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Warstone Lane Cemetery

Stewart, Section Maps, as well as a printed alphabetical of everyone in both Cemeteries should still be available in the Pen Museum, Frederick St, open 7 days a week, and 5 mins walk from the Cemeteries. WL maps are not totally accurate as The they are the theoretical positioning of graves. Often, there was no physical room on the ground when the Grave Diggers came to dig the hole, and they were than positioned at the start of the next row, or adjacent!
Many graves in both cemeteries were the subject of laying down of headstone in the 1960's, and were then grassed over, with many surviving graves having the Kerb & Foot rails buried, making it hard to follow the numbering sequence from the few graves left. WL numbers run downhill in rows, KH tends to be generally left to right.
You do not say which Cemetery the Section Numbers relate to - Many are these sections in WL contain Public graves, which never had Headstones.
 
hi, sorry did mean to say WL for the sections. I have found on the Jewellery Quarter trust page a list of all those buried with plots as you say not sure on how accurate but seems to be ok on the site. although when I was there yesterday found 2 plots no headstone but did see how the plots were meant to follow sadly. this was in only n Section B (1791B) and on the edge of section P (1951P).
I will go to the pen museum when I next go to Birmingham, hopefully in the meantime may be able to find a nearer location within the sections I'm looking for.

thanks for the help
 
Stewart - from memory B 1791 is that by the wall? & P1951 behinds the Mint? If so - these are both Public Graves. They have been reused - some several times over the years, and contain up to 750+ remains (that was the largest we counted).
If you are a member of the BMSGH - Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy - you can access their records for free at their room in the Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret St, Mon-Fri 11-4 when it is manned by Volunteers.
The BMSGH photocopied the Burial Registers, held at Handsworth Cemetery for both KH & WL (& Handsworth & Witton), and have spent many hours transcribing and computerising them. By bringing up a name, it will also indicate who else is buried in the same grave, and will detail any known inscription (including the summaries noted down when they 'buried' the ones on the 1960's. You can also obtain a copy of the photographed entry of the Burial Register.
This can also be obtained via the internet by members & non members, but costs about £4. see their website www.bmsgh.org

They also have copies of the detailed Section Plans, but they may be files away due to little use and may take some finding!
Brian
 
Hi Brian,
Yes B1791 is by the Warstone Lane wall, My Great Grandmother Gertrude Butwell is buried there and P1951 is My Great Great Grandmother Julia Butwell is behind the Mint. At least I did get it correct yesterday. I will indeed have a look at the BMSGH, hopefully it may show if thee is any inscription on any memorial at the cemetery.

may thanks
 
Stewart - there is only 1 memorial on the wall by the Public Graves in B. Public Graves were the cheapest burials available, but you had to pay extra if you wanted your name upon the memorial - which was made after all burials done and they knew how many names to put on it! The graves are only in use for a few months, before being full, and layers of soild were put over the various rows of Coffins, and the hole covered over between burials.
This was about all the 'normal' working class person could afford - Money was more essential for food, clothing, rent, etc.

The Burials in the P Section Public Graves go pretty well down to Ground level of the former Mint behind them - If you look over the wall - you will see you are looking at 3rd or 4th floor windows of the flats they have been turned into! As far as is known - there were no memorials at all to these graves.

Hope you have better luck with your other graves - but unless the family ha d a bit of money - do not expect to find too much.
Brian
 
hello stewart good luck with tracking down your rellies it can be very confusing trying to pinpoint the graves especially as in my case there were no grave stones.. 2 or 3 years back leslam very kindly took time out to meet me down at warstone lane armed with her map and she managed to pinpoint all of my froggatt burial places...something i am sure i would not have been able to do...also thanks to key hill brian who found another of my rellies at key hill

all the best

lyn
 
Great news from The Birmingham Post about restoration work to Warstone Lane and Key Hill Cemeteries.

https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/regional-affairs/new-garden-memory-plan-historic-9347151

Work has been done to repair the Catacombs but I didn't see any signs of a Remembrance Garden yet.
Many areas of Warstone are overgrown and neglected now, particularly the "Public" graves by the Mint Wall, also Harry Gem's grave is overgrown with grass and weeds.
Unfortunately I am unable to do much except tidy a few family graves, and for family reasons it's been a long time since my last visit.
rosie.
 
I have 8 family members, Strawbridge, buried in Warstone Lane Cemetery. I have found one grave, Prudence Strawbridge (1818-1892) no headstone or marker but it's near to Harry Gem's grave.

Prudence was my Great Great Great grandmother.

I want to go back in the summer and try to locate them all.
 
Where would I find out about helping with tidying Warstone Lane Cemetery?
Hello Kat7272 ,
The Friends of Key Hill Cemetery & Warstone Lane Cemetery hold regular clean up days and will be attending some open days during the summer.

Guided Tours
Guided Tours are the second Sunday in the month ( except for December )
Tours of Warstone Lane are at 12 O'clock meet at Pitsford Street entrance
Tours of Key Hill Cemetery are at 2pm meet at Island in Cemetery.
Tour Fees :
£3.00 per person per Cemetery.
Children under 16 Free.
Free to paid members of –The Friends of Key Hill Cemetery & Warstone Lane Cemetery Group.

