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St Barnabas Churchyard

Arty17

Brummie babby
Hi All, I am hoping some of you good people can help me. I live in Australia and have family members, my two Grandparents, my Gt. G’mother and my Uncle, buried at St. Barnabas Churchyard in Erdington. The original plot was numbered A190 which held John William George Greaves Died 1931 aged 4, John William Greaves Died 1950 aged 53, Matilda Serman Died 1955 aged 91(Ashes in Urn) and also Daisy May Greaves Died 1965 aged 63 (Ashes). I know the Church was partially destroyed by a fire and restored and extended. A fair few years ago a cousin of mine (who lives in France) read of the fire and the intended removal of headstones only (not actual remains) and our family grave was included on the list of graves apparently said to be in disrepair & not visited to make way for the new cafe, he emailed the Reverend protesting against removal of our family grave & attached a recent photo of the grave which showed it only had a slightly displaced curbing and flower remains in the Urn flower vase showing it was visited. The Reverend replied agreeing that the grave was not in disrepair and obviously visited, also stating the grave was not on a list to be removed but was in a ‘Hard Hat’ area which was surrounded by scaffolding, so she was unable to check on the grave, but assured my cousin the grave would be left untouched. Recently one of my sisters visited England and St Barnabas Churchyard but could not locate the grave, and checked the headstones that were removed and placed against the wall but still couldn’t locate either the headstone or the Urn(s). My sister asked a person in charge at the Church and was told that the grave was probably built over, and to contact the Birmingham City Council for a map of the plots. I have since emailed the Council who have informed me that they do not have such information. I am hoping that someone may have an old map of the grave plots at St Barnabas Churchyard, or any other information which may help us locate our family grave. xE9752924-16A9-4193-AAA0-62184FFFF1B9.jpeg
 
hello arty....how awful that you can not find your family grave which to be fair is not really that old so should still be there...sounds to me as though your family have not received a great deal of help at all from this church...i would think the reverend your cousin spoke to a few years ago go was the rev freda evans who has recently resigned her post...i know it must be difficult for yourself and family to try and track down the plot so if you would like me to see what i can find out on your behalf i am happy to do so also i dont live that far from st barnabas should a visit be needed..??

lyn
 
hello arty....how awful that you can not find your family grave which to be fair is not really that old so should still be there...sounds to me as though your family have not received a great deal of help at all from this church...i would think the reverend your cousin spoke to a few years ago go was the rev freda evans who has recently resigned her post...i know it must be difficult for yourself and family to try and track down the plot so if you would like me to see what i can find out on your behalf i am happy to do so also i dont live that far from st barnabas should a visit be needed..??

lyn
hello arty....how awful that you can not find your family grave which to be fair is not really that old so should still be there...sounds to me as though your family have not received a great deal of help at all from this church...i would think the reverend your cousin spoke to a few years ago go was the rev freda evans who has recently resigned her post...i know it must be difficult for yourself and family to try and track down the plot so if you would like me to see what i can find out on your behalf i am happy to do so also i dont live that far from st barnabas should a visit be needed..??

lyn
Thank you Lyn for your reply, any help in any way, on our family’s behalf would be greatly appreciated. x
 
ok arty give me a few days i will see what i can find out for you....would you know what year the photos of the grave were taken

lyn
 
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Don't know if you've seen this Lyn,//www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/vicar-seeks-90k-to-clear-messy-3282
 
One set of grandparents is buried at St Barnabas, the other at St Peters Harborne. I emailed both churches to try and locate their graves, Harborne were very helpful and I got the information I needed, unfortunately emails and telephone calls to St Barnabas remained unanswered and I still have no idea of where my Grandfather and Grandmother are buried, although I was at my grandmothers funeral on a very wet stormy day and had to cross the road to ?Littlewoods? to buy dry socks. She was buried in 1976 and my enquiries were made since I joined BHF, so perhaps the information given in this post partly answers my question.

Bob
 
As you are getting no replies from St Barnabus, have you tried contacting the Birmingham Diocese office about the graves?

I think the least they should do is make an honest statement about the problems with the graves / churchyard - not a good reflection on the church.
 
hello arty...i have spoken to someone at st barnabas and all the graves at the front of the church are in good order...the ones on a slope at the back were as we know very overgrown and some graves in bad repair...the good news is that big efforts have now been made to clear away all the debris and overgrowth making it easier for people to see the graves...i have given them the details of all of your relatives buried there and someone is going to get back to me to let me know if your family grave is ok...fingers crossed that this is the case so that if you wish i will visit on your families behalf..take some photos and place flowers if you wish...

all the best will be in touch as soon as i know more

lyn
 
hello arty...i have spoken to someone at st barnabas and all the graves at the front of the church are in good order...the ones on a slope at the back were as we know very overgrown and some graves in bad repair...the good news is that big efforts have now been made to clear away all the debris and overgrowth making it easier for people to see the graves...i have given them the details of all of your relatives buried there and someone is going to get back to me to let me know if your family grave is ok...fingers crossed that this is the case so that if you wish i will visit on your families behalf..take some photos and place flowers if you wish...

all the best will be in touch as soon as i know more

lyn
I think my grandparents were buried near the wall on the left hand side looking from High Street, Walter Vanstone died about 1946, Ettie Amelia Vanstone died 1976, if you have any contacts would be grateful for help, if it is not a problem.
Bob
 
ok bob...i shall make a note of your grandparents details and if and when i go to st barnabas i will make a point of trying to locate them for you....its no trouble..oh do they have a headstone?

lyn
 
ok bob...i shall make a note of your grandparents details and if and when i go to st barnabas i will make a point of trying to locate them for you....its no trouble..oh do they have a headstone?

lyn
Unfortunately, that I do not know, thanks for your help.

bob
 
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