Evan der Millner (de Molinar) spent several months each year, from 1999 though to 2004, managing and directing the restoration of the Nidhe Israel Jewish cemetery. The cemetery had been damaged after its sale by the Mahamad of Bevis Marks, London - it was supposed to be preserved according to the covenant of sale, but the new owner of the adjacent synagogue building decided to clear the space for erecting garages.
The stones were moved, and many were smashed. Fortunately, documentation existed so that Evan was able to accurately reconstruct the original arrangement of the carrerot, and return the correct tombstones to the correct graves.
He also uncovered previously unrecorded tombstones that had been hidden since the mid 1700's.
Cemetery in mid restoration. Note walls built over tombs, and stones stacked up on top of others.
The ground level before excavation is clearly visible here on the Mercado stombstone. The part that was buried is clean. Many of the tombstones were underground.
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