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Handsworth Cemetery - grave locating

Molly_MacD

Molly_MacD

master brummie
I was able to purchase the burial records for both my gg and ggg grandmothers who are buried in Handsworth Section 8. They were both buried with "common" stones (Caroline's listed as common 16/6 S746 if I'm reading correctly with Mary Ann's just reading common). Under consecrated ground it is listed as A under each - so I'm assuming that means unconsecrated (no surprise there)

Does anyone know if there is a service that photographs graves that I could hire (I also have plot numbers). Would there even be stones left? I'm not sure it this is a well taken care of area of the cemetery.
 
Actually when I re-read the Burial record it actually reads "type of grave - common" So I am guessing there is not going to be a stone :(
They do have plot numbers
Caroline - Section 8, plot 2733
Mary Ann -Section 8 plot 1846

but I'm guessing that will not yield much information.
 
If it says "Handsworth" then I would expect that to be Handsworth cemetery run by Birmingham Council rather than a churchyard. It is a very large and, last time I visited, seemed well maintained.
It is unlikely there is a stone if it is a "common" grave but you should be able to locate the plot.
 
pjmburns said:
If it says "Handsworth" then I would expect that to be Handsworth cemetery run by Birmingham Council rather than a churchyard. It is a very large and, last time I visited, seemed well maintained.
It is unlikely there is a stone if it is a "common" grave but you should be able to locate the plot.
Click to expand...
This makes sense. I did notice on some of the records on the page (Caroline's included) there is a penciled in name - the heading at the top of the page reads "Rank or Profession" , which doesn't make sense. Do you happen to have any insight or came across this before? The one with Caroline's name looks like it says "Thomas Richard Nock". Capture.JPG
 
This is a bit of a guess. 41 Chantry Road is the address of Thomas Richard Nock (I found him on erolls) but the entry is for an F (female) so I am wondering if he was involved in paying or organising the burial in some way.
Similarly Laura Jane Dean at 34 Victoria Road is listed by a burial for an M (male) - again I found her on the eroll as a widow at that address so guess the burial was for her husband.
That makes me think no name means council organised burial not a relative. As I said it is a guess.
The numbers after the words "common" - ie 16/6 are I think amounts of money. Pre decimal (I am showing my age here :D ) 16/6 was 16 shillings and pence. 3/10/- would have been £3 and 10 shillings. (I did a look up and £3 would be worth about £190 today). I have no idea if that would be reflective of prices in those days.
 
Molly_MacD said:
I was able to purchase the burial records for both my gg and ggg grandmothers who are buried in Handsworth Section 8. They were both buried with "common" stones (Caroline's listed as common 16/6 S746 if I'm reading correctly with Mary Ann's just reading common). Under consecrated ground it is listed as A under each - so I'm assuming that means unconsecrated (no surprise there)

Does anyone know if there is a service that photographs graves that I could hire (I also have plot numbers). Would there even be stones left? I'm not sure it this is a well taken care of area of the cemetery.
Click to expand...
pjmburns said:
Are you able to post the column headings?
Click to expand...
Hi

i was wondering if you could help me
i am trying to locate my brothers grave, i have his plot number
it says under situation of grave (square and class) - 44 so i guess it is PLOT 44 and then number of grave as 21273. he was one when he died.
how can i locate his grave - i want to visit him and how can i identify which is his grave? as he dont have a headstone.
he was buried in Dec 1974. I have the records.

any help would be great
thank you
 
I would say - contact the office for a map and ask if they can indicate the section where the grave is.
Gravestones should be marked with the grave number (often on the back of a headstone). To find an unmarked plot you need to find stones numbered as close as possible to your grave number then count spaces to locate approximately the grave you want.
 
Just found a map here

Handsworth Cemetery

In reply to Astonion, on a cemetery thread, I asked the question yesterday about the Asian plots at Handsworth, etc, and I can tell you the following: The Asian community have not purchased a section of the cemetery. Obviously they like to be buried togehter, and they have to be pointing a...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
pjmburns said:
I would say - contact the office for a map and ask if they can indicate the section where the grave is.
Gravestones should be marked with the grave number (often on the back of a headstone). To find an unmarked plot you need to find stones numbered as close as possible to your grave number then count spaces to locate approximately the grave you want.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this
The office is closed and I have emailed them and not heard anything. This is all new to us and just so confused.
Could you offer another other advise? I have the plot map …
But how do identify the plot ? It. Is it marked by numbers? Plus do you know how long graves are there? Simone said only 10-20 years? ? The burial was 1974

