Bawdeswell – All Saints’ Church (Robert Gardinear / Robert Gardener 1764-1796)

This gravestone is located at All Saints’ Church in Bawdeswell and it commemorates the life of Robert Gardinear. Although I’m sure that there are a few examples of that surname still around, it seems a more unusual way of spelling the word. Talking about transcription issues, prizes to anyone who can read the age on this gravestone. I initially thought that it said “aged 52 years” but all the transcriptions read “aged 32 years”. Although, this would fit, as the nearest birth that I can find is Robert Gardener who was baptised at this church in Bawdeswell in 1765 and then buried here on 21 April 1796 (having died one week earlier). If the birth is the right Robert, then he was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Gardener (or however they were spelling that).

Back to the spelling of Gardinear, I’m going to say that’s a mistake dating back to the eighteenth century. There is no record of anyone else of that surname in Norfolk and the spelling of names was quite fluid in the eighteenth century.