• 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
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Key Hill Cemetery Memorial Inscriptions

what a lovely and most unusual headstone bri..you have done a very good job of cleaning it up...

lyn
 
It looks lovely Brian I hope someone finds a connection to such a lovely memorial.
 
Hi Brian
Many thanks for cleaning up the grave of my Grt Nan & Grandad Greatrex. How strange, we have just got home after fetching a vase insert for the concrete vase on the grave and we are coming over this week to bring it and put some flowers on the grave. I have some photo's of the grave before you cleaned it, you certainly made a big difference, i must take some new photo's now. It was very kind of you. I located the grave of my other Grt Nan and Grandad Harvey over at Yardley Cemetery. I may even see you up KH sometime on my travels.

Many Many thanks Brian take care Stars ( Eric)
 
Hi Stars (Eric), always a pleasure to help tidy up a grave, hope you didn't mind me dabbling about.
It would look nice with some Pansies in or something similar, now the weeds are temporarily displaced!

Needs a little cleaning often to bring it up more, but does look better than it was - hope to bump into you one day down there.

Brian
 
For Brian
Sorry for not replying sooner, have had a rotten cold which has left me with migraine's with flashing lights!!

Thank you so much for doing this great job of cleaning my Great Grandmothers resting place. I have shown the photo's to my Mom and she is over the moon with it. The only thing missing is flowers, but that may have to wait until I am able to visit there. You are a wonderful man to take time to do this.

MUch love

Julie
 
Hi Julie,

I've got some foxgloves up from the garden (the wife actually lifted them!), which I was taking to KH Friday.

Would your Gt Gran like them?

Brian
 
HI Julie,

After the stonemasons finished today at Key Hill, I put the foxgloves in for your Gt. Gran, but in so doing I hit something solid about 8 inches down, did a bit of excavating - as I do, landed up with a hole about a foot and half deep in the end - this what what i found!!!!!!!!!


View attachment 69768 Absolutely fabulous ! - buried treasure or what! Had sunk into soil and become buried - who needs the Staffordshire Hoard - The Key Hill Hoard is better!


ps Also met Stars (ERic) and his wife - great to see them in the flesh - forgot to take a pic of the grave with the flowers on that he did, but hopefully he'll post them on himself!
 
Hi Brian
It was nice to meet you at KH today. For others who are reading this i feel i must tell you this. On meeting Brian he gave us information on key hill. As we were talking a lady was looking for a grave, Brian went over to help her. He not only found the grave for her, he began to clear the grave and removing grass etc. You should be proud of yourself Brian. You and others work hard at KH, well done. Here are some photos i took today of the grave.

take care Stars ( Eric)View attachment 69782View attachment 69781View attachment 69780View attachment 69779View attachment 69778
 
Fantastic work and what a great find Brian!! The graves look lovely and as if someone cares which is what matters....well done eveyone!
 
Couldn't agree with you more Wendy !! They do look lovely..
and "Nice one" Brian !!,... for the KH Hoard !!!!
 
Hi Brian,

Thank you so much for planting the foxgloves on my Great Gran's grave. She loved all kind of flowers. Wow what a find Brian, my Mom did mention that there was something else on top but couldn't remember what. Doris (Wiliam's wife) had it put on. Thank you so much, you are a true angel.

Much love
Julie
 
i really feel i must also add my thanks to brian...he put me on the trail of a rellie who i had been searching for 3 years and found her at key hill...also a couple of years back i managed to aquire some of the blue bricks that was invented by thomas walker who is buried at key hill..not only did brian collect a load of the bricks in his car from the winfield brass co that was being excavated at the time but he also placed them in front of thomas walkers headstone....bri you are a great guy and you do so much for those who are no longer with us or for people who live a distance and find it difficult to tend their ancestors graves...mind you i still think you should become a member of time team..lol

we owe you so much...

lyn..xx
 
Last edited:
Hi Wendy

May I take you up on your wonderful offer to look at the Key Hill records? I know my grandparents lived in the Spring Hill area most of their lives and were both living in Stour Street when they died. There's a chance they may have been buried at Key Hill.

