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Erdington postmen heroes remembered

Picking on the one name. A E Sharp (+age) this would appear to be identical with [1911] Albert Edward Sharp b.1877 of 44 Gravelly Lane, Erdington, Window Cleaner. Did the Post Office employ their own Window Cleaners? I presume they may have done back in those days.

He had 5 daughters and a son. Picking the one daughter, Elvina Lillian Alexandra, b.1909 (because it is an easy name to follow) she married a Reginald R Dodds in 1930 and in all likelihood had the following children. Brian W in 1933, Raymond E in 1935, and Barry R in 1937. In 1955 the parents were living at 13 Jesmond Grove, Erdington.

If we dug deep enough we might even find a living relative to be present when it was re-mounted (wherever).
 
Found a Henry James Holmes b. 1890, Boresley area, parents Henry and Mary Ann, on the 1911 hes a soldier at 4 Depot Royal Field Artillary, Fort Purbrook, Cosham Hants. Cant see a connection to a postman though.
 
dwilly said:
https://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm Some history of the Labour Corps

https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/unit-info/3095/ only lasted 6 years from 1915 - 1921
Click to expand...

Many thanks Dwilly. So A. E Sharp (Devonshire Regiment) might well be our man who is buried at St. Barnabas (grave ref.E238). A soldier's original regiment was often cited in records when the soldier was killed. The Devonshires had two Labour Battalions, which later became Labour Corps, so A E Sharp might well have been with them.

vaqe6e5u.jpg


Viv.
 
It looks like Brian W Dodds married a Mary Page in 1954 and in 1955 were living at 33 Summerlee Road, Erdington. Can't see any obvious children from them.
 
found frank concannons medal card it says next of kin is a (e f forrester )living at 114 south road erdington not sure if it is mrs or mr
still looking for a connection to family
josie
 
josietrue said:
found frank concannons medal card it says next of kin is a (e f forrester )living at 114 south road erdington not sure if it is mrs or mr
still looking for a connection to family
josie
Click to expand...

keep looking josie it would be great if you can find a connection to your family..:encouragement:

lyn
 
Hi Lyn: There is a school teacher who teaches in Ladywood. His name is Norman Bartlam and he belongs to the Ladywood History Group. He has written several books on Ladywood history. Might be an idea to track him down. If you Google his name there are several references to him and his books. He seems to be heavily involved in Ladywood history. He may or may not know about the plaque but it's worth a try I would think.
 
jennyann said:
Hi Lyn: There is a school teacher who teaches in Ladywood. His name is Norman Bartlam and he belongs to the Ladywood History Group. He has written several books on Ladywood history. Might be an idea to track him down. If you Google his name there are several references to him and his books. He seems to be heavily involved in Ladywood history. He may or may not know about the plaque but it's worth a try I would think.
Click to expand...


hello jenny and thank you for that advise i will give it a go....already have the backing of carl chinn and i have also contacted mac joseph from the old ladywood site...and as you know the british postal museum and heritage are now involved in this so hopefully between them all we will have a happy ending as this dedication really must be replaced now...

lyn x
 
British Postal Service Appointment Books on Ancestry lists

Frank Concannon joined 1910 Birmingham asst postman
Alex Leadbeater joined Nov 1902 Erdington s.o.
Henry J Holmes joined May 1914 Erdington postman
Alfred E Meredith joined Nov 1905 Erdington tpman
Cornelius E Neal joined June 1912 Erdington pman
Seems to prove it was Erdington

Colin
 
Colin B said:
British Postal Service Appointment Books on Ancestry lists

Frank Concannon joined 1910 Birmingham asst postman
Alex Leadbeater joined Nov 1902 Erdington s.o.
Henry J Holmes joined May 1914 Erdington postman
Alfred E Meredith joined Nov 1905 Erdington tpman
Cornelius E Neal joined June 1912 Erdington pman
Seems to prove it was Erdington

Colin
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morning col...it has crossed my mind that as erdington has been mentioned a lot if the plaque was dedicated to erdington postal workers in which case how come it was found in ladywood...the plot thickens..thanks everso for that latest info..i have written it all down...

lyn
 
Just an idea. Would St Barnabas Church, Erdington be a possible site for the plaque?
Maybe in their new building? And maybe to commemorate the 100 years? Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Just an idea. Would St Barnabas Church, Erdington be a possible site for the plaque?
Maybe in their new building? And maybe to commemorate the 100 years? Viv.
Click to expand...

highly unlikey viv as i believe the locals are still campaining to have a plaque replaced there to commemorate the local civilans who lost their lives.....should be more info on that on the st barnabas thread..
 