Thank you
 
As far as I know the grave will be there. I have traced unmarked graves older than the one you want - although I haven't searched at Handsworth.
Grave numbers go in order. So it might be 21272 then 21273 etc. Those with gravestones will have the number showing. You need to search for the nearest you can find to 21273. Then see which way along the row the numbers go.
Let's say you find 21270 and then a gap to the next stone marked 21275. This means the gap contains 4 unmarked graves. Divide the space into 4 and work out where 21273 would be.
The problem is that section 44 may be quite large so searching could take a while.
 
pjmburns said:
As far as I know the grave will be there. I have traced unmarked graves older than the one you want - although I haven't searched at Handsworth.
Grave numbers go in order. So it might be 21272 then 21273 etc. Those with gravestones will have the number showing. You need to search for the nearest you can find to 21273. Then see which way along the row the numbers go.
Let's say you find 21270 and then a gap to the next stone marked 21275. This means the gap contains 4 unmarked graves. Divide the space into 4 and work out where 21273 would be.
The problem is that section 44 may be quite large so searching could take a while.
Click to expand...
 
You have been so helpful
So I’ll do that
I live in Nottinghamshire
So I wanted to find my brothers resting place .
Can I ask how would I know the unmarked spaces if you not what i mean. also can i ask what cem did you find umarked rest places? i really appreciate your help, its been very uselful
 
what i mean by umarked spaces - is when i identify where his resting place is - and in the example you gave - that there is gap of 4 number - would i then divide the space equally in 4 to identify the actually grave? also how can i identify where to locate the plot?
 
The map shows where section 44 is. Use the paths on the map to guide you. (There may be workers around who you can ask - mowing grass etc).
I have located unmarked graves at Yardley and Lodge Hill. All around the graves is grassed and the graves are in rows. The unmarked graves are spaces between the marked graves. As I said use the numbered stones to guide you.
It would be better if you could get a reply with an indication of where in the section the plot is. It isn't always easy to find the numbers on the stones to help.
 
Last edited:
Here are some photos I took at Yardley - you can see graves and spaces.

Help with headstone photos required

On the cemetery map which I have the sections are all numbers - however, there is an office and I am sure they would be able to help. As I said I won't, now, be going until next week (or later ii I need to wait for more info). I do know that area D is in section 25 - from earlier visits.
birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
pjmburns said:
The map shows where section 44 is. Use the paths on the map to guide you. (There may be workers around who you can ask - mowing grass etc).
I have located unmarked graves at Yardley and Lodge Hill. All around the graves is grassed and the graves are in rows. The unmarked graves are spaces between the marked graves. As I said use the numbered stones to guide you.
It would be better if you could get a reply with an indication of where in the section the plot is. It isn't always easy to find the numbers on the stones to help.
Click to expand...
thank you for this - so helpful. i feel quite emotional about it and really hope i can find it
in terms of sections, do you mean try and find in which section of the plot the grave is in?
what i have is this see photo - see attached

heading is Situation of Grave ( UNDER SQAURE AND CLASS) is 44 and then the number is 21273 - for grave

then under the heading free church is 1
- then under description of grave and charges is
E5 and the charges next to it

see pic, would this info help me
 

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This is a view from google of Handsworth Cemetery....

www.google.co.uk

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.co.uk www.google.co.uk

...going by the map (mentioned above) this appears to be section 44 pink square (hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong), a straight walk, green line, from the office...

Handsworth Cemetery.jpg

...and a closer view that appears to show the gaps between gravestones...

Handsworth Cemetery 44.jpg
 
Thanks MWS.
When I asked at Yardley they gave me directions. Start here (and the lady marked the map) then count 12 rows. The grave is 5 plots in.
As you can see the graves are all in rows.
If you can wait then email again.
 
MWS said:
This is a view from google of Handsworth Cemetery....

www.google.co.uk

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.co.uk www.google.co.uk

...going by the map (mentioned above) this appears to be section 44 pink square (hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong), a straight walk, green line, from the office...

View attachment 170248

...and a closer view that appears to show the gaps between gravestones...

View attachment 170250
Click to expand...
Omg thank you so much, you and others have been so helpful. i had no idea where to start and filling up as i write this.
i did email the cemetery to give me a indication on which row etc and had nothing. so i have plot and number of unmarked grave. another person told me how to work out where it is - ie the count the difference between two headstones and divide by the difference - do you know how long the leases are on the graves? this year it will be 48 years when my little brother was buried .....
 
pjmburns said:
Thanks MWS.
When I asked at Yardley they gave me directions. Start here (and the lady marked the map) then count 12 rows. The grave is 5 plots in.
As you can see the graves are all in rows.
If you can wait then email again.
Click to expand...
brilliant i will email again and ask which row it is
thank you so much.
 
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