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Public graves at Warstone Lane

Hi I am a new member. I have discover that my baby brother who was born in 1948 and only lived 12 hours is buried in the public grave K-18. This thread has been so informative but the only picture I cannot find in the thread is a picture of K-18. I was wondering if anyone may have one?
 
just had a look at post 18 and yes its a shame that a photo of k18 is the only one missing but if you intend on visiting it should not be hard to locate ..it will be the slab in the middle of k17 and k19 i would think

lyn
 
Hello Pepper, I think a couple of those slabs are missing on that side, Key Hill Brian will know if he spots this thread. It may be that they were covered in that horrible ivy, there has been some work done above the catacombs so here's hoping!
Not all the names are included on those slabs for various reasons and many could not afford to have it done.
rosie.
 
rosie said:
Hello Pepper, I think a couple of those slabs are missing on that side, Key Hill Brian will know if he spots this thread. It may be that they were covered in that horrible ivy, there has been some work done above the catacombs so here's hoping!
Not all the names are included on those slabs for various reasons and many could not afford to have it done.
rosie.
Click to expand...
The slabs have all been cleared off now - so should be clearly visible. Passed by a few days ago - looks different with the railings up - cannot just walk in from anywhere now! Builders were on site and paths were a mess - they have cleared that stubborn ivy from the catacomb wall, repaired the wall where it was propped up =- looks awful, new parapet edging around the catacombs - stands out! and new fencing inside the parapet - very modern, ugly - but stops anyone from jumping off - so H&S are OK - If you pop down now you will be able to check out the headstone - but it will on;ly have a dozen or so names on it - those who pay - hundreds buried in there are not listed
 
leslam said:
Took advantage of sunshine yesterday (and no leaves on the tree!) to get a better picture of B 1792. Click the image to enlarge it.
View attachment 74547
Click to expand...
Hello Not sure if I am doing this correctly. My gtgtgrandfather is in G1020. It cost him£1+15s in 1875 so I am hoping there may be a stone. His name is. James McCulloch or McCullock. I would be sooooo grateful if anyone knows anything!
 
1875
MCCULLOCK James
19381
G 1020

19381 is the record number I think.
I can't find any info about a stone as it looks as if it might be a public grave.
see here for where I found the info

Burials

Website of the Jewellery Quarter Research Group
www.jqrt.org

If you enter his name in the first search option and the click on the smll green rectangle you get more info. McCullock gave me two options.
1636372452618.png
 
Last edited:
pjmburns said:
1875
MCCULLOCK James
19381
G 1020

19381 is the record number I think.
I can't find any info about a stone as it looks as if it might be a public grave.
see here for where I found the info

Burials

Website of the Jewellery Quarter Research Group
www.jqrt.org

If you enter his name in the first search option and the click on the smll green rectangle you get more info. McCullock gave me two options.
View attachment 163526
Click to expand...
19381 means he is the 19,381st record in the register. G 10120 is the Grave number - area on Pittsford St, next area down from Section H which borders Pittsford St & Vyse St. Very few gravestones in the area
 
Kpd21 said:
Thanks for explaining !
Click to expand...
The Registers (held at Handsworth Cemetery start at Burial 1and are continued (even today there are odd burials in existing family plots). If the Burial is in a Public Grave, Midland Ancestors (ex BMSGH) have on their computer in Margaret St the ability to list all in a known single grave - The burial register number gives you an idea of where in the pile your relative is - some graves have many hundreds of burials over time in them - and can be very deep)!
 
Hi - hope you can help me. Im looking for whether there is a headstone for my great great grandmother Esther Hudson and dont know where to even where she is interred at this cemetary. I have the Birmingham Cu=church of England cemetery record (assuming burial but Im not certain). She is down as number 91363 Jan 1930. Number of grace 1429 section P (I think - but the handwriting makes it difficult). Does anyone have a map of this area please????
 
Lily_Mae said:
Hi - hope you can help me. Im looking for whether there is a headstone for my great great grandmother Esther Hudson and dont know where to even where she is interred at this cemetary. I have the Birmingham Cu=church of England cemetery record (assuming burial but Im not certain). She is down as number 91363 Jan 1930. Number of grace 1429 section P (I think - but the handwriting makes it difficult). Does anyone have a map of this area please????
Click to expand...
It will be behind the wall that is at the rear of the old Mint building. No headstones on Public Graves.
 
Key Hill Brian said:
It will be behind the wall that is at the rear of the old Mint building. No headstones on Public Graves.
Click to expand...
Thank you Brian. Im now a bit baffled, as was hoping there would be a headstone and some family info on the headstone. the death cert is odd to say the least. She died at home in Heaton Street, she lived with her son and his wife and her daughter in law was present at her death, and she lived with family all her life (I cant find a marriage certificate for her sister and her husband who she lived with - they were noted as married on all census records) and I know she had 2 children. But her marital situation is peculiar to say the least. Did people lie on death certificates for fear of shame? Different times I guess and I guess I will never know. But its very very odd.
 
Sometimes people lied, sometimes they were mistaken and sometimes things were just assumed and not noticed because not everyone could read or right.

Your thread had some answers/theories...

- Hudson Family - Hockley

I have trouble tracing my direct ancestors family and would be interested in peoples thoughts. last firm census record was 1851 George Hudson - 35 Relationship: Head Occupation Sword Grinder. Lived with this wife Esther 35 and their children, William [15-Sword Grinder]...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Lily_Mae said:
Thank you Brian. Im now a bit baffled, as was hoping there would be a headstone and some family info on the headstone. the death cert is odd to say the least. She died at home in Heaton Street, she lived with her son and his wife and her daughter in law was present at her death, and she lived with family all her life (I cant find a marriage certificate for her sister and her husband who she lived with - they were noted as married on all census records) and I know she had 2 children. But her marital situation is peculiar to say the least. Did people lie on death certificates for fear of shame? Different times I guess and I guess I will never know. But its very very odd.
Click to expand...
Hi Lily Mae, Headstones were and still are expensive, as are private graves. Most working class people struggle with day to day living, and there fore can only afford, a Public Grave, This is akin to "renting" a room in a tower block of flats instead of owning a detached house.
May of the public graves in P section at Warstone Lane (from memory) have been used several times. They are very deep - contain scores of burials, than after several decades (once everyone has "settled down", they are reopened and "topped up" with score more. Some have been used several times and contain several hundred people. the cheapest burials you could afford. Midland Ancestors has catalogued the occupants of each grave, the Burial numbers are in sequence, so a full list of the grave occupants show the burial order.
Even Churchyards, would clear areas of the graveyard and burial all remains in one small plot, put the headstones against a wall or down as a path, than refill the area.
The majority of people in the Public Cemeteries are actually in unmarked graves, nowadays with cremation, it is even more so, where ashes are "scattered"

Many elderly relatives end up living with a son or daughter in their old age, especially when they can no longer work, and have no Old Age Pension, Housing Benefits, Universal Credit, etc.
Very differant lifestyles to today.
 
Key Hill Brian said:
Picture earlier on thread of flat stone over Vault by Leslam, also a sketch of where it is.
These Vaults were reopened after Birmingham City Council took over the Cemetery and than "Topped up" mostly with the Councils burials of Still born children, and the elderly impoverished dying in hospital with council funerals, but also available as the cheapest burials for those working class with little cash to spare..
Click to expand...
 
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