Dom Deacon

Dom Deacon has spent more than a decade working in memorial care and grave cleaning, developing expertise in the care of every type of memorial stone — from hard polished granite to soft, fragile marble and weathered Victorian limestone. He oversees all cleaning and conservation work for Memorial Guardian London, personally caring for graves and headstones across all 32 London boroughs.

His approach is shaped by conservation principles: water and stone-safe methods only, never bleach, acid or pressure washers. He works to standards consistent with Historic England guidance and the BRAMM / NAMM code of practice for memorial masons, which means every memorial is assessed individually and treated with the correct method for its stone type and condition.

Dom's day-to-day work brings him to cemeteries across London — from the Victorian Gothic grandeur of Highgate and Kensal Green to municipal cemeteries in outer boroughs and private faith burial grounds. He has particular experience with heritage and conservation memorials, where the wrong method can cause irreversible damage, and has developed a quiet expertise in the slow, careful removal of black crust from old London marble and the safe treatment of lichen on fragile limestone.

He also writes the Memorial Guardian London Journal — practical guides for families on how to care for a memorial, what different stone types need, and what to do (and not do) when cleaning a headstone. Every article is written from direct professional experience, not theory.