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Key Hill Cemetery

BMSGH have photographed and transcribed the Interment registers to Handsworth cemetery 1909-2010 , Key Hill cemetery 1836-1999, Warstone Lane cemetery 1848-2007. The interment register indexes are hosted by FindMyPast. In the FindMyPast Burials search box, enter the Place as "Birmingham". You can leave the County as "Any".
 
79 Internment registers have been photographed which contain over 500,000 names. These are being indexed at present. I would think that the index won't be available until nearer the end of the year.
 
The way my research is going I think most of my family are in Key Hill, I knew there was a reason I have been drawn to the place. Brian where would we be without you!
 
Key Hill Cemetery

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I have found the burial records of my 3xgreat grandparents at Key Hill but I don't fully understand the references attached to them. Firstly,
Ralph Butler 1864 Corridor 1 [vault] 18698
Sep Entombment

He died in 1864, I presume he is buried in corridor 1, a vault and his burial reference is 18698. But where is corridor 1, is it part of the catacombs? Would this have been a public or a private grave? Also under the entry it says Sep Entombment, would this apply to him or the next person listed and what does it mean?

Secondly,
Caroline Butler [his wife] 1882 G13 [vault] 29134
Again buried in 1882, is G the area where a vault would be found? I presume Ralph and Caroline were not buried together.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jan
 
Corridor 1 is definitely in the catacombs, but all interments in catacombs are in vaults, but this may suggest a public catacomb rather than a private one. Section G from memory is also catacombs, but again public ones. Investigating my own vault interments (public again) when it says corridor I think it means access from the corridor rather than access from the outside. I suspect they were smaller and some even have a half number (mine was L24½).
 
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Hi Jan,

We may never fully know the secrets of the Key Hill catacombs, since current Health & safety precludes all oppurtunities of ever re-opening them at present.
What we do know is that apart from separate chambers, similar to to the external 'storage rooms' - there obviously large vaults built underneath.
Vault 1 in the corridor contains no less than 85 persons - all unrelated, and separate entombments. This is similar in quantity to others shown in vaults.
Public Vault G 13 is to the left of the catacombs and is a barrel roofed void within the wall. It has a memorial stone on it in 3 panels containing the names of but a few of the 350 interments within.

Here are pics of Vault G 13 panels.
KH_G_13_Vault_memorial_28129.JPG KH_G_13_Vault_memorial_282.JPG KH_G_13_Vault_memorial_28329.JPG

There are no known drawing of the internal vaults, but here is Mr mannings sketch of Internal catacomb L19 - He was Minister & secretary for over 50 years and lived in the Cemetery, underneath the Chapel!

KH_catacomb_L19_list.jpg and the Architects drawings of the internal Corridor in the right hand block of the Catacombs, dated 1854 - ground floor level only. The right hand entrance is blocked up, the front entrance is blocked up inside but still retains the green coloured external doors.

KHcat13.JPG
 
Hi, Shortie and Key Hill Brian, many many thanks for your information. I knew someone would be able to answer my questions.
 
Wow thats interesting Brian I have never seen that drawing thanks for sharing it with us.
 
When I was looking for the Scott information, I retraced my steps in the MI book for St Peter's and realised that one of the people on the Lambourne memorial in St Peter's is actually buried in Key Hill. So, Wendy or Brian, are either of you able to give me a grave reference/location for:
Eleanor Annie Lambourne
died 2nd Dec 1869
Register no: 20809

Thanks - there's unlikely to be a stone as she is remembered on the memorial at St Peter's, but it would be nice to know where she is actually buried.
 
Hi Les - Here all KH Lambourn / Lambourne's
LAMBOURN
Eliza 1895 S 5 39125
Ellen 1896 L 38 40314

LAMBOURNE
Alfred 1900 L 47 43206
Caroline 1902 S 25 44264
Eleanor Annie 1869 L 12 (Vault) 20809

L12 is one of the Vaults in the Catacombs
 
Thanks Brian - at long last we have someone in K/H! Would have to check on Alfred and Caroline - neither ring a bell immediately...
 
With an uncommon name, I wouldn't be suprised if they are all related - including Eliza & Ellen!
You'll have to pop round and visit now!

Brian
 
Oh Brian, I have just looked up both Caroline and Alfred and they were both down as aged 0. Ditto Ellen. As both Caroline and Alfred are common names in the family, I think that I'm going to have to send for the birth certifcates.

Eliza was older, so I'll see if I can find her in a census to check, but I don't think she is mine.....

There is another family with a Caroline where surname was spelt variously as Lambourne/Lamborne, from Shropshire originally - definitely not mine.
 
What a great result Les. I knew there was a connection I noticed there were Nettlefolds in St Peter's as there are in KH I noticed other names as well. I suppose it was the cross over from non conformity.
 
leslam said:
Oh Brian, I have just looked up both Caroline and Alfred and they were both down as aged 0. Ditto Ellen. As both Caroline and Alfred are common names in the family, I think that I'm going to have to send for the birth certifcates.

Eliza was older, so I'll see if I can find her in a census to check, but I don't think she is mine.....

There is another family with a Caroline where surname was spelt variously as Lambourne/Lamborne, from Shropshire originally - definitely not mine.
Click to expand...

