It's all Greek to me.

Discussion in 'Ask The Experts' started by Chimp, Jun 30, 2016.

  1. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    Doing a little project on our local cemetery. I've come across the only foreign burial, in what seems to be some sort of military or army grave.

    This is what it says
    upload_2016-6-30_18-14-4.png
    It seems to be a triple grave, although there are only 2 memorials on it. The other burial is

    Robert A F Evans
    13-10-1915 5-10-2010
    Anyone read Greek? What does the first one say?


     
  2. Daft Bat

    Daft Bat Administrator. Chief cook & bottle washer! Staff Member

    Online
    Messages:
    7,837
    Likes Received:
    31,252
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England.
    @Eve - can you help with this? ;)
     
    Chimp likes this.
  3. mugwortismy cat

    mugwortismy cat Tenacious to the End!

    Offline
    Messages:
    4,065
    Likes Received:
    7,119
    Location:
    London, England
    All I can say is that i think the first word is 'Elene' or Helen, and the word that looks like Eton does seem to say Eton

    Elene th kaapaxidoe
    Eton 75

    Is my sad attempt to turn Greek alphabet into English alphabet, but no idea how to go further :(

    (Unless the first word is Hellene meaning Greek/Greece o_O)
     
    Chimp likes this.
  4. AnnB

    AnnB Editor in Chief who is Hot off the Press!

    Offline
    Messages:
    4,451
    Likes Received:
    20,071
    Location:
    North Devon, England
    OK - I've had a go using Google translate -
    Helen Kalpaxidou Years 75
    Still looks Greek to me........:D
     
    Bonzo Dog, mugwortismy cat and Chimp like this.
  5. AnnB

    AnnB Editor in Chief who is Hot off the Press!

    Offline
    Messages:
    4,451
    Likes Received:
    20,071
    Location:
    North Devon, England
    Bloomin' 'ec - I've just looked the name up and a lady of that name with those dates had her death registered in Bromley, Greater London in the March quarter of 1969 :eek:

    Actually, the death registration does give her age as 75, so it looks like whoever carved the gravestone was the one who made the mistake?
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2016
  6. Daft Bat

    Daft Bat Administrator. Chief cook & bottle washer! Staff Member

    Online
    Messages:
    7,837
    Likes Received:
    31,252
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England.
    I thought that as well, but the 75 does not make sense with the dates of 1898 to 1969. That comes to just 71... o_O
     
    Chimp likes this.
  7. AnnB

    AnnB Editor in Chief who is Hot off the Press!

    Offline
    Messages:
    4,451
    Likes Received:
    20,071
    Location:
    North Devon, England
    Perhaps the Greeks aren't too good at maths ;)
     
  8. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    :D :D :D :D
     
    Old Stoneface likes this.
  9. Blackmogs

    Blackmogs Moderator. General Dogs(cats)body. Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,822
    Likes Received:
    5,811
    Location:
    Kent, the Garden of England
    that is exactly why I like this place :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
     
  10. mugwortismy cat

    mugwortismy cat Tenacious to the End!

    Offline
    Messages:
    4,065
    Likes Received:
    7,119
    Location:
    London, England
    But they are very good at algebra :D. And geometry
     
  11. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    :D :D :D
     
    mugwortismy cat likes this.
  12. arthurk

    arthurk Well-Known Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,219
    Likes Received:
    4,526
    Location:
    West Yorkshire, England
    If she was 75 when she died, that would be consistent with her being born on 13 March 1893 (not 1898). Did the mason misread the instructions and put the wrong year in? This may not be the Greeks' fault...
     
    Blackmogs, Ma-dotcom and Daft Bat like this.
  13. Daft Bat

    Daft Bat Administrator. Chief cook & bottle washer! Staff Member

    Online
    Messages:
    7,837
    Likes Received:
    31,252
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England.
    Good point, Arthur. That has happened more than once!
     
  14. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    oooop's (very bad word) :eek: sorry I mistranscribed it wrong (on here) In my little book the date is 13-3-1893 :oops:
     
  15. Daft Bat

    Daft Bat Administrator. Chief cook & bottle washer! Staff Member

    Online
    Messages:
    7,837
    Likes Received:
    31,252
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England.
    Mystery solved.:rolleyes:
     
    Chimp likes this.
  16. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    Nearly, who was she and why was she buried here?
     
  17. arthurk

    arthurk Well-Known Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,219
    Likes Received:
    4,526
    Location:
    West Yorkshire, England
    While we're still on this one, from the limited amount of Greek I know (or once knew), I think a double "AA" is unlikely in the surname, and I suspect one of these letters might be "Λ" (L), as in the forename. That would give "KALP..." or "KLAP..." - I think the former may be more likely, but I'm not 100% sure of this.
     
    mugwortismy cat likes this.
  18. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    Here is what the original transcribers got

    EAENH 8. KAATTA S IOOY ETQN 75
    13—3—1893 — 4—1—1969

    They probably didn't know how to enter the Greek characters :)
     
    mugwortismy cat likes this.
  19. arthurk

    arthurk Well-Known Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    1,219
    Likes Received:
    4,526
    Location:
    West Yorkshire, England
    Any possibility that she was Robert Evans' mother? From FreeBMD, his mother was named Clee (Dec qtr 1915, Knighton, 11b 189), leading to the marriage of Thomas F Evans and Elsie K Clee (Dec qtr 1913, Knighton, 11b 223). I'll leave you to look further, and maybe to comment on Clee as a possible local family.

    But it occurred to me that someone with that Greek name wanting to anglicise and/or simplify it might possibly end up with Elsie K Clee.
     
  20. Chimp

    Chimp Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP Staff Member

    Offline
    Messages:
    7,409
    Likes Received:
    21,637
    Location:
    Knighton, Powys, Wales
    The Clee family are from around here. One of my neighbours was a Clee (was, because she passed last year)

    The Robert Evans seems to have something like pilots wings under his name with something written within it (can't make it out though)
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice