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Harborne Pool Tragedy 1929

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rod
  • Start date Start date
I just thought I ought to say........ when in the Archive today, I was asked what pictures I'd taken of the documents, I had filled out the forms. I told the archivist "Oh around 40 or so".... his eyes nearly popped out of his head, I am not sure if there is a limit but I want to transcribe all the paperwork as well as having piccies.
 
Brilliant Rod, I'm glad all the pieces are coming together, and don't you look like your mothers side of the family
:flower: :cat:
 
Im trying to tie in whats going on around them too in Birmingham. There are references to theatre visits....I also want to understand the social situation too. talk about obsesive behaviours 8)
 
:angel: Here's some I have of Vaughton Street also Emily/ Dymoke St's around the same area Rod. hope they are of help. The church is the Anglican High church of.‚.. St Albans the Martyr Conybere Street, and the corner of Stanhope Street, most Anglican people from the area attended this church.
The area was very much like Nechells Rod and had been for over 100 years. In fact my Mom and Dad thoughr we had gone up in the world when we moved to Nechells.
West Door of St. Alban's Church and look out down the green grassy slopes of Conybere Street the view is very different. It would not be easy today to picture what this area of Highgate in Birmingham looked like, but 100 years ago, terraced houses, courts, back-to-back housing were built over a filled-in clay pit known locally as Vaughton's hole.
Housing was cramped, clustered, and claustrophobic, two up, two down for a family of 7.Courts and terraces led into a cul-de-sac of more courts and terraces..‚.. These were serviced by outside water closets or lavatories - approximately three lavatories to six families sited in out-houses built in the centre of each court adjacent to a communal wash house where a family's washing was laundered in public.
 
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Thanks Pom I meant to respond the day you posted but because I was so busy transcribing the coroners reports and pot mortem it all went to the back. I have the picture of Vaughton Street but the others are new to me. They will help to open out the story of their lives a bit more, it's the bit where genealogy takes a back seat and family history comes to the fore.
 
Rod, just wanted you to know my brother and l found out our grandfather committed suicide in 1933, in the canal by the Aston Rezza, we were well into our teens when told, but thats all we were told,no reason or why, but many years later were able to dig deep and luckily family members lived long lives and we able to fill us in on some details. lt seems our g/f was deeply depressed and had tried numerous times to commit suicide and of course the last time he succeded, how sad in those days society did'nt understand depression and of course if one tried to end ones life and did'nt suceed they would be thrown into jail as it was crime,thank goodness times have changed, my g/f was buried in Witton Cemetry and l always visit when l come to Brum,like you we were able to get all info including coroners report and newspaper cuttings.This all happened before l was born but feel so sad for him as from what we know our g/f was a very religous man a staunch Westlyan Methodist and what happened would have been against his beliefs
 
Hi Brenda and thank you so much for sharing that with me........ I wonder how you found his grave? can you tell me if a family member passed the info on. Can you also say if you G/F is buried on the perihery of the cemetary. Any info you have might help in my search. Sorry for the multitude of questions.

Suicide is very sad no matter what the reasons behind it, and it has a profound effect on the families surounding the victim for many years after the event. Once again thanks
 
Rod, years ago you could find a grave in Birmingham by writing to The City of Birmingham Cemeteries and Crematoria, they were at Auchinlock House, Five Ways. I have searched for them since finding the address again. The office is  no longer there, But there is a site that may help, they have records on line that are recent burials, but they also have  paper records, and you can request a serach. I found two gt grnadparent graves, one in 1887, the other in 1918,  and some where those records must still be stored away.

Good luck
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Gener...&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=12915&EXPAND=483
 
:angel: Rod here's another Pic' of the area around Vaughton St.
Sorry it's another Pub 'Prince Of Wales'.
(It was the pub's I was interested in at the time).
However it was just up the road so to speak from Vaughton St.
I have marked 'X' on the map in Red just where it was and you can also see where 'The Emily Arms' was also in realatiion to Vaughton St marked in Blue .
 
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Thanks Di..... Ive talked with the people who manage the records, they told me I have to consult the Archive and do the research myself, or pay and I just dont have the money. Having said that, I'm kind of looking forward to the search process if you know what I mean "The Games Afoot Watson"

Thanks also Chris.... Pubs were an important part of our history for one reason or another so dont be sorry. It's all part of the area and helps to get a feel for the time and the place so thank you.
 
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