While recently researching burial ground records on another thread, it occurred to me that, given the history of Birmingham’s early burial grounds, their closure and, in some cases, removal and reinterment of human remains, it can sometimes be difficult to precisely track the location of some ancestors.
By the late 1800s the biggest factor in the history of these grounds was overcrowding and the perceived impact on health. Below is a general list of how the older grounds were affected in 1873. This might help some with locating burials (or by eliminating some grounds from searches). At this point in time changes meant many grounds were closed to burials or restricted in the type of burial allowed ie no open interments, or brick/vault burials.
In 1873 the Burial Committee reviewed the state of burial grounds in Birmingham. Many burial grounds were near full. The review, presented by Dr Holland, was reported to the Board and some key decisions were made about the future of these Birmingham burial grounds.
Discontinued burial grounds
The following burial grounds agreed to discontinue burials, they had in any case, mostly, discontinued any burials. These grounds had no brick graves or vaults.
St John’s Burial Ground, Liverpool Street, Deritend
St Philips’ Burial Ground
Betholom Row Burial Ground (Jewish)
Granville Street Burial Ground (Jewish)
Cannon Street Baptist Burial Ground
Carr’s Lane Burial Ground (Independent)
Newhall Street Baptist Burial Ground
Graham Street Mount Zion Burial Ground
Lombard Street Baptist Burial Ground
Bradford Street Wesleyan Burial Ground
Ebenezer Steelhouse Lane Burial Ground
Newtown Row Burial Ground (Independent)
Cessation of burials
Burials were to cease entirely at:
St Martin’s Cemetery, Park Street
St Martin’s Churchyard
St Philip’ Churchyard
St Bartholomew’s Churchyard
St James’ Churchyard
St Mary’s Churchyard
St George’s Churchyard
St Paul’s Churchyard
St Thomas’ Churchyard
St Peters Churchyard (Broad Street)
Limited burials
A small number of burials were allowed at:
Unitarian Meeting House Burial Ground. There had been some recent burials, but they agreed to continue only with burials into brick or walled graves or vault burials.
All Saints. Burials in the ground had been prohibited since 1863, only those in brick graves, vaults or already purchased graves were allowed.
Holy Trinity. They agreed to a few more vaults or vault graves in the unused part of the burial ground.
Edgbaston churchyards. They were allowed to use those graves already purchased and family brick graves and vaults. Only some new brick graves or vaults would be allowed if there was space. There were to be no more open interments.
St Matthew’s. Burials were limited to those in brick, vault or existing family graves. There was no room for new graves.
St Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Burials were to be limited to existing brick and family graves.
Society of Friends. They were only to use the unused portion of the burial ground (remains buried one per grave), only a few plots were left at the time.
Note. The list does not include Christ Church, perhaps the catacombs had already been closed to burials ?
Viv.
By the late 1800s the biggest factor in the history of these grounds was overcrowding and the perceived impact on health. Below is a general list of how the older grounds were affected in 1873. This might help some with locating burials (or by eliminating some grounds from searches). At this point in time changes meant many grounds were closed to burials or restricted in the type of burial allowed ie no open interments, or brick/vault burials.
In 1873 the Burial Committee reviewed the state of burial grounds in Birmingham. Many burial grounds were near full. The review, presented by Dr Holland, was reported to the Board and some key decisions were made about the future of these Birmingham burial grounds.
Discontinued burial grounds
The following burial grounds agreed to discontinue burials, they had in any case, mostly, discontinued any burials. These grounds had no brick graves or vaults.
St John’s Burial Ground, Liverpool Street, Deritend
St Philips’ Burial Ground
Betholom Row Burial Ground (Jewish)
Granville Street Burial Ground (Jewish)
Cannon Street Baptist Burial Ground
Carr’s Lane Burial Ground (Independent)
Newhall Street Baptist Burial Ground
Graham Street Mount Zion Burial Ground
Lombard Street Baptist Burial Ground
Bradford Street Wesleyan Burial Ground
Ebenezer Steelhouse Lane Burial Ground
Newtown Row Burial Ground (Independent)
Cessation of burials
Burials were to cease entirely at:
St Martin’s Cemetery, Park Street
St Martin’s Churchyard
St Philip’ Churchyard
St Bartholomew’s Churchyard
St James’ Churchyard
St Mary’s Churchyard
St George’s Churchyard
St Paul’s Churchyard
St Thomas’ Churchyard
St Peters Churchyard (Broad Street)
Limited burials
A small number of burials were allowed at:
Unitarian Meeting House Burial Ground. There had been some recent burials, but they agreed to continue only with burials into brick or walled graves or vault burials.
All Saints. Burials in the ground had been prohibited since 1863, only those in brick graves, vaults or already purchased graves were allowed.
Holy Trinity. They agreed to a few more vaults or vault graves in the unused part of the burial ground.
Edgbaston churchyards. They were allowed to use those graves already purchased and family brick graves and vaults. Only some new brick graves or vaults would be allowed if there was space. There were to be no more open interments.
St Matthew’s. Burials were limited to those in brick, vault or existing family graves. There was no room for new graves.
St Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Burials were to be limited to existing brick and family graves.
Society of Friends. They were only to use the unused portion of the burial ground (remains buried one per grave), only a few plots were left at the time.
Note. The list does not include Christ Church, perhaps the catacombs had already been closed to burials ?
Viv.