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Key Hill Cemetery Memorial Inscriptions

I visited Handsworth Cemetery this morning in the hope of locating the graves of my grandfather and grandmother, James & Ann Louise Rogers, from the reference numbers kindly supplied by Suzanne 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately they were buried separately in public graves and are unmarked. My grandmother is in section 8 which is grassed over, she could anywhere. My grandfather is in section 15, ref 15-2169. I did manage to find some memorials numbered 21xx but there didn't seem to be any logic to the order they were in.

However, I was able to take the opportunity to visit the grave of my maternal grandmother, who is also buried in section 15 along with her daughter, my Aunt. The reference number for that grave is 15-1767. The lady in the office gave me a map highlighting section 8 & 15. She added that my Nan & Aunt's grave was 13 along and 3 in from the edge. Presumably the reference numbers bear no relation to the grave location on the ground.

At least I know where three of my four grandparents are buried. A few cousins and I will be off to Devizes Road cemetery, Salisbury, in a week or two to see the grave of our other grandfather, William J Parsons.

Once again thanks for all the help in getting this far.

Mike.
 
Thats great news Mike, the girls at handsworth are very helpful.
Plot numbers should run consequtively. Some go up one row and down the next, Some go up and start again at the beginning of the next row. Some go acroos and back again.
The girls usually say what way the numbers run within the section. You can often work it out by looking at graves, although they do not all have numbers showing.

The public graves in the grassed areas are minefields - even with knowing how the numbers ran - it's difficult to pace out and pick an exact spot.

Brian
 
Thanks for that Brian. I was a bit pushed for time this morning or I would have gone back to the office and asked. I will ask next time I go. It would make things easier if all the existing stone memorials had the reference number on and not the occasional one, but then that wouldn't be so thrilling when you eventually find the one you're looking for.
 
If you can find 3 or 4 with numbers on, you can usually work out the sequence. Most cemeteries have one method of doing it - just working which way for that cemetery.
WL goes downhill to end of row, than starts at the top again for next row and goes down again!
Key Hill goes to end, and wraps around like word, coming back down next row!
There's nowt so queer as (dead) folk!

It makes it interesting as you say - you get to see the neighbours and spot interesting headstone that way!
 
Hi Wendy,

I don't know if you're still doing lookups for Key Hill, but I am looking for a Henry Howell died 1859 in St Martin's. Suzanne advised he is buried in Key Hill record 14797. His wife was Mary Parker and he was born in 1799, probably in Worcester.

Many thanks,
Ann-Marie
 
Hello Ann Marie

Henry Howell is in section A no 197 which I think is a vault Brian may know better. There is no inscription.

The only possible one I could find for Mary Parker is Mary Ann Howell section G no 6 again a vault or public grave buried 1877 and again no memorial inscription.
 
laynot1936 said:
Hello Wendy, my mother was buried at Key Hill cemetery. Her full name was Edith Lilian Layland, nee Small. Born 1901, died 1938. Do you have her record please
Click to expand...
Hi
Did you manage to find Edith's burial place? If not, buried at Handsworth Cemetery in 1938 is an Edith Lilian Layland Register no: 22761

regards
Suzanne
 
Wendy said:
Sorry Paula they are not in Key Hill Cemetery they may be in Warstone Lane or Witton.
Click to expand...

Hello Paula

In case you haven't found Ethel Elizabeth. At Handsworth Cemetery is an Ethel Elizabeth Baker buried 1963 register number 45127 - number in grave: 1
Cross referenced with the deaths index there is an Ethel Elizabeth Baker born c1893 died OND 1963 aged 70 Bham ref 9c 577.

regards
Suzanne
 
Key Hill Brian said:
If you can find 3 or 4 with numbers on, you can usually work out the sequence. Most cemeteries have one method of doing it - just working which way for that cemetery.
WL goes downhill to end of row, than starts at the top again for next row and goes down again!
Key Hill goes to end, and wraps around like word, coming back down next row!
There's nowt so queer as (dead) folk!

It makes it interesting as you say - you get to see the neighbours and spot interesting headstone that way!
Click to expand...

Thanks Brian. I haven't had time to go back for another look yet but I did phone the office again. The lady I spoke told me the graves were numbered head to toe then back to the start for the next row. Although my grandfather is in a public grave, she was able to tell me that the particular grave he is in was among some other graves with memorials and not in the wide open space where other public graves are. She told me to go back to the office the next time I visit and they can tell me roughly where to look.

