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Deciphering help please

Shortie

Shortie

master brummie
I have received a death certificate with an address on that sounds odd to me. The address is Private Road, West Heath, but I am sure there was not a road named Private, so I am assuming I have read it incorrectly. I thought I had attached the certificate to this posting, but will get it right in a minute. I would appreciate someone else's interpretation please.
 
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DeathCert.jpg


This is part of the death certificate, informant's address help please
 
Phil - I meant the informant's address, not the man who had died. (169 is almost opposite the gates of Witton Cemetery). It looks like 11 Private Road, West Heath.
 
Shortie

I thought it was too easy, it looks like dib44 has cracked it. I see no reason why this shouldn't be the correct place.
 
That must be it, but can only see about 4 hoiuses in it, so don't know how they get to no 11
 
Thank you Dib44 and all those who looked. The only thing troubling me is that Cofton Hackett is B45, whereas he has stated B31. The houses look the right age to be where he lived, but rather more than I expected, I thought they would be your average semi. I think this might require further investigation, but at the moment it does look as if Dib44 might have found the right place.

Many thanks.
 
Shortie I had relatives living 215 The Ridgeway around that time. Was it a relative of yours that was living there?
 
Yes Carolina. His son lived there afterwards and was there I believe until his death in 1962. I think you have mentioned this before Carolina. I expect they knew each other, even if only just to say 'good morning.'
 
Shortie said:
Thank you Dib44 and all those who looked. The only thing troubling me is that Cofton Hackett is B45, whereas he has stated B31. The houses look the right age to be where he lived, but rather more than I expected, I thought they would be your average semi. I think this might require further investigation, but at the moment it does look as if Dib44 might have found the right place.

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

I think that B45 only came into being when post codes were introduced. I attended Turves Green school and that was B31 and Cofton Hackett was only just up the road.
 
Thanks, Mike, for your input, however, I am not entirely happy thinking it is Cofton Hackett. I shall look into this further.

I know Alvechurch which is next door to Cofton and I am mindful of the fact that both are Worcestershire, and not Birmingham which was Warwickshire. West Heath has always, to my knowledge, been B31, so I am thinking it is a road that does not exist any more. (I have another address on another death certificate which is a West Heath one and that road does not exist either). Tamworth which is Staffordshire is also a Birmingham postcode, so the postcode is not really much of a clue, except for the fact that where he lived would surely still have a B31 postcode? I know someone who I think may be able to help, but each time I try to contact him he is not there, so might just write a letter as I have several questions for him.
 
I would guess that you are correct to stay with the West Heath area. I think that the idea that it was a private/unadopted could well be correct - or maybe the registrar misheard the informant. Sometimes the spelling of the addresses bear little resemblance to the name.
Have you thought about looking in the phone directory for that year?
 
Hi Shortie,
I note the date of the certificate was 1949, from my memory the estates at West Heath were not built until the 1950s, as the following from "Birmingham Places" indicates:

The modern West Heath district lies east of Alvechurch Road. Although there was a small village around Lilley Lane by the First World War, this district did not see concerted housing development until after the Second World War.

So probably there was a "Private Road" in the area at that time.

Clarkie​
 
Hi Leslam, I hd thought of looking in the phone book, the man who lived there was, according to his father's probate record, a Post Office engineer, so I am rather of a mind that he would have a phone. I shall do that next time I go into Birmingham. i presume as these are on 'open shelves' that they would be still available. i shall ring and check.

Clarkie - thanks for your input, that's something I did not know abut the building of West Heath, so I shall bear that in mind. I am sure where he lived was an unadopted road, it sounds the most likely. This hobby is never finished is it, there is always some question waiting to be answered!
 
They were on the open shelves when I went a couple of weeks ago. I may be in that part of Bham later in the week, so if I am, I'll have a look for you.
 
Oh that's very kind of you Les. His name was George Albert Ronald Mitchell, but whether he used all three initials I have not got a clue.
 
Hi Shortie

There is a Pritchett Road (?Pritchett/Private) in West Heath, Birmingham 31, but George Alfred Beard and Hilda Mary Beard are living at number 11 on 1939/40, 1945 and 1950/51 Electoral Rolls.

George Albert Ronald Mitchell is living at 77 ALDERSON ROAD Yardley Division, Saltley Ward on 1939 and 1945 Electoral Roll. In 1939 he is living with May Harper, James Baker and Eric Charles Mitchell.

I have also found the following transcription in Ancestry British Postal Service Appointment Books, 1737-1969 Record for George A R Mitchell - situation to which nominated (looks like) "SWS" – Birmingham area – minute number A7112. Date January 1938.

There are 2 entries for 1973 and 1975 in the Ancestry British Phone Books 1880-1984 Record for G A R Mitchell, at 1 College Hill, Maney 0121 354 5367.

bewdley
 
Shortie
The old telephone directories are on Ancestry. He doesn't seem to be there. All the G Mitchells for 1949 for area aroun Birmongham are below

Tel_Dir_Birm_G_mitchell_1949.jpg
 
Bewdley - thank you very much for this, I did not expect anything like this at all. It does look like he moved around a little bit.

Mike - thank you again, I was looking for the phone books myself yesterday, having seen them before, but I was searching under 'telephone' not 'phone'.
 
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