Ian Logan lives in Exmouth, Devon, UK, with his wife, Mary (Brooking) Logan. He joined Find a Grave® in February 2018 and since then has been busy adding memorials, photographing headstones and researching.

Ian focuses his work in Devon, where his wife was raised and where they settled after retirement. During World War II, Devon was transformed from a quiet coastal county into a major Allied military hub. The Devon Militia was a part‑time county force dating back to 1558. Notably, it was mobilized the English Civil War, the Napoleonic Wars, and World War I.

Before retiring, Ian was a medical practitioner, which has aided him in the pursuit of family history: “My medical background has let me understand DNA.” He once worked as a computer programmer as well: “The brief time I worked as computer programmer has allowed me to be familiar with using websites and simple desktop publishing.” Ian even hosts a large website about mitochondrial DNA.

When asked how he became involved in Find a Grave, Ian explained that it was largely due to his wife: “My wife’s maiden name is Brooking. As Record Keeper for the Brooking Society, I started looking for ‘Brooking’ entries many years ago; and there is still a constant flow of new Brooking memorial pages to consider and to send in edits. I am using Find a Grave every morning, and often again later in the day as well.” In fact, he mentioned that “family history links everything I do; and Find a Grave is perhaps the most important website that I use. It is hard to imagine life without it!”

Snapping photographs of graves, adding memorials, and submitting edits have proven to be excellent ways for Ian to remain active during his retirement. He has several favorite cemeteries in which he works.  

Favorite Cemeteries

For quite some time, Ian has concentrated on St. Margaret and St. Andrew Churchyard (2342138) in Littleham, Devon.

Perhaps the largest Churchyard in Devon, this cemetery contains the graves of a surprising number of Admirals and Knights. Here, he has given talks and produced booklets for others. The cemetery is just over 60% photographed, with about 11,200 memorials. Ian has done a lot of work in this cemetery and looks forward to more. The cemetery’s beautiful church, dating from the year 1236, is surrounded by a large, open burial ground. This second image shows the churchyard as it appeared in 1908.

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Recently, he has been focusing on Ford Park Cemetery (1974110) in Plymouth, Devon, which also holds many Admirals. Founded in 1848 and now supervised by a charitable trust, this 34-acre cemetery resides in the heart of the city. With just over 5,000 memorials, it is about 50% photographed—and Ian aims to change that! The picture with the flowering tree shows the beauty of both the landscape and the well-kept graves.

Notable Memorials

One memorial Ian finds interesting is for Vice-Admiral William Gordon (149724210), born in Scotland in 1784 and died in Devon, England, in 1858. Ian observed the following:

The first train came to Exmouth in 1861, so presumably he died whilst on holiday, and the body was buried locally [since transporting it home would be too difficult]. Clearly, he would have been famous because, during the Crimean War, he was effectively the Chief Executive of the Royal Navy, and his brother was the Prime Minister, Lord Aberdeen—who lost his job when the War was not going well! Why there is so little known about his life, I do not know.

Ian is fascinated by the memorial for Sir Digory Forrest (197987366). He has brought to light the importance and impact of Digory’s life through the addition of his researched memorial. Sir Digory served as a purser in the Royal Navy and was present at the Battle of Trafalgar. He fought against France and Spain in 1805. Digory later went on to become Mayor of Plymouth and was in office in 1815 when Napoléon was brought to Plymouth Sound on the HMS Bellerophon. The aging, red-hued tomb of Digory Forrest is pictured below.

An impressive, rough-hewn cross marks the resting place for Hugh Shakespear Barnes (202484623). Born in India, Barnes attended Malvern College and later served as Lieutenant Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma, 1903–1905. 

One last memorial of note is the memorial for Ian Richard Hodge (114384771) because it is so “angelic.” A serene yet sturdy angel in white stone currently stands as a tribute to this child, who was born in 1952 and died on July 5, 1959. 

Personal Projects 

Given the interesting history of Devon, it is not surprising that Ian decided to team up with a couple of other Find a Grave members to produce a 20-page booklet about the Royal Navy Flag Officers (Admirals) who are buried at Ford Park Cemetery. The booklet has been submitted to the cemetery trust.

The booklet features 28 individuals, including Vice-Admiral Richard Arthur (300960506). His impressive, brick tomb is shown here.

At just 11 years of age in 1790, Arthur joined the Navy and witnessed the beginning of the French Revolutionary War. He was Commander of a bomb ship during the Battle of Copenhagen (1807) during the Napoleonic Wars. By the time he was 65, Arthur was Captain-Superintendent of the Sheerness Dockyard. In 1853, he retired as a Vice-Admiral. Born in 1779, he lived to be 75 years old.

Also of note is Frederick Thomas Warren Curtis (202170338), who was awarded the Khedive’s Bronze Star for the Egyptian Campaign. Starting in 1881, Curtis served as the engineer on many vessels before being promoted in 1912 to Engineer Rear-Admiral. He is buried with both parents and a younger brother who died in infancy. His name can be seen at the bottom of the very tall and stately headstone.

Besides working on the above projects, Ian is a committee member of the aforementioned Brooking Society: “My wife’s Brooking ancestral line is known in detail over the past 270 years, and presumed to go back in Devon to a single ancestor in the 14th Century. Nearly all the Brooking families in the USA descend from a William Brooking who lived in Virginia in the second half of the 17th Century.” Established in 1883, this society currently has about 70 members.

Even in retirement, Ian seeks to use his skillset and interests to improve the lives of others. He enjoys collaborating with other gravers on the site and loves making new memorials and adding new information to existing records. We are lucky to have him as a member of our Find a Grave community.

Of course, Ian is just one of the many amazing volunteers in our Find a Grave community. Do you know another member of Find a Grave who would make a good candidate for Volunteer of the Month? If so, we welcome your suggestions. Please send an email with their contributor ID number and details of their work to feedback@findagrave.com.