• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Hit a brick wall

stars

master brummie
Hi
I am trying to find out where a relative of mine is buried. His name is Bert R Greatrex born July/aug/Sept 1918 and died Mar 1924 age 5 or 6. Wendy checked Key Hill and warstone lane but no good, i have checked all the Cemetery's. I have been to the library but deaths for what i wanted were not on film. I am thinking perhaps he may have been buried in a church yard. My Nan lived in New John Street West at the time i believe,( I don't know if there is anyway to confirm this.) I am going to try St Georges to see if they hold any records for the old church. I am turning grey very fast and climbing the wall. So is there anyone out there that can help.

Many thanks Stars (Eric) :cry:
 
Do you have the death certificate as that gives the exact date? If so, I would look at the local paper in the period of a week after his death. You might find the death announcement and that woud normally tell you the arrangements.
 
I had the same problem trying to find my great grandfather Arthur Yates who died in 1895. His address was given as Carlyle Road, Aston. I checked several cemeteries and church records with no luck. Then a friend of mine found an obituary stating he was buried at Aston Parish Church. However I have not found him in the church records. I can only assume the records were not well kept.
 
Hi Leslam
I am afraid not only the death index showing Jan/ Feb/ Mar 1924. i spoke to the registry office and was told the death cert would only say what he died of and where he died. But yes i see what you mean. Perhaps i will have to get a copy. I realy appreciate your help.

regards Stars
 
The death certificate would definitely give you the date of death, so I think that is probably the first step. If he died at home (as opposed to hospital), it will also give you the address. The name and address of the informant is also included (presumably in the case of a child, the inromant is likely to be a parent)
 
Hi Wendy, hope you are fine. I was up the library today trying to find something out, but no good. It is a strange one, Bert's mom, dad and 2 brothers are buried at Witton Cemetary, hie nan and grandad are at key hill. I phoned and spoke to Perry Bar Crem. The lady was very helpful and explaned that he would not have been cremated, otherwise he would be on record there. My wife keeps telling me we must get out more and make some friends, as the only people we talk to are dead, she is only joking, well i think she is. But on a seriouse note where is Aston Parish Church.

All the best Stars (Eric)
 
Hello Eric

I am having simlar problem trying to find my gt grandparents - it looks like they just disintegrated at the moment, but you have to still plod on. I notice in your first posting you mentioned St Georges - that was closed around 1876, so that won't be much of a help to you. Leslam is right, the death certificate may be of use. Keep smiling - and whilst you are looking, just concentrate on other family members, he will turn up, eventually.

Shortie
 
Hi Shortie
Thanks for the encouraging words. I have a lot of good luck realy, finding two sets of gt grandparents. I also found one relative who was in the work house from 1901 for eleven years. I see by the list that most were elderly in the part he was in.

All the best Stars (Eric)
 
Hi Eric - you are welcome. We all hit brick walls, I still have a couple remaining from 12 years ago, but you follow another person and you just hope the rest falls into place. some of mine have done, and when you have waited ages, it's more satisfying. There were a lot of elderly fold in the workhouse, as many familes could not, or would not, look after their old ones. My own 2 x gt grandfather was in the workhouse from approx 1908 until he died in 1915. It seems he still worked whilst in there - he was a carter so there was quite a lot for him to do taking things in and out of the workhouse. I do intend to see if the records contain any information on his family - did they visit, for instance and was anyone informed he had died - or had they all washed their hands of him? Some things we may never know.

Best wishes, Shortie
 
Hi Shortie
Sounds like they may have been in the workhouse at the same time. Mine was my second great Grandfather. He was a pearl button maker his name was Thomas Greatrex 1828-1912. Could you let me know how you go about looking at the records, sounds very interesting.

all the best Stars (Eric)
 
Erice, you have to have written permission to see records after 1911, which I have got already for my 2 x gt grandfather. The records are closed for 100 years, hence the need for permission. If I remember rightly, I had to fill a form in at the library (Archives etc are not really open until 2013 except by appointment) so if you are in Birmingham I would suggest you go and ask what happens between now and when the new library opens. I think it might be interesting, although 12 years into family history, I know that a lot of records are actually scarce, so I am not expecting to see too much. Expect the worst and you are never disappointed!
 
