A man in Western Australia is seeking help to trace the life and locate the grave of an ancestor who worked as a merchant in St. John’s nearly a century ago.

Graham Hornel, of City Beach, has written to the National Archives seeking records of his direct ancestor, John Hornel, who he believes died in Antigua between 1937 and 1940.

The family believes John Hornel was buried at Saint John the Divine Cathedral Cemetery, but his burial location has not been confirmed.

A friend of Graham’s is due to visit Antigua next month and has offered to photograph the grave and headstone if its location can be established.

In his request, Graham asked whether the archives holds civil death registers for St. John’s Parish, newspaper obituaries, legal notices or probate records that could shed light on his ancestor’s death and estate.

He identified the Antigua Official Gazette, The Antigua Magnet and The Star as publications that might contain relevant notices from the period.

Graham also requested information on the procedures and fees for obtaining digital copies of any records found.

The search could help the family piece together John Hornel’s history in Antigua and confirm where he was laid to rest.

His email is: gchornel@yahoo.com if you have any information.

Source: Antigua News Room Australian man seeks help tracing ancestor’s life and final resting place in Antigua.