Colin B said:
On the BRITISH POSTAL MUSEUM ARCHIVE it shows the wooden plaque listing the 7 as on the marble one.

Colin
Click to expand...

brilliant work colin...no doubt now that this plaque belongs in erdington i believe the erdington office is still up and running although not certain..its looking like it could well have been on the wall of the erdington office someone stole it and for some reason dumped it in ladywood where it was found..amazing..

lyn
 
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Pity there isn't one for Aston Manor I wonder if there ever was one.

I wonder if the plaque was in a council storage place. That happened in Tamworth when they found an old marble fountain in the old council storage in Kettlebook. Could be a possibility.

View attachment 91113
John_Charles_Pocket_Roll_of_Honour.jpg
 
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hi wend...no doubt about it being found in amonst the rubble of a demolished building on monument road in 1970/71...how it got there we will never know but the main thing is through some brillient detective work we do know that it belongs in erdington..i can see how ken stowe thought it was dedicated to postal workers in ladywood as that is where he found it..i thought the same as well...i think i now need to get in touch with the erdington sorting office and talk to them...

lyn
 
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Just wondered when Erdington sorting office was built, could it be it was removed for "safe keeping" whilst the new office was being built and somehow got lost?
 
hi dwilly looking at the erdington sorting office i would say it was built before WW1 although cant be certain on that so your idea could well be possible..

lyn
 
hi dwilly thats a smashing photo...ive zoomed in on it and cant see the plaque on that wall so where it was originally is still a mystery but one i am sure we will get to the bottom of eventually

many thanks

lyn
 
Can't be sure about this, but I'd have expected the marble plaque to have been inside a building, rather than outside. Looks in good nick to me but no expert on this. Any stonemasons out there can advise?! Viv.
 
Some info on Cornelius Neal His full name was Ernest Cornelius Neil, hence why he's been more difficult to track down. He was in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Died of his wounds on 26 August 1915. Viv


ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1393079389.985244.jpg
 
Above the main entrance door is GR carved into the stone which I guess is King George which probably fits in with 1938 road development, so if my thoughts are right the plaque may have been at a previous site in Erdington, but where that was I don't know, there must be an Erdington Local History Society so I expect they might be able to help
 
thanks viv looks a switch of first and middle names as he is down as C E NEALE on the plaque...it happened a lot lol....i noticed that he was born in the st george area...thats my neck o the woods...

lyn
 
dwilly said:
Above the main entrance door is GR carved into the stone which I guess is King George which probably fits in with 1938 road development, so if my thoughts are right the plaque may have been at a previous site in Erdington, but where that was I don't know, there must be an Erdington Local History Society so I expect they might be able to help
Click to expand...


oh well spotted dwilly...this sounds possible so more research to do...

many thanks
 
Don't know if this will help. This is Frank Concannon on the 1911 showing him as a Postman. Can anything be gleaned re. Erdington P O location from this? Not too sure what the column next to occupation says, but it's got 'P.O' in it then something else next to it. Will try and get a better copy I think. Viv.ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1393083493.019742.jpg
 
The 1921 Kellys lists the Erdington Sub Post offices as at Gravelly Hill, Short Heath, Slade Road, stockland Green and Wood End Road. This would be before the building in the photo. There only seems to be sub post offices there at that time.
 
Alexander Leadbeater, the earliest of the named soldiers to join the P.O. joined in 1902 when it was a sub-office (s.o). - re. Colin's post #40. If we can find anything more on him, maybe that would help, or maybe not! Viv.
 
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