I am going to Devizes Road Cemetery, Salisbury, tomorrow to visit my other grandfather's grave. The staff there have kindly cleared it for us. I hope the weather isn't going to be as bad as forecast.
 
My cousin and I went to Salisbury yesterday to look for the grave of our grandfather, W J Parsons. I had been told the foliage had been cleared from over the grave and we had a mapo showing the approximate location. It could have been a better day to travel down the M5 in driving rain but we got there. Needless to say the grave was unmarked and whilst we knew we were in the right area as we could see where all the scrub had been moved there was no evidence of any graves. I spoke to a memorial stone mason who drove into the cemetery and asked if he knew the order the graves were numbered - I don't know why I asked that because we only found one grave with a number on. However, he told that there was a much more detailed map of the graves and if I asked the council they should be able to help.

On arriving home I e-mailed the council man I had been dealing with and he replied "if I had told him we were going he would have met us there" What a bummer! Nevertheless he said he would post me a better map and when we go again with the rest of the family he will meet us there. Pity I didn't have his phone number on me as he may have come out yesterday.

The day wasn't entirely wasted as we were also able to see some of the boarded up Old Manor Hospital where grandfather spent his final years and we had a great view of Stonehenge as we drove along the A303.
 
Hi again Wendy,

Is there anything for a Henry Howell who died 21 May 1856? There were several Henry Howells in the area but I now have it confirmed that mine died on this date. His wife was Mary Parker Howell who died around 1865. Both were of Allison Street, Birmingham.

Many thanks.

Wendy said:
Hello Ann Marie

Henry Howell is in section A no 197 which I think is a vault Brian may know better. There is no inscription.

The only possible one I could find for Mary Parker is Mary Ann Howell section G no 6 again a vault or public grave buried 1877 and again no memorial inscription.
Click to expand...
 
I revisited Handsworth Cemetery yesterday and with the help of one of the office girls I was able to locate the patch of ground my grandfather, James Rogers - d1928, is buried beneath. Of course there's no headstone marking the grave but counting from surrounding headstones I was able to locate his grave.

Thanks to all who helped me along the way.

Mike
 
Hi Wendy

I wonder if you would kindly look for me to see if there is any more information for a Benjamin Moseley buried 1872 at Key Hill, register no: 22079, 7 in grave.

Many thanks
Suzanne
 
Hello Suzanne I have checked the indexes and Benjamin Moseley is buried in L 1 vault as you say 7 in grave. I have checked and there are no other Moseley's buried in the grave. If you have any other names he may be with let me know and I will check. I am not sure where L1 is but I am sure Brian will help when he has time.
 
Hi Suzanne,

I suspect vault 1 is an internal vault. There are no accurate records, even Mr manning, Secretary for 53 years tried to work out the numbers but his notebook has conflicting and missing i9nfo.
One sketch shows Vault 1 as the Hasluck vault - which it obviously cannot be! Another sketch shows the vault as 5L (Left)!

I have managed to spot 5 residents of Vault L1 - all 1872, presumabnly all non related - so looks like a Public Grave.
5 found so far are Rebecca Reading, Benjamin Moseley, Mary Smith, Elizabeth Thompson, Ann Sadler watton.
Will find the others later.

It's an area that requires more research, but staff at handsworth do not have a clue, and much of the old paperwork was already missing by 1901!

We will keep looking however!

Brian
 
Hi Jennie,

many thanks for your offer of help, i try to do the same but with street pictures, so if anybody needs any pm me and i will see if i have the streets in birmingham the are relevant,
I was also wondering about a n 8 month old childs grave by the name of John Charles Shuttleworth, Section K Grave 34 im lead to believe ? I wont be suprised if its unmarked though ?
also other shuttleworth or palmer names many thanks xx
 
Hi Anitaszaban

John Charles Shuttleworth is in WARSTONE LANE, died 1951, Burial Register No. 10,050

There are Memorials, because these are the flat stone covered vaults at the side of the Catacombs (on the right as you go downhill)
BUT - they were older Vaults, reopened in the 1950's and 'topped up' again.

The later burials are not recorded upon the earlier memorials.

I haven't a pic of K 34, but will try and get one later in the week.

