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The Wetty,Birmingham

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delfryn

Guest
I am researching a family named Roberts who on the 1911 census lived at The Whetty,Birmingham.
Can anyone tell me please where I might find the war memorial for someone living there during WW1?
Is The Whetty, Birmingham the correct address?
Many thanks
 
Today there's a Whetty Lane in Rubery, Rednal, Birmingham, B45 so another member could well come up with an answer to your enquiry. Welcome to the Forum. Good luck in your research, db84124
 
What details do you have on Roberts, there are over 1000 Roberts listed on GWGC, and about 50 on The National Roll.

Colin
 
Colin B said:
What details do you have on Roberts, there are over 1000 Roberts listed on GWGC, and about 50 on The National Roll.

I am doing this research for a friend who does not have a computer. He has two photo's taken WW1 he thinks they are of his ancestor Benjamin Roberts. He has always believed that Benjamin was killed in action but I cannot find him on the Commonwealth War Graves Site so I have been looking at War Memorials but keep drawing a blank.
On the 1911 census Benjamin Roberts born 1851 is living at Chadwick Lane, Bromsgrove along with his son Ernest and his grandson Benjamin age 13. Benjamin Seniors other son Benjamin (the father of the grandson) is living at The Whetty Birmingham - Parish - North Bromsgrove he was born in 1876.
I have e-mailed the photo's to the Imperial War Museum, they have been acknowledged but so far I have not had a reply. I was trying to find out what regiment they were from - one has some very heavy guns in it and Bob thinks that one of the soldiers is Benjamin.
As Bob is almost 80 I thought it would be easier if I could do some ground work for him before he goes to Worcestershire History Centre. We live in North Wales and it is quite a distance for someone of his age.
I would be grateful for any assistance/advice you could offer.
Thank you
Irene
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Thank you for replying. I have had a look at the census and the Parish is North Bromsgrove. Enum.District 14 I was confused because the address is given as The Whetty, Birmingham,Wocestershire.
 
As David said in #2 Wetty Lane Rubery, Rednal this area i would class as North Bromsgrove at that time, maybe The Wetty was a local district . Dek
 
delfryn, Welcome to the forum.
My hubbys great grandad was killed in WW1 and was from the Rubery area. His name is on the plaque on the wall of the local church. Also, when I was looking for a soldier who died in WW2 from the Rubery area I went to Bromsgrove Library where they have local newspapers on microfiche which go back to WW1. Also a member of staff told me they have a folder with WW1 soldiers in it (I think a volunteer went through the microfiche and printed any info they found about WW1 soldiers for people doing research)
The Whetty could well be Rubery. There is also an area called Chadwick which is on the outskirts of Rubery towards Bromsgrove which may fit in with North Bromsgrove.
You are in luck - I live nearby and would be happy to see what I can find out for you.
When I was trying to find hubbys G grandad on the Commonwealth War Graves Site I couldn't find him either at first - this was because the name we thought was his first name was actually his second and he was listed under his first name.
Actually, I think I am going to go down to the Church and have a look on the wall - will take my camera just incase.............
Polly
 
Many thanks for your reply and your welcome. I would be most grateful for any help you can give, I am going round in circles with this one. As I am new to this site, did you see the reply I sent to Colin giving details of the three Benjamin Roberts? I would think that it would be the youngest of the three who served in the war but it could have been his father.
Irene
 
delfryn - here is the war memorial plaque from the Church. There is no-one with the surname of Roberts on there.:( There is also a war memorial in Lickey which may be worth a look - I will look on there tomorrow - if not I will go to the library (in a few days time).
Polly :) if you click on the image below and then click again - it gets bigger (just incase you don't know)

This memorial Plaque is on the wall at St Chads Church, Rubery
 

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Thank you Polly. I have a copy of the Catshill & North Marlbrook memorial and there is nothing on there either. I am beginning to think that this is one of those stories that get passed down the generations and corrupted on the way. I do know that Bob's family lived at Redhill Lane and Chadwick Lane, Chadwick, Bromsgrove for many years. What a shame we cannot see the census after 1911. I wonder if they are in any trade directories of the area. I really need to eliminate the different Benjamins.
Thanks again for your help Polly, it is much appreciated.
Irene
 
