Handsworth, Key Hill and Warstone Lane Info Required!

[claret_and_blur]

I'm preparing a seminar presentation for my archaeology degree on the changes to burial practices after the Industrial Revolution in Birmingham, using Handsworth, Key Hill and Warstone Lane cemeteries as my case studies (with a possible mention or two of Witton if I need any more). I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction of any material relating to the foundation, history and running of these sites both online or in books/records. Thanks.

 

[Wendy]

You may get some info here on Key Hill and Warstone Lane. https://www.fkwc.org/

Also if you can get hold of Joseph Mckenna's book In The Midst Of Life that should help you. There is also a lot of info on the cemeteries thread on here.

 

[claret_and_blur]

Thanks, that's a great start! :excitement:

 

[josietrue]

reading the thread on warstone and keyhill took me back to when i was 11/12 years old in the fifties being the eldest girl i had to take my younger siblings out and living not far from both ( winson green ) i used to take them to the key hill and warstone cemetry and if we saw graves with lots of flowers on we would take some of and put them on graves that didnt have any on mainly putting them on children graves.
one day mom asked me where we had been and my sister told her and what we had done
she gave me a hiding i have never forgot to this day meny years later we where talking and i told my mom that i wasnt stealing them i was sharing them as a 11/12 year old i thought i was being kind i never went back to the cemetries up untill 3 years ago while looking for twin girls who died in 1948( my brother inlaws sister ) who are buried in warstone cemertry

 

[claret_and_blur]

It is a lovely story, which makes me feel a bit guilty as we used to play in Handsworth Cemetery and were far less respectful.....the 'In the Midst of Life' book is fantastic, I managed to find it on a second hand book website and it's exactly what I needed! Thanks again.