So sad about the ages, but glad you may have found some missing Twigs from your tree!

Brian
 
Hi Brian
We went to Key hill about a week ago, and down by my Gt Grandparents grave there is an old bench which had been turned over and beer cans throw
around, so we put the bench upright and picked up the beer cans. We called there today (Monday 16/July) to find the bench all broken up. How sad that
some people get some kind of kick out of destroying things in graveyards. I believe in the saying :WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND Meaning you reap what you sow.

regards Stars
 
hi stars how awful is that..the friends of key hill who do so much to keep it looking tidy must feel so let down when they see things like this happening...key hill brian will know this but i wonder if there is any cctv at key hill and warstone lane..if it was left to me i would have notices up saying if anyone is caught defacing headstones..causing any sort or damage or caught drinking within the cems will get 6 months inside with no time off for good behaviour...as the law stands now it is far too soft on these idiots who have no respect for the dead...

lyn
 
Unfortunatly drinking in cemeteries is common as I found out when I visited St Peter's, Harborne.
The problem seems to be in the evenings as there never seems to be much of a problem in the day. At the moment the stone masons are there in the day re constructing a large memorial, also there are always people visiting and the police do visit the cemetery. The problem is it can't be watched all the time. I agree CCTV would be good but so expencive. I always take disposable gloves and a plastic bag when I visit to clear up any rubbish which sadly is quite often. It is so sad as there are good waste bins in the cemetery. I am sorry to hear about the bench that is just awful.
 
Cheers Stars for the info - I was there Saturday having a bonfire and was chatting to a local who takes his dog for a spin twice a day - he uses it occasionally for a rest.
I am going through there ina bit and will check.

The bench was being thrown away from my late Father's retirement home - I salvaged it, added some strakes and painted it - it's been in KH for a few years now and been od great use - pity some P***heads can't leavfe things alone!

Brian
 
The question of CCTV was raised some years ago for Key Hill. Unfortunately, apart from the expense, Conservation won't countanance such a thing in an historic place. I think it has something to do with the fact that it would not look quite right. I am not sure I agree with that, however, Conservation have the last word. I think it would have to be installed in trees and most of the trees there are nearing the end of their life, and so that would also be problematic if they had to be cut down because of the danger or even fell down.
 
Are they planning to plant new trees to replace the old? The place would look a bit bare with no trees.
 
I have not heard of any work being done on the trees. I don't know if Brian knows anything but we were told there are no funds to do work on the trees at the moment.
 
They are not planning to do a mass destruction of trees, but in the report of 1996, it was clearly stated that the trees are nearing the end of their lives. Some have come down of their own accord, at least two during my four years of chairmanship. I do know of a couple of new ones planted, so I don't think there is any worry Mike about being devoid of trees - Conservation want to keep what Charles Edge had in mind and that included trees, although not as many as there are there now (most were planted by Rev Manning during his days as Chaplain).

It's worth bearing in mind that some of the trees have dislodged headstones, and I have a family headstone that would be completely crushed if the tree nearby fell - that's something I am hoping won't happen.
 
I did not intend to imply that work on the trees was imminent, but when the Report was commissioned, prior to the Metro being installed, the remarks were made - basically putting the Council in the picture that at some time in the future they would need removing and/or replacing. My comment was replying to the CCTV posting, that there would be a problem as and when. You cannot install or re-install CCTV in a sapling.
 
Tree pruning is very very overdue, and due to the cost, will never take place on the scale that is required.
There is a Conservation management Plan being prepared as we speak - it's been ongoing for a year now.
It has already led to the removal of 2 trees that were pushing the wall over onto the Petrol station, and the removal of an excessive large and heavy tree growing on top of the catacombs. Many other younger trees have been removed/thinned out adjacent to/behind the 'Metro' memorial (Only records some of the those disturbed by the metro - Couldn't expect them to do a decent job).

CCTV is made much of, but doesn't prevent hooligans. It is never monitored 24/7, and when looked into eventually - i.e. after looting & public disorder is often found to be too grainy and indistinct to identify hobs - who tend to look/dress alike.
Even if they catch them, if they are really unlucky enough to actually have a sentance - they nowadays serve barely a quarter.
Halved immediately if they say Guilty, halved again for saying sorry - reduced by time spent in cells 2 days off for every one in a Police Stn, than paroled after 1/3 rd of their sentance, and often kicked out early as thery need the space in the prison!

The trees were never meant to be such giant unpruned monsters whose roots push up and disturb graves, and which blow over in gales due to being too tall and shallow rooted. They should have been removed after 20 years and replaced with new ones to keep them small and decorative.

Pherhaps one day the Council may have surplus funds to actually implement some of the finding of the various surveys/Management plans they keep having done!

The bench appears to be suffering from old age - some wood is rotting, screws/nails rusting, joints failing - Have put it back together, but needs drilling, pegging/screwing to make a proper job of it - Any woodwaorking handymen with an hour to spare in the area???????
 
Thanks for the excellent explanation Brian. I know without your hard work the cemetery would look nothing like it does today. The walls and railings look fantastic now. Without your little fires we would be drowning in twigs!! Pity Ken doesn't live closer his company would have sorted the drains out for us, sadly a bit of a long way from Essex...lol Lets hope some more work on the trees can be done soon.
 
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