All money from tours, membership, sales & donations go towards the restoration of the graves.
The Friends recently gave a £250.00 donation towards the Constance Naden Appeal.
The Friends are the only group to maintain these two historic cemeteries.
We can also assist those who are looking for their ancestors resting place.

Membership forms to join the - Friends - are available by request.

This is still in its infancy but here is the link to the Friends website: https://friendsofkeyhillcemeterywarstonelanecemetery.wordpress.com/
 
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I have 8 family members, Strawbridge, buried in Warstone Lane Cemetery. I have found one grave, Prudence Strawbridge (1818-1892) no headstone or marker but it's near to Harry Gem's grave.

Prudence was my Great Great Great grandmother.

I want to go back in the summer and try to locate them all.
Hi Kat, Following an initiative with the Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy, who computerised the Key Hill & Warstone Records, Birmingham City Council succeeded in computerising all their Cemetery records making searching for ancestors much easier - https://www.birminghamburialrecords.co.uk/.
Finding the actual graves is a little more difficult since so many working class people were buried in Public Graves with no Headstones, and When The Council took over Warstone Lane, they laid down and buried or destroyed many of those headstones that did exist. SAlso the Grave plan of Warstone Lane does not accurately match the actual Burials. The Grave plan is theoretical, but once Birauls started happening, they often found there was not room where there should be so, some grave at the end of one row on a map, are actually at the start of another row - Many graves are not where people think they are, but are usually close by.
Cemetery clean up never really worked - Few people live anywhere near the cemetery nowadays, and are too busy or elderly to do much, or the times/dates never fit. However, a few people who did find their relatives graves and attend them annually or sometimes more often, started to tend the adjoining graves clearing out weeds, grass, planting a few bulbs, etc - it all makes the grave they have look better with tidy neighbours......
 
hi bo..i read about the constance naden appeal the other day and this is probably a silly question but given that birmingham uni hand out awards in her name has anyone asked them for a donation also has anyone tried to find out if she has any living rellies....nice to hear from you again bo

lyn
 
Hi KHB

Thanks for the link.

So, what would the chances be of a meet up with you in the summer to locate the graves.

I would appreciate your expertise in the matter. It's a shame if I'm thinking the graves are located somewhere that's incorrect.
 
Hello Kat,
I looked up your family on the jqrt.org website and discovered that your Ernest is buried in the same public grave as my 2xgt Grandfather. If you take a look at Brian's post #105 you will see a photo. O 741 is behind this grave, in front of the wall! It's the end one. These are really large public graves. O841 public is farther along towards Harry Gem's as you said, My husband's ancestor is in this one, a small child, very sad.
(It's known as the "Mint Wall" as the Mint was right behind, far below, there are flats built there now.)
I hope this helps.
rosie.
 
Hi Rosie

How interesting, thank you.

How do I look up number 105?

Goodness, who would have thought that both of our relations would have been in the same plot.

I'm quite stunned really!
 
kat it always amazes me how we can have well over 100 plus people buried in one public grave...most of my froggatts are in the publics at warstone lane...i have a couple of harringtons in publics at key hill and a child ancestor in the vaults...

lyn
 
Hi Kat, every post has a number within it's thread, look at the bottom right of the post there's a number with "#" in front. Also there are page numbers, #105 is on page 6.
When you have time try to read this thread through, it's interesting!!...But then I do love Warstone!
rosie.
 
Oh yes, I can see the number, thanks Rosie, I will have a look later. Warstone Lane cemetery has always attracted me, when I think of the times we have been there over the years when I was a teenager in the 80's and up until now. That's a long time to be wondering who is buried in the cemetery and then to find out in 2017 that 8 of my relatives are there!!!!!

Lyn, it's fascinated me learning about the cemetery, Froggatt and Harrington are great names.

All I want to do now is have a lottery win, one of those mega wins like 20 million plus, I would love to be able to spend loads of cash on places in Birmingham like Warstone Lane cemetery, replace all of the paths etc and make it a major Birmingham attraction, if it were allowed of course.
 
Hi KHB

Thanks for the link.

So, what would the chances be of a meet up with you in the summer to locate the graves.

I would appreciate your expertise in the matter. It's a shame if I'm thinking the graves are located somewhere that's incorrect.
Hi Kat, I should be at the meet up in Feb, but no longer have the time to put in as many hours as I did on KH & WL - - it was a 70hrs thankless week, which had to cease as I lost my Mother in Law, Father, Brother & now care for an relative with Dementia due to Alzheimer's. At last, though I am able to put in a an hour or so a day on my own Family tree, which is continuing to grow. Most of my Paperwork on KH & WL was left in the shed for those who few who continued to put some time in. I can help a little, depending upon times/dates. Somewhere within the Fiends (used to be held in the Pen Museum) are over a dozen folders printed in alphabetical order, listing all burials in KH & WL, allowing easy access for those without Internet, and allowing easier look ups up variations in spelling (essential) to help people find grave numbers. If you get your grave numbers, I may be able to help point out where they are at some point. Brian
 
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