Charles Reece Pemberton - Key Hill

[pollypops]

While searching old newspaper articles for family research I came across this letter in the Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday May 21 1861 about the grave of Charles Reece Pemberton who died in 1840 age 50 and is buried in Key Hill Cemetery.
J.C.A of 22 Lodge Road had wrote to the paper urging people that remembered “Poor Pemberton” to visit his grave to see the epitaph written by Mr. J. Fox, MP before time and neglect obliterated it. He also suggests that a monument should be placed by the grave.

As I had never heard of Charles Reece Pemberton I decided to do a bit of research.
Charles Reece Pemberton was born in Wales but spent some of his childhood at a “Dame School” in Birmingham. At 15 he became an apprentice to his Uncle in Birmingham. When he was 17 his uncle sent him to buy some stamps – the stamp-seller did not give him enough change and it seems his Uncle accused him of taking the money and Pemberton ran away. His life after this changed dramatically – he was kidnapped, had times of hardship, travelled the world and became an actor and Shakespearean Lecturer. He was ill for some time before he died, but he still continued to travel and hold lectures until he returned to the house of a brother in Birmingham whose daughters kindly tended him to his last.

 

[pollypops]

Here is the epitaph that was on the large flat stone on his grave.
BENEATH THIS STONE
REST THE MORTAL REMAINS OF
CHARLES REECE PEMBERTON,
Who died March 3rd, 1840 aged 50 years.
HIS GENTLE AND FERVID NATURE,
HIS ACUTE SUSCEPTIBILITY,
AND HIS ASPIRATIONS TO THE BEAUTIFUL AND TRUE,
WERE DEVELOPED AND EXERCISED
THROUGH A LIFE OF VICISSITUDE,
AND OFTEN OF PRIVATION AND DISAPPOINTMENT.
AS A PUBLIC LECTURER
HE HAS LEFT A LASTING MEMORIAL
IN THE MINDS OF THE MANY
WHOM HE GUIDED TO A PERCEPTION OF THE GENIUS OF
SHAKSPERE
IN ITS DIVERSIFIED AND HARMONISING POWERS.
AT OPPRESSION AND HYPOCRISY
HE SPURNED WITH A FORCE PROPORTIONATE
TO THAT WHEREWITH HE CLUNG
TO JUSTICE AND FREEDOM, KINDNESS AND SINCERITY.
EVER PROMPT FOR GENEROUS TOIL,
HE WON FOR HIMSELF, FROM THE WORLD,
ONLY THE POET'S DOWRY,
"THE HATE OF HATE, THE SCORN OF SCORN,
THE LOVE OF LOVE."

 

[Charlie]

That's lovely Pol., I'm sure Brian/Wendy can make something of this. Hope it HASN'T faded away due to time and neglect.

 

[Wendy]

Sadly the memorial is shattered maybe because it was located at the foot of a tree.

I am so pleased the inscription has been found though many thanks to Polly.

This is an extract from a book written by the secretery and chaplain of Key Hill Cemetery.

Charles Reece Pemberton was a member of the old Birmingham family of Pembertons. He was famous as a traveller, author, actor and above all lecturer,his favourite theme being Shackespear, concerning whom he discoursed with rare power. His popularity became unbounded and he universally loved. Under the nom de plume of "Pel Verjuice" he wrote his autobiography and it appeared in the Monthly Repository when that periodical was edited by Mr W.T.Fox. The beautiful inscription on Mr Pemberton's tombstone was composewd by Mr Fox.
Born January 23, 1790 Died March 3 1840

Here is a piece about the Charles Reece Pemberton I posted on another thread. Actor and Lecturer from(Mastoris 1991)

Having been seized by a press gang in 1807, he served seven years in the Royal Navy.
He later gave a series of recitals and readings and was noted for his ability to portray moods and activities with the minimum of stage apparatus and with a little or no change of costume. He was noted as a very fine Shakespearian actor.

I hope this is of interest we seem to have such a variety of clever people buried in Key Hill Cemetery.

 

[mikejee]

His writings may be seen at https://www.archive.org/stream/lifeandliterary00fowlgoog . The Birmingham people who subscribed to this memorial volume is interesting.

 

[Wendy]

Thanks Mike I also found it very sad after reading some of the information about his burial at Key Hill. Some of his friends did manage to raise the money for a memorial and now it is lost. Thanks for the link I found it fascinating!

 

[pollypops]

Thanks for posting that link Mike - I feel the same as Wendy, it is so sad the memorial that was paid for by donations is now lost.
(the part about his death/funeral is on pages xxiii xxiv & xxv)

I wonder who J.C.A of 22 Lodge Road was that wrote to the paper in 1861 suggesting raising money for another memorial monument and if he was connected to any of the original subscribers.

 

[mikejee]

Polly
Have looked at the directory for 1862. unfortunately the houses in lodge road are unnumbered, and attempts to correlate with the numbered houses in the 1867 directory makes me think virtually everyone has moved between the two years. However there are only two entires in Lodge road which fit initials JCA. :
John Cyrus Aston - no trade given so presumably of private means. Google reference seem to make him an ironmonger, possibly originally from London
Jacob Colley Ashcroft, collector of improvement rate. There is a Jacob Ashcroft on the list of subscribers
Jacob may be associated with Ashcroft & Pimley ladies school (run by Mrs Eliza Ashcroft, and apparently from the unnumbered 1862 street list, next door to Jacob , or close to him), which is also in Lodge Lane
mike

 

[pollypops]

Mike, you always amaze me with the info you come up with - I hope it was the same Jacob Ashcroft - it would be nice to think that after donating to the first memorial he still cared about it over 20 years later

 

[Wendy]

The extra information is always useful. I will put it in the file thanks Mike.

 

[Wendy]

I have just checked Ancestry and Jacob Colley Ashcroft is our man he is at 22 Lodge Road listed as a rate collector and his wife is Eiza Ashcroft the mistress of a private school. He died in Kings Heath in 1884.