Lonavala Cemetery India
Searching for Laura Violet Ballard (nee Catley)

In September/October 2009 Cheryl and Graeme Simpson visited India again. This time they included the towns of Lonavala/Lonavla and Sholapur to search for Cheryl's Great Grandmother's and Great Great Grandmother's graves. Laura Violet Ballard (nee Catley) is buried in the Christian Cemetery Lonavala supposedly on the 4 Jan 1914 and her mother Charlotte Catley (nee Bunyan) is buried in the Christ Church Cemetery Sholapur supposedly on 22 Jul 1906.

Our tour guide easily found the cemetery which was not very large so we started to search up and down the rows of graves. We had been advised that this cemetery was a well kept one and easy to search. But we were there not long after the monsoon season so it was overgrown with lilies, they were everywhere - around most of the graves and in many of the paths between the rows of graves. We found a number of "Ballard" graves but not the grave of Laura Violet. We photographed these graves and wrote down most of the details as they could easily be related to Laura (even though the names are not currently known to us). Their information is also clearly readable on the phiotographs below. We continued searching for a while without success so we decided to contact the minister to see if he had any records that could help.

The minister was at the church so we headed off to look at the records. But we were not to get the help we had hoped for. Unfortunately the protestant records started after 1914. The catholic records went way back to the start of the cemetery and they were checked just in case even though we were fairly confident Violet was probably a protestant. No joy from the cemetery records. However, the minister did say that the protestant burials were on the left and catholic on the right, that was a big help as it halved the area to search.

So back we went to the cemetery and started a row by row, grave by grave search on the left hand side. Our tour guide asked some of the chowkidars at the cemetery to help us look, but they pointed out any grave with the year 1914 on it! We continued the search until about half way down Cheryl's eagle eyes found the grave of her Great Grandmother! Success at last, it was a great feeling. Who knows how long it has been since a member of Violet's family has stood beside her grave.

The grave itself was a low one almost hidden by the luxurious growth of lilies (which were soon to be "tidied up" post monsoons!!). The headstone originally had lead lettering which fortunately had been held in by a series of holes in the stone. This left the words visible as a series of "dots" – the main information was clearly readable but the eulogy part was worn and not readable except for a word or two. The headstone read:

IN
LOVING MEMORY
OF
LAURA VIOLET
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
J. W. BALLARD
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON THE 3 JANUARY 1914

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The gates to the cemetery LonCem002.JPG	The sign on the front gates of the cemetery LonCem001.JPG	Just inside the gates looking down the main path to the building LonCem003.JPG
Looking to the left (Protestant burial side) LonCem004.JPG	Looking to the right (Roman Catholic burial side) LonCem005.JPG	The whole cemetery was overgrown with lilies after the monsoon rains LonCem006.JPG
A "Ballard" grave LonCem007.JPG	Richard Ballard who died 27 Sep 1900 aged 63 years 8 months LonCem008.JPG	Richard was a Loco Foreman on the G.I.P (Great India Peninsula) Railway LonCem009.JPG
William Lewis Ballard who died 8 Oct 1909 LonCem010.JPG	Servants sleeping till the resurrection morn, safe in the arms of Jesus LonCem011.JPG	William was only 32 years and 25 days old when he died LonCem012.JPG
Nestled in the growth alongside was another Ballard grave LonCem013.JPG	Thomasina Sarah Ballard who died 1x April 1924 LonCem014.JPG	In loving memory of dear mother LonCem015.JPG
Cheryl standing alongside the two Ballard graves LonCem016.JPG	A Mausoleum right at the back of the cemetery LonCem017.JPG	There were paths but many were overgrown by the lush growth LonCem018.JPG
We did wonder if we would ever find Laura's grave LonCem019.JPG	Not sure if this chap can help us look much too comfortable to move LonCem020.JPG	Another Ballard grave was found do they all belong to our family? LonCem021.JPG
Grace Caroline Ballard who died 5 Oct 1938 LonCem022.JPG	Also Richard Edwin Ansel Ballard died 19 Jan 1941 aged 72 years LonCem023.JPG	Then SUCCESS!! here was Laura's low flat grave, found at last LonCem024.JPG
Reading the headstone details to confirm it was Laura's grave LonCem025.JPG	A view of the general area with a significant grave nearby for a marker LonCem026.JPG	Cheryl standing beside her great grandmother's grave LonCem027.JPG
A close up shot of the whole grave almost hidden among the lilies LonCem028.JPG	A close up of the headstone showing the details on the side LonCem029.JPG	Headstone from above, no lettering left just an outline of holes LonCem030.JPG
The writing can be read better from a lower angle (but not the eulogy) LonCem031.JPG	Looking from the next row it is quite overgrown after the monsoons! LonCem032.JPG	Looking back from the main path the maker grave is clearly visible LonCem033.JPG