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Birmingham Hall of memory

Barry Page

Barry Page

proper brummie kid
Can anyone please advise if the archives stored at the Birmingham of Memory are available online and searchable?

I am looking for the entry for Trooper Alec Johnson, who was killed on the Western Front in 1916 and was awarded the Mons Star.

Appreciate any help. Thank you.

- Barry ???
 
Hi Barry: I am not sure about the records of the people listed in the Hall of Memory. You can trace Trooper Johnson on cwgc.org which will give you some background.
 
Alec Johnson

He is not in the Bham Roll of Honour, 1925, which is the same the Hall of Memory list. Best advice is the Medal Index Cards first as already suggested.
 
hello Barry

Have you more info? Checking the CWGC there is no A.Johnson with the rank of 'Trooper' registered in 1916.

Terry
 
Alec Johnson

There is a Alec Johnson listed on the following web site:
www.military-genealogy.com
You can research soldiers killed in action on this site but to obtain any information you have to buy credits and this doesn't guarantee you have found the right person. Sometimes you can obtain more information than the CWGC site.
 
pfindon said:
There is a Alec Johnson listed on the following web site:
www.military-genealogy.com
You can research soldiers killed in action on this site but to obtain any information you have to buy credits and this doesn't guarantee you have found the right person. Sometimes you can obtain more information than the CWGC site.
Click to expand...

Hello:

Happy New Year! Thank you for your efforts and directing me to the military genealogy Web site. This is an important clue and I will add it to my list of resources.

Appreciate your help.

Kindest regards.

- Barry :)
 
I took this from another site with the posters permission. I thought it may be of interest. Thanks to Rob Williams.

I can confirm that the Hall of Memory was built by John Barnsley & Sons. They also built
the Council House, the General Hospital in Steelhouse Lane just about every
redbrick Victorian School. Sir John Barnsley was born on Broad St in 1857
and was heavily committed to Bham life, being a magistrate and staunch
member of the Methodist Church, hence Barnsley Rd off the Hagley Rd, leading
to the methodist church at the top (Sandon Rd?). He helped recruit the
Birmingham battalions in WW1 and was the first CO of the 1st Bham Battalion,
14 Bn , Warwickshire Regt. He served in France, as did all four of his
sons. Lt Thomas K Barnsley, Coldstream Gds, was killed in Belgium in 1917
and is commemmorated in the Hall of Memory built by his father.
 
Thanks so much for the background information about the Birmingham Hall of Memory. I understand that the monument is now closed to visitors as a measure to curb vandalism. The book of remembrance, itself, is also housed in a different location – the Central Library? – and special permission has to be obtained before anyone can access it for research, etc.

It’s a pity that details of the book of remembrance cannot be found online. That would help researchers immensely.

Thanks again for your help.

- Barry :)
 
Alec Johnson

Hi Barry, there is an Alec Cuthbert Johnson, Private , Hampshire Reg
14th Bn (Battalion) died 3rd Sept 1916, age 18,
Buried at Ancre British Cemetery at Beaumont-Hamel,
His father F J Johnson of Rempstone Road, Swanage, Dorset.
This the only "Alec" in 1916 listing on CWGC although there are a lot of
A Johnson & Alex Johnson & just A Johnson, not all details are
available for some of these but if you know the Regiment & or
Parents details etc, then easier to search for you,
Cheers, best regards John Y ;)
 
Alec Johnson

Hello John: (28/01/08)

Thank you for your response and looking into the CWGC site for me. The only clues I can obtain from my meagre sources are that great-uncle Alec Johnson was born c.1890 in the Somerset village of Weston in Gordano.

He was the son of John Charles Johnson and Elizabeth Ann (née) Williams. He was the youngest of three children. The oldest was my grandmother, Marguerite Ethel Johnson then her sister Mary Winifred Johnson.

I am told he was killed in action on the Western Front of France/Belgium/Flanders on June 26, 1916, age 26. Apparently he was awarded the Mons Star and listed in the Honour Roll in the Birmingham Hall of Memory. Unfortunately I don’t know any regimental information.

Perhaps a more general search is necessary. I am assuming his first name was Alec, but it could easily be Aleck, Alexander or even John, the same as his father, as first-born sons were often named the same as their father.

Kindest regards.

- Barry :redface:
 
Hi Barry,
I did see the book of rememberance online and found that my relative who died in France/Flanders in October 1914 wasn't in the book,although I have confirmation of death and Cemetary from the cwgc,I have since found out that the I can have his name added,after Providing the relevant info, by the Lord Mayors Parlour,I have used several sites but I think it could have been on the national archive site.
Shelagh
 
Hi Shelagh: (10/01/09)

Thank you for your reply and information re the Birmingham Book of Rembrance entries. I have enquired with the CWGC for confirmation of uncle Alec
 
As a 5yr old just after the war (1945) I was taken to the 'Hall of Memory' and for no known reason it really scared me. I did'nt like the shape of it, and that it was isolated in it's position ( don't know if it still is ) But a few weeks later, the dreaded 'letter of confirmation' arrived to confirm the death of my RAF half brother. In the last few years, I have discovered that his operation was the very last bombing raid on Germany,---two of our planes had collided. All were killed bar 3, out of 14 crew. It was May 3rd 1945, --5 days before wars end. Did I feel some kind of 'premonition' at the Hall of memory--because later ,his name would be entered ?
 
Posted on behalf of Sully

This is my first post so bear with me if I've got it wrong please.

