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St Joseph's Nechells Lookups

NickAmeghino

proper brummie kid
Hello :)

I've recently been at the archives at St.Chad's Cathedral looking at the burial register for St.Joseph's RC Church in Nechells. Unfortunately, the entries for the years 1917 to 1921 are not entered in the copy of the burial register in the archives there. Strangely, there doesn't appear to be missing pages, although the register has been rebound. (I went through EVERY page to find entries but no luck - I thought they might be tucked in at the back!) The archivist said that this was how the register arrived at St.Chad's.

Please can someone suggest why these years are not entered.

Also, please can someone tell me if they know of anywhere else that might have a copy of this burial register. (The archivist wasn't able to help with this.)

The reason for the research is to find the burial place of my g.gm. Annie Ameghino, who died in May 1919. Her husband George Ameghino is buried at St.Joseph's (d.1912) but there is no visible headstone any more despite having a private grave. :( I'm planning to look through the cemetery receipt stubs at St.Chad's archive but there are a lot to look through!!

Hope someone can help me. :)

Nick The Duck
 
Hi Nick
St Josephs have their own web site www.stjosephs-nechells.co.uk
Half way down the page there will be an icon for 'graveyard list'
Anne is not listed but Richard Scott is very helpful and may be able to help
His email is further down the page
regards

Bob
 
Many thanks for the info, Bob, and for taking the time to respond. I contacted Richard Scott a couple of months ago but he was unable to help and referred me to St.Chad's archives. I'd already tried the website. The lists are very limited. I estimate that the burial registers on microfilm contain many thousands of names of people buried between 1860s and 1960s. Amazing really, given how small the graveyard is.

Cheers, Nick The Duck
 
Hello Nick,
can I ask how you went about seeing these registers at St Chad's?? I ask because I have baptisms at St Chad's itself that I would love to see....I did send an email many months ago to the secretary there but have never received a reply back, so I have been left in limbo not knowing what to do next....

Regards,
Margaret
 
Hello Margaret,
I hope the following helps in some way. Visiting St.Chad's cathedral archives is via appointment only. You have to make a phone call to get an appt. The person to speak to is the Reverend John Sharp. Contact him on 0121 230 6252. You will need to phone after 11am. The archives are only open certain hours on certain days (check with Mr Sharp). Please persevere if the phone doesn't get picked up immediately because he is the only one there. He may well be out of the room getting stuff out of archives for people to view. There is no charge to view items (as far as I'm aware). I made a donation in the box anyway, which seemed to go down well! Parking is a bit of a nightmare but if you're lucky, you can get a space in Cathedral House car park. (There is a car park notice to say it is permit controlled but I've never had any problems.) The entrance to the archives is up some stairs, along a corridor (and past some hobgoblins - just kidding!). Anyone with a mobility issue will not be able to access it. There are stairs from the car park. It's not well sign-posted but there is a main reception where the person on reception will hopefully be less rude to you than she was with me. I think that's about it. Oh yes, you'll need some form of ID for Rev Sharp e.g. a CARN ticket or a driving licence. Usual archive rules apply i.e. pencils only, lockers for bags, etc. Digital photography is permitted. There is a microfilm reader with printer for 50p per print. I got carried away with that...

You know, perhaps I should start working there... :)
Hope this helps,
Nick The Duck
 
Thank you so much for that very helpful info..I will certainly be making that call ! Luckily we get into B'ham by train so parking is not a problem. I do have a CARN ticket so once again that is not a problem & the advice about digital photos is a great help.

Many thanks for your help.
Margaret.
 
I spoke to a chap a few years ago - Danny and he was available to meet to look at the records that are at St Joseph's. I didn't manage to catch up with him but need to now so plan to phone the church and see how I get on. I can't see a link on the website showing burials but years ago there was a google link to the monumental inscriptions.
 
Hi

I have just found this thread and am wondering if anyone has got any further with their research. As I do not now live in Birmingham I am unable to go to visit St. Chad's for any information. A while ago I visited St. Joseph's graveyard but only found one of my family's graves although according to records I found on the internet there are more graves listed. KINS
 
The burial records are at St Chad. The priest isn't particularly helpful and really doesn't appear interested - it seems people are an inconvenience. He limits the number of people to 2 and you are not allowed to take phone in - just a pencil and pad. The plan of the graveyard is at the church though so we got a plot but then couldn't locate as church was closed so if you are travelling you will need to get everything coordinated.
Also wear trousers and good shoes plus gloves as ground very uneven and some overgrowth with stingers etc
 
I have been to St Chad's archives and found Father Sharp helpful, if a bit abrupt. I booked my visit by email so that meant I was not waiting for the phone to be answered. The room is not very large and I think that, plus the fact he is on his own, is why he limits numbers. He does a lot of looking up for people who want copies of records of baptisms so they can get married in a catholic church. When I went there was a volunteer transcribing St Joseph's records - I am not sure how far he has got.
Although research is free you do have to pay for photocopies - I am not sure how much but I did think they were more expensive than usual.
If anyone is looking for marriage records it is worth remembering they are often in Latin - although it is not too hard to work out what they say!

Janice
 
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