Chief Engineer Joseph Leighton Gardner 1871-1922

[Tom Grieves]

On 5 May 1922 Chief Engineer Joseph Leighton Gardner died aboard the Eirini Kyriakides. He was burried at Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland. After a three year search, his decendants have finally found his unmarked grave and visited it recently. As far as we know, they are the only visitors he has had in 89 years! Joseph was my Grand Uncle.

Tom Grieves

[Captain Kong]

I sailed on the Nicholas Kiriakides, a horrible starvation ship. The Captain, Mate and Chief Engineer jumped ship in Australia, so it must have been bad, I lost two stone and came home like a skeleton.
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. It is good that his grave was found after all those years, it is sad if your forgotten by your family and friends.
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I had a very strange experience in 2001 when I found a mates grave after 48 years in East London, South Africa,
I was with him when he drowned and lost his body. When I got there with the wife and two South African friends , the screams from out of the grave were terrible. and totally unearthly. The spirit was screaming "Why has no one visited me" or words to that effect.
The four of us were devestated and shocked and all turned white. it was unbelievable. Many other things happened , I wrote about it in the Voyage on the New Zealand Star. There are many sceptics, but four people could not be wrong. I went again a few days later and all was quiet and peaceful, he had gone to where all good sailors go.
So please look after the grave now that it has been found.

[Keith at Tregenna]

On 5 May 1922 Chief Engineer Joseph Leighton Gardner died aboard the Eirini Kyriakides. He was burried at Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland. After a three year search, his decendants have finally found his unmarked grave and visited it recently. As far as we know, they are the only visitors he has had in 89 years! Joseph was my Grand Uncle.

Tom Grieves

Are there any family plans to mark the grave in tribute ? a simple plaque or similar. Would love to hear more and help if pos.

For Example Only: LINK - BBC News - Restored grave for Barry sailor who survived shipwreck

Keith.