James Rogers; died 13th October 1928.
Ann Louisa Rogers; died 25th February 1929.

Many thanks for offering this great service. There's no rush.
 
Hello Gunmaker I have checked Key Hill and Warstone Lane and sadly they are not listed. I would suggest you try Witton next. Good Luck.
 
Hi Gunmaker

According to FMP there is a burial at Handsworth Cemetery of a James Rogers in 1928 register number 12404
and Ann Louisa Rogers buried 1929 register number 12838

regards
Suzanne
 
Oh great Suzanne I am sure they are the right ones. I think gunmaker will be thrilled.
 
Wendy said:
Oh great Suzanne I am sure they are the right ones. I think gunmaker will be thrilled.
Click to expand...

Let's hope so Wendy.

I think I have found my Gt grandmother at Handsworth also. So I need to get to their offices and quote the register number and hope they can direct me to her:)

Suzanne
 
Suzanne they are lovely at Handsworth and do a lot to help us at Key Hill and Warstone Lane as they hold the records for these cemeteries. I do hope you find your gt grandmothers resting place.
 
Wendy said:
Suzanne they are lovely at Handsworth and do a lot to help us at Key Hill and Warstone Lane as they hold the records for these cemeteries. I do hope you find your gt grandmothers resting place.
Click to expand...

Thanks Wendy. I will be sure to let you know:)
 
Hi Wendy & Suzanne.

To say I'm thrilled is an understatement. I'm overjoyed. Thank you both very much. You are both stars.

I will take a ride to Handsworth soon. My maternal grandmother was buried at Handsworth in 1951. I can visit her at the same time. My paternal grandparents both died long before I was born. I can't recall my father ever talking about his parents and of course I didn't ask when he was alive.

If I may be cheeky, is there a record of the burial of my maternal grandfather. He was discharged from the Coldstream Guards in July 1918 suffering from shellshock. He was admitted to Lodge Road Asylum in 1922 and spent the next 27 years in various asylums until his death on 11th May 1949. He died at the Old Manor Hospital, Salisbury. I have been to Wiltshire RO and photographed his medical records but there was no record of his burial. I also went to the local cemetery where they also had no record of him. I was 6 years old when he died and didn't even find out he was alive during my life time until after my mother died in 1991. She never spoke of him.

His name was William Joseph Parsons, aged 71, died 11th May 1949. A cousin thinks he was taken to a military cemetery somewhere but isn't sure.

I must subscribe to FMP and I may find a few more. Once again, thanks very much indeed.
 
I have checked Warstone Lane and Key Hill but sadly William Joseph Parsons is not in either. I hope Suzanne can help further.
 
Hi Gunmaker, Great news about your grandparents.

For Info - Handsworth is open 7 days week, unlike most of the others. The office will be manned, and they will always give you a map marked with your graves, and show you where to go.
As Wendy says, the girkls there are very friendly and helpful.

Hopefully Suzanne or Lindyloo will track downyour Guardsman.
 
Hi Brian

It certainly was great news. Thanks for the information on Handsworth Cemetery.

I went to Handsworth Technical school in the late 1950s unaware I was close to my paternal grandparent's graves. Mind you I was unaware of them full stop then.

Thanks to you all for your help.

Mike
 
I have just carried out a "free" search at the National Burial Index in FMP for the burial of William Joseph Parsons, b1878, d1949 and I only got one hit. A W J Parsons was buried in Morval, Cornwall. I can't believe this is my grandfather as I can't see him being buried there. I know of no family connection to this location. What further information, if any is given if you're a subscribing member of FMP?

I recently purchased the National Burial Index V3 for England & Wales but there's no mention of him in that.
 
Hi gunmaker

I too found that record for W J Parsons and sadly there is no more information then you have already got.

Hope you manage to track him down.

Suzanne
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top