Our cleaning bees aren’t always about water, soap and brushes. When we choose an area to clean, we never know what we will find. Our last bee on September 27th brought us to the grave of Gladys Davis (P110WR). This grave was in sad shape, overgrown and covered by a thick mat of moss. On starting to remove the moss, we found the the marble plaque had fractured in many pieces and only still there by the grace of the thick moss.

Time for some repair work along with the cleaning. We were able to gather the pieces and glue them back in place as best we could with two part epoxy. Using water to complete the job would have jeopardized the repair, so we will go back later, wash it and give it a treatment of D2.

So, who was Gladys Davis? None of our cleaning group had ever heard of her. But everybody has a story! Gladys was an animal lover who spent most of her life in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan where she organized and started the first SPCA for that community. On moving to Victoria, she carried on with love of animals through the Victoria SPCA. Below is a letter by G. T. Maurice, Inspector, SPCA Victoria, and printed in the Dailey Colonist of March 31, 1926. RIP Gladys……

Our work is never done but can be so satisfying!