Hi
I am trying to find out where a relative of mine is buried. His name is Bert R Greatrex born July/aug/Sept 1918 and died Mar 1924 age 5 or 6. Wendy checked Key Hill and warstone lane but no good, i have checked all the Cemetery's. I have been to the library but deaths for what i wanted were not on film. I am thinking perhaps he may have been buried in a church yard. My Nan lived in New John Street West at the time i believe,( I don't know if there is anyway to confirm this.) I am going to try St Georges to see if they hold any records for the old church. I am turning grey very fast and climbing the wall. So is there anyone out there that can help.

Many thanks Stars (Eric) :cry:


hi eric..and please dont get too excited as i could be wrong...myself and lynne webb took a trip to st georges churchyard today and although a lot of the headstones are no longer there the ones that do remain are all leaning again the wall...im sure i saw one for the name of greatrex....if i am right it may not be the rellie you are looking for but maybe another...i did take a few pics in case they may be of help to our members but i wont know of which stones until i download them which i am doing right now...

will get back asap...

lyn
 
hi eric..i just looked at the pics i took today of some of the heastones and i cant see one for greatrex so i could be wrong...i think another trip down there is called for because it will bug me until i find out for you...

lyn
 
Hi Lyn
thank you for that. I need to go there sometime as i have never been. The reason i think St Georges is a possability is because it was where my mother and father were married, also it is close to New John Street West where my Nan lived when Bert died. I am off to the registry office next week to get the death cert. I was sad to see the broken headstones shown on the forum, i just do not understand what pleasure or kicks can be had from this vandalisium.

Thanks for your time Stars (Eric)
 
Eric

St Georges closed for burials in 1873. Unless there was a family grave with space left (other burials in cemeteries would suggest that this is not the case) it's not possible after 1873.

Lyn - I understood that you could not get into what remains of the churchyard - is it not fenced around?
 
hi shortie...you have always been able to walk through the churchyard..there are 3 entrances....ive posted some pics of it on the st georges church thread along with a bit of info...

lyn
 
Oh Thanks Lyn. I have driven been round there, but thought it was all fenced off as school land. I shall go and have a look next time I am in Birmingham.
 
shortie...i am shocked at just how many were buried there...info on st georges church thread...
 
Ahh, well due to experience I am never shocked by these figures - you should see the final toll for St Phillips. At one time, before the introduction of cemeteries, graveyards were a real health hazard. There are reports of some of the bones from the St Martin's burials just turning up in people's front gardens but we are talking a very long time ago. I am sure you have seen churches where you walk along the path and the path is lower than the ground? (often I have found these on holiday) This is because of the amount of bodies buried there. William Hutton, Birmingham's first historian complained about it. Although I don't have his exact words, it goes along the lines of 'it was once said that the Church would bury the dead. Shortly it will seem that the dead will bury the church!' I find that extremely funny. As bodies disintegrate very quickly (at Key Hill, for instance, because the soil is very sandy, it is likely that there is little or nothing left within about 6-10 years - or so I am told by Bereavement Services. I shall peruse the St Georges thread later today, I might find out a few things that will be useful to me.
 
I have just had a quick look at the St George's thread, mainly at the war memorial. I was disappointed to find one of my rellies not recorded there, he died in Belgium and is recorded on the Menin Gate. Prior to him joining up, he was living in London (1911 census), I don't know if it was temporary, but his parents lived in Lennox Street. Was there a church nearer to Lennox Street that his parents may have attended? I am a little bit lost in that part of Birmingham, I have to say.
 
Back
Top