Brian
 
Wendy said:
Hello Suzanne I have checked the indexes and Benjamin Moseley is buried in L 1 vault as you say 7 in grave. I have checked and there are no other Moseley's buried in the grave. If you have any other names he may be with let me know and I will check. I am not sure where L1 is but I am sure Brian will help when he has time.
Click to expand...

Many thanks Wendy. I will let you know if there are others.

regards
Suzanne
 
Key Hill Brian said:
Hi Suzanne,

I suspect vault 1 is an internal vault. There are no accurate records, even Mr manning, Secretary for 53 years tried to work out the numbers but his notebook has conflicting and missing i9nfo.
One sketch shows Vault 1 as the Hasluck vault - which it obviously cannot be! Another sketch shows the vault as 5L (Left)!

I have managed to spot 5 residents of Vault L1 - all 1872, presumabnly all non related - so looks like a Public Grave.
5 found so far are Rebecca Reading, Benjamin Moseley, Mary Smith, Elizabeth Thompson, Ann Sadler watton.
Will find the others later.

It's an area that requires more research, but staff at handsworth do not have a clue, and much of the old paperwork was already missing by 1901!

We will keep looking however!

Brian
Click to expand...

Hi Brian

As ever, thanks so much. I appreciate your time is limited at the moment but yet you still come up trumphs:)

regards
Suzanne
 
Have just found the missing from Vault L1 - Henry Mackenzie 1872 - and more interestingly Isaac Finnemore 1850 - However shown in L 1 Lower catacomb is Sophia J Finnemore 1837 & Elizabeth Finnemore 1886.

Also L1 Catacomb is shown as the Hasluck family 19 (possibly 20) Hasluck's and Ann Elizabeth Macmaster.

This supports my thoughts of the Front catacomb L1, also shown as Vault 5L is the Hasluck family, but behind or beneath is an L1 Vault, originally the Finnemore Family, later relinquished, by accident or design and used as a Public vault.

When time permits, what scant knowledge of the Catacombs and Vaults will be pulled together,but it may still need an internal visit to confirm.
When that day comes, I have my hat & torch ready!!
 
Well done Brian. You should have been a detective:) Now there are more family names for people to perhaps recognise.

regards
Suzanne
 
anitaszaban said:
Hi Jennie,

many thanks for your offer of help, i try to do the same but with street pictures, so if anybody needs any pm me and i will see if i have the streets in birmingham the are relevant,
I was also wondering about a n 8 month old childs grave by the name of John Charles Shuttleworth, Section K Grave 34 im lead to believe ? I wont be suprised if its unmarked though ?
also other shuttleworth or palmer names many thanks xx
Click to expand...

If you email me at brian.southwell'yahoo.co.uk I'll send you a .oc list of KH/WL Shuttleworths & Palmers - there are a few - you may regret asking!
Brian
 
Key Hill Brian said:
When time permits, what scant knowledge of the Catacombs and Vaults will be pulled together,but it may still need an internal visit to confirm.
When that day comes, I have my hat & torch ready!!
Click to expand...

Blimey Brian, that would be an experience, but I hope you dont mind if I dont offer to accompany you..:cower: ...I'll look after your coat though...!!
 
'Old my coat! - I'm not planning a punch up with 'em!

Looking at my rough notes of Mr Mannings scribblings, The Finnemore vault (with 3 occupants) was No 1 Lower (left) Vault, below what is now Vault 7L (previously known as Vault 5 which is the Millichamp family vault!)

So the mystery is solved - Under Vault 7L is Vault 1 3 Finnemores and 7 others - hopefully!
 
Key_Hill_map_edit.jpg
If you look at this map the catacombs are the shaded area on the curve behind K section you can just about read it says Catacombs
 
Hi Anita, the vaults we are talking of are in fact the Catacombs (or under them). The wall marked catacombs has lots of little bricked up dooways in it - all have a blue brick in front giving the Numbers.
From the LEFT edge there are 5 catacomb doorways (12G-8G), 1 large Access double doorway (later used as Mess room), than 6 more (6G-2G). The next doorways , although bricked up are actually 'V' shaped and open into 2 catacombs (bit like a shared drive that leads to 2 garages). You want the 3rf doorway along, left hand side, marked 7L,
The vault L1 referred to is underneath that.

Clearv as mud - it will make sense when you are there!

Brian
 
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