The Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick holds records of the Friendly Society of Operative Stonemasons of England, Ireland and Wales and its successors. See here for details: http://www2. warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/explorefurther/subject_guides/family_history/stone/ Deaths of Society members, and their wives and (from 1862) their children, were announced in 'fortnightly returns' 1834-1910. There is an online index to these death announcements. One example of a fortnightly return is shown in full. See second page for format of the death announcements . . . but other parts look interesting too.
Handy tou know Huncamunca. But wouldn't you just know it - the only stonemasons I have had to research are in Scotland !
This is great Huncamunca, I have found the names of John Stone and Richard Stone of Portland (there are a huge number of Stones on Portland, mostly quarrymen as is appropriate) in the obituary index; a x great aunt married a Portland Stone (this could get very silly) Also I have a (distantish) connection to the Haysom family of Swanage who quarried Purbeck marble, a few Haysoms turn up in Manchester and London, not sure if they are mine ... I may have to set some time aside one day to look through this more carefully
It gives a whole new meaning to building a family tree - and everything you find could be said to be set in stone...... Ann Sorry, but you did say this could get very silly.......)