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Walter Collins and the Beet family

gingerjon

master brummie
Can any one help with this request from
Joan Foster.

Hi John,

I am not sure whether you will be able to help me in my quest but here goes!

Do you know where or how I may be able to find anyone who lived in Gt Russell Street in 1937? I am interested to find someone who may remember a tragedy in this street in June of that year.

There was a house fire that killed 3 children of the family Beet and Walter Collins aged 30 who tried to rescue them but they all perished. It was reported in the Times and am sure it would have been in a local paper.

I live in York so have been unable to get down as yet to research it in the Library.

Walter was a relative of mine believed to have been my Mothers half brother; unfortunately no one is around to give me any info.


Walters birth entry apparently is a rogue one so I cannot even find out from that who his parents really were. He is somewhat of a mystery.

If anyone remembers him is there a way to contact through your site? This is a long shot I know.

Thank you, and I have really enjoyed looking at the site as most of my family lived in this area at one time.

Kind Regards,

Joan Foster.
 
The heroic actions and an account of the fire in which Walter Collins perished can be found in the "Birmingham Mail" dated 21st June and 23rd June 1937.

Walter is variously described as a 30 years old, unemployed labourer, living at 1 Back, 82 Great Russell Street. In the later account he is described as a sewer pipe-layer, aged 31 years, of 1 Back, 81 Great Russell Street.

On the day of the fire Walter was to have acted as a bearer at his Uncle's funeral. There is a photograph showing Walter in what appears to be a military uniform.

Trust this is helpful.

Yardley
 
I have found the registration of the death of Walter Collins age 31
June 1937 birmingham ref. 6d 128 but there are no deaths registered of youngsters with the name Collins. I have tried the next quarter and there are no records.Were they Walters children?.
 
Its a bit late to reply....according to the times newspaper report...it stated the Walter was a cousin of the children. the names of the children are.......Daisy Beet aged 10, Alfred Beet aged 9 and Thomas Beet aged 5...
 
Just found this fasinating post about the fire in Grt Russell Street. I can remember being told of this fire when I was a young boy, by an Aunt of mine. She didn't tell me much though because she got upset!! My Aunt is Glady's Coley, n'ee Beet.
 
Dear Reg,

This tragic accident was reported in the "Birmingham Mail" dated 21st and 23rd June 1937. Whilst I have no direct information, a contact very kindly sent me extracts from the paper. The children who died were: Daisy Beet (10), Alfred F Beet (9) and Thomas G Beet (5). They were the children of Frank Beet and Daisy Beet nee Atterbury who were living at 2 Back, 82 Great Russell Street.

The names of your Aunt's parents and the date off her birth would be greatly appreciated.

kind regards

Yardley
 
Hello Yardley. I've been trying to contact our Glady's, no answer yet. get back to you as soon as I've spoken to her. Reg.
 
Dear Yardley. I haven't spoken to our Glady's yet, she's not been very well apparently. I've spoken to Glady's son, he tells me she did some! research on this herself some years ago, she went to the Central Library and got the newspaper report of the fire according to Garry there is a family picture of who he is not sure. He seems to think Walter was Glady's Cousin. Glady's Parents, were Frank, and Daisy Beet.

"As I say" I haven't spoken to Glady's yet, I'll will do asap. I know my Uncle, Reg Coley was born 1940, so I gather Glady's was born about the same time. Regards, Reg.
 
I've done a little online digging for this tragic family, don't know if it will help but here goes:

In 1911 Frank Beet aged 12 lived with his widowed mother Elizabeth and brothers Harry, 17, a 'Jeweller Letter', and Tom, 20, a Silversmith, and Tom's wife Louisa at house 3 court 66 Farm Street.

There are two "Daisy Atterbury" listings in 1911, one aged 16 in 28 Kingsfield Terrace, Dartford, Kent, and one aged 7 in Mile End, London. Doubt if it's the latter.
The first, with her brother John (24) is at home with their mother Elizabeth, who has remarried c.1901 an Albert Deal. There are two children to this marriage: Albert Deal (8) and William Deal (5).

Frank Beet marriage to Daisy Atterbury, registered 3rd quarter 1921 Brimingham, volume 6d page 745.
In 1925/30/35 they were living at house 1 court 1 Heaton Street, and in 1939 house 1 court 23 Tower Street.

I found seven children named Beet, mother's maiden name Atterbury:

Gladys Beet, b. reg 4th quarter 1921 Kings Norton vol 6d page 62. She died aged 0, 1st quarter 1922 Aston vol 6d page 717.
Wilfred Beet, b. reg 1st quarter 1924 Birmingham vol 6d page 407.
Daisy Beet, b. reg 4th quarter 1926 B'ham North vol 6d page 511. Died 2nd quarter 1937 B'ham vol 6d page 129.
Alfred F Beet, b. reg 4th quarter 1928 B'ham North vol 6d page 513. Died 2nd quarter 1937 B'ham vol 6d page 129.
Tom G Beet, b. reg 3rd quarter 1932 B'ham North vol 6d page 529. Died 2nd quarter 1937 B'ham vol 6d page 129.
Harry Beet, b. reg 1st quarter 1935 Birmingham vol 6d page 762.
Gladys V Beet, b. reg 3rd quarter 1940 Birmingham vol 6d page 210. Married Reginald Coley 2nd quarter 1961 Birmingham vol 9c page 716.

Walter Collins death registered 2nd quarter 1937 B'ham vol 6d page 128.
 
Hiya Lloyd You got the family spot on there. I'll show this to our Glady's it's something I'm going to keep too, It's a side of the familytree I haven't done any research on as yet anyway. Thanks very much for this. As you can see, Reginald Coley is the Uncle I was named after. Regards, Reginald Cook.
 
hi well dont know were to start, but this fire in gt russel street is my family, i have asked before on this site if anyone remembers it, my nan lived next door to this house and was a relation, harry beet is my cousin who i still see once a week, my nan was sal davis my mom was kate davis
 
i am talking to harry beet now, he was 2 years old when this fire happened but he says he has all the info on this fire, and is willing to help if he can.
 
hi chris...happy new year.....well this story is certainly a very sad one indeed...our mom remembered the tragedy as she only lived a couple of streets away...although she would have only been about 8 or 9 it always stuck in her mind...

lyn
 
hi ya Lyn, hope everything ok your end, and hope you have a very happy new year Lyn, yes all my cousins have heard this story about the fire since we was little, it was our nans way of saying we must always remember them,
 
hi..chris...i had no idea that this fire was in your family..well i wouldnt would i....so young harry not only survived the fire but also ww2...well i am so pleased about that and how good of him to offer up any info he has about it...please give him my best regards when you talk to him again....i am sending you an instant message....

lyn:)
 
Hi Lindev. I've been trying to get in touch with Reg Coley, all morning but I can't get through yet, he's not answering his phone. I'll go and see them later and let them know whats going on. Reg Cook.
 
hi reg, well has you know my cousin gladys is not well, and you can only get her on the mobile which is not always turned on, but spoke to harry this morning he said he saw reg gladys and alan tina on xmas eve, what relation are you to reg i just wonder if we might know each other
 
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