is Bill Roberts, of the Coomalie Creek Council,greatly interested in local history,who has long been searching for the grave of Constable Thomas Charlesworth, from Southport, who drowned during 1884 floods. From time to time, Little Darwin will post further unusual cemetery stories from the Territory and elsewhere .
