Frater Family Five year project:  Who is interested in helping?

Just recently John and Audrey Hoffmann visited the Rookwood Cemetery, while there they found the grave of Alexander Frater.

Alexander Frater (b.1859 d. 1931) father of Alexander, Robert, Penelope (1^st marriage - mother Barbara)  Sarah (May), Walter, Alexander, Archibald, Elizabeth (Queenie), Penelope (Toss), David (Duncan), Isabelle (Belle) and Kenneth ( 2^nd marriage – mother Sarah)

Back in 1931 he was buried at Rookwood; the plot was purchased and fully paid for by Isabelle (Belle) Frater how ever there is no headstone or anything there, just grass. We have looked into the cost of marking the grave for future generations, with a granite sloper and bronze plaque, at the cost of $660.oo. This also includes 8 lines of inscription, GST and placement.

I realize that not everyone would like to contribute in helping, but anyone that is interested please let me know, to get it all started I would like to donate $100.oo. Anyone else wishing to help can contact me or send cheq or money order, even if it’s only $5 or $10 every cent adds up and as soon as the full $660 has been collected, we will send it down to Rookwood Cemetery for work to begin.  Any donations at all would be helpful. Any excess money raised from this will go on to the next one.  I will also keep everyone up to date on how much has been raised and the balance.  I would also like anyone to send me what you think we should have in the inscription.

This is not the full extent of the Frater Family five year projects: - I would also like to have a memorial plaque placed in the Narrabri Cemetery for Sarah Frater nee Glover (2^nd wife of Alexander) although because all the council records where lost in one of the big floods in Narrabri, I do have a copy of her death certificate stating she is buried there and also a copy from the funeral directors of where Alexander paid to have her buried in 1915. There is no accurate record of just where in the cemetery she is buried.   

Then the last one for the Frater Family five year plan is to have another done for the 4 children of William and Catherine that are buried at Deep Creek (“Millfield”) to be unveiled at our next reunion in 2015. The cost for these last two I have not found out yet but I will do in the very near future.

I would also like to know of any other members of our vast family, that do not have a headstone or perhaps one that needs repairing, the costs are expensive but if we all chip in a little over a period of time, it won’t be such a burden on any one person. These people are all our ancestors and should be preserved and looked after for our future generations, who at some point may like to visit them. I would also like to ensure everyone that money does not have to be sent right away, as it is a 5 year plan, so please don't leave your selves short there is plenty of time to help out.

Below is account of all Moneys

29 June 2010: - It is with great pleasure that I can say a BIG THANK YOU to all our family for the donations received so far that on the 24 June 2010 we have sent down the money for the first of our 5 year project to get started. It will be a few weeks and we should then have it finished and be able to post a photo here of the finished site. Please if there is a grave site that needs a headstone or repair or just a clean up let me know and we will add it the list of things to do. Thank You again everyone for all your help.

 Alexander (Doc) Frater 

9 March 1859 - 31 July 1931 Buried at Rookwood

Name Variants: Frater ~ Flater ~Frato ~ Fratte ~ Fratt ~ Fretter ~ Fraiter ~ Fratier

Christine Frater, 1708 Old Bruce Highway, Raglan, Qld. 4697 © Frater Family