Here's an old map showing The Whetty from Bill Dargue's site: https://billdargue.jimdo.com/placenames-gazetteer-a-to-y/places-r/rubery/

I have a good friend who has lived all his life in the Lickey Hills area and is a church warden at Cofton Hackett Church. When I visit Brum over the years I have spent a fair bit of time around that area. There is a Lickey Hills Historical Society who have a Memorial Project
they are working on regarding several War Memorials around this area. They have several of them up on their site which is: https://www.lhlhs.org.uk/

Good luck in your search.
 
Hi Polly:That's good news re saving a trip to view the Memorial. Hope something turns up for delfryn very soon. Always some puzzles for folks to sort out on the BHF and kind people like yourself to help them out.:):):)
 
Well what a brilliant lot you are finding all this info. Polly that photo of the war memorial must be a record from information to posting. Jenny that's a great link for the forum you always come up with these brilliant links thanks.
 
Polly, all thanks must go to jennyann; I simply clicked on her link, "pinched" the appropriate map and fiddled with Paint for three minute. David;)
 
I noticed on the map a symbol for a church between Whetty farm and the Asylum would this be significant. Dek
 
This is the Church that has the memorial plaque on the wall that I took the photo of.
That's a snowy picture!
Polly :)
 
David that church looks relatively new. Thats the sort of weather we seem to get for summer these days :):):)

Sorry Polly i,m a bit slow off the mark when it comes to this area. Dek
 
dek carr said:
David that church looks relatively new. Thats the sort of weather we seem to get for summer these days :):):)

Sorry Polly i,m a bit slow off the mark when it comes to this area. Dek
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Hi Dek, Sorry if it sounded as if my last post was aimed at you - it wasn't - I just said that it was the Church with the plaque because I realised I had forgot to say which church the plaque was on - silly me - I think your'e all mindreaders! :rolleyes:
You are right the Church is fairly new (well, compared to most churches) I think it was built about 1960/ early 60's???
But before that there was a Church on the same site - I think it was a wooden building - this is probably the one marked on the old map.
Polly :):)
 
A quick search of the 1881 & '91 census shows Benjamin Roberts, Snr (1852) & Jnr.(1879) living at Chadwick.
There are possible deaths listed, 1928, aged 77 so poss born abt. 1851
and 1947, aged 69 so poss born abt. 1878
There is also another Benjamin Roberts death in 1920, aged 60 so born abt. 1860, all at Bromsgove.
So, maybe, the Benjamin you seek may not have died during the war, might be a good idea to get death certificates to check details.

Colin
 
Colin B said:
A quick search of the 1881 & '91 census shows Benjamin Roberts, Snr (1852) & Jnr.(1879) living at Chadwick.
There are possible deaths listed, 1928, aged 77 so poss born abt. 1851
and 1947, aged 69 so poss born abt. 1878
There is also another Benjamin Roberts death in 1920, aged 60 so born abt. 1860, all at Bromsgove.
So, maybe, the Benjamin you seek may not have died during the war, might be a good idea to get death certificates to check details.

Thanks for looking Colin. I do have all the relevant history from the census and the BMD records. I have a subscription to The Genealogist. As I told Polly last night, I am beginning to wonder if this is one of those family tales that gets passed down and corrupted on the way. That is why I was trying to find the relevant War Memorials so that I could prove to Bob (my friend I am helping) one way or another if Benjamin had died in the War.
Again, thanks for your time.
Irene
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delfryn, Do you think the deaths posted by colin B are the deaths of 'your' 3 Benajmin Roberts.
if so that would be great because it would mean that if one of them did go to war they came home safely.
You said there is a picture, possibly of a Benjamin as a soldier - is it possible to post that photo on here? We have some members who are very knowledgable on uniforms etc. and they may be able to help you.
Polly :)
 
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