My great uncle's name is missing from the Roll of Honour in the Hall of Memory in Birmingham. Does anyone know if it is possible to get it included at such a late date please?

I'll post his details on the proper page if I can find it again.
Click to expand...


Sully, I would suggest contacting the curator through their website

https://www.hallofmemory.co.uk/visiting/

Colin
 
Post the details you have. I have the names of over 4000 Brummies missed off the First World War Roll because of the way the information was collected at the time. And I have not finished the research exercise.
 
Alan Tucker said:
Post the details you have. I have the names of over 4000 Brummies missed off the First World War Roll because of the way the information was collected at the time. And I have not finished the research exercise.
Click to expand...

Hello Alan,

The details I have are as follows:

Private James Flynn. Rifleman. The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) 9th Battalion. Reg no 6/532. KIA 25th Sept 1915.
Son of James & Elizabeth Flynn of 48, Weaman St., Snow Hill.
Memorial Reference; Panel 46-48 and 50 Menin Gate.

Thanks. Steve Sullivan
 
Steve

I have him in my database as one of thousands left off the Birmingham Roll because of the way the data was collected. Basically if a relative did not give details to the 'Lord Mayor's Office', where a record was kept, the name was not included. I am part way through this research and intend to present it to the 'curator' of the Hall of Memory when complete along with an explanation of my methodology. The outcome I am looking for is an additional book in the Hall of Memory in time for the 2014 Centenary. Incidentally his date of death is the first day of the Battle of Loos.
 
What a fantastic and worthwhile project. I have an original of the book off the Birmingham Roll a bit tatty but good to read. I remember being disapointed that Michael's grandfather was not in it but was told it didn't include Aston.
 
I also have the book version. No Aston is rubbish. I have found 5546 names on the Birmingham Roll in the Commonwealth War Graves database. I checked the first 100 in my database - 8 have an Aston address. Whist doing this I had a quick look at Sutton Coldfield - their names are there as well.
 
Alan,
I agree, my research with Birmingham War Memorials clearly shows a large number of names missing from The Birmingham Roll of Honour. The book covers all areas of Birmingham including Smethwick, Bearwood, Kings Norton. The majority of names appears to be City Centre, Aston, Handsworth, Ladywood etc. This is not surprising considering these were areas of vast overcrowding & poverty. Joining the army was one way of getting away from this and many did sadly paying the altermate sacrifice.

Tony
 
Hi Alan,

Thanks for replying so quickly. If there is anything I can do to help with your research let me know. These men deserve all the recognition we can give them. I went to Ypres earlier in the year and all being well I intend to return for the 100th aniversary of his death.
I had suspected that he was killed at Loos and that research is on my to do list (along with so much else!).
Once again my thanks.
 
Tony

I have looked at a random sample of 400 names from the Birmingham Roll where I have place data. Not known is a street name with no district - I do not have time to look these up. So what it's worth. We must remember of course that the populations around the Outer Circle were quite low at that time.

Not known 76
Small Heath 33
Handsworth 26
Aston 26
Edgbaston 23
Hockley 21
Ladywood 19
Balsall Heath 13
Saltley 13
City Centre 12
Sparkhill 12
Kings Heath 9
Erdington 9
Bordesley Green 8
Nechells 7
Sparkbrook 6
Camp Hill 5
Moseley 5
Acocks Green 5
Hall Green 5
Bournville/Bournbrook 5
Winson Green 5
Lozells 4
Selly Park 4
South Yardley 4
Stirchley 4
Selly Oak 4
Washwood Heath 4
Vauxhall 3
Harborne 3
Aston Manor 3
Alum Rock 2
Yardley 2
Gravelly Hill 2
Smethwick 2
Wylde Green 2
Witton 2
Spring Hill 2
Stechford 1
Rednal 1
Birchfields 1
Highgate 1
Kings Norton 1
Perry Barr 1
Northfield 1
Sutton Coldfield 1
Bartley Green 1
 
My grand-uncle Alec Johnson was born c.1890 in the Somerset village of Weston in Gordano. He was the son of John Charles Johnson and Elizabeth Ann (née) Williams. He was the youngest of four children. The oldest was Edna Emily Johnson, then my grandmother, Marguerite Ethel Johnson and her sister, Mary Winifred Johnson.


He was killed in action on the Western Front of France/Belgium/Flanders on June 26, 1916 possibly at the action of Hill-60 (La Boiselle). He was awarded the Mons Star and listed in the Honour Roll in the Birmingham Hall of Memory. Unfortunately I don’t know any regimental information. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Barry Page.
 
If he is listed on the Birmingham Roll there is a rank and regiment given. Of the 66 A Johnsons in the CWGC database for 1916 I cannot find any killed on that date. Hill 60 is in the Ypres area of Belgium. La Boiselle is on the Somme in France.
 
Thank you for researching the CWGC database for a possible entry for my great-uncle. Alec Johnson, and also for the clarification of the Hill 60 location in relationship to the nearest main battle area. I appreciate your time given to try and establish any connection. Kindest regards. Barry.
 
Can´t help with the Roll of Honour but are you sure it´s the Mons Star that you have.
My Gran´s brother was killed at Mons on 28th August 1914.
I have his Mons Star which is engraved on the back with his name, regiment, service number & date of death,
 
Barry, I can't find any information on Alec in any causality list or census, despite all the details you have supplied and with such a specific date of death, can I ask how you have those details.
I have found some of the family around 1900 but they all seem to be living apart.

Colin
 
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