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Jane Bunford - tallest woman

postie

postie

The buck stops here
Staff member
In April 1922 Jane Bunford passed away at Bartley Green aged 27 years. Now what’s so special about that, I hear you say?
Nothing much, except that at 7 feet 9 inches she is the tallest Woman the World has known. She was seen to clean the upstairs windows of her cottage whilst standing on the ground.
Her skeleton is on display in Birmingham University Anatomical Museum and her other remains are buried in St Michaels Churchyard at Bartley Green.
Another forgotten milestone for Brum. ;)
 
A fascinating piece of information there postie. I had no idea that the tallest woman in the world hailed from Brum. I shall store that up-stairs for future recollection. BazzM.
 
:angel: Postie wasn't the 'smallest woman' known also buried in St Phillip's too at one time ? I'm sure my Mom pointed the plot out as we were going passed one day when I was about 10/11yrs old. I think it was along that straight path that ran along the Temple Row side of the church.
 
Quite right, Chris, Nanete Stocker was 33 inches tall and is indeed buried in St Phillips Churchyard. O0
 
Hi Every one first time post

My father was born and raised in Bartley Green in 1905 (long since past away) and he used to tell me about Jane Bunford and how she cleaned the windows of the cottage from the pavement.  Every one locally who knew her called her Jinney.  She had a friend called little Emma who was a dwarf and is also buried at Bartley Green cemertery.  My father said it seamed quite strange to see them walking together.  Little Emma also had a brother who was a dwarf, he was known as Billy whistler, he was the local chimney sweep and he had a little dog cart made by the cartmaker in Jiggings Lane that was pulled by a little shetland pony.
 
Thank you John for that account of a piece of our history, first hand from your father. You painted a picture for me.

Welcome to our lovely site. :)
 
john t smith said:
Hi Every one first time post

[My father was born and raised in Bartley Green in 1905 (long since past away) and he used to tell me about Jane Bunford and how she cleaned the windows of the cottage from the pavement..‚.. ]

I have sent you a personal message John. It isn't very often that Bartley Green gets a mention on the Web Ring. The photo attached is of the 'stone' erected in Jane's memory outside Bartley Green Library.
Click to expand...
 
Jane Bunford

Does anyone on this message board know much about Jane Bunford or has known someone who knew her when she was alive?​

Thanks​
 
nice to hear Bartley Green

Hey all,

great to hear "Bartley Green". I lived at Culford Drive for a few years with my grandparents, (who were ex-aston folk) I do seem to remember that the "worlds tallest women" lived there - trust us Brummies to be the biggest and the best. Although on a human note it must have been difficult for a female to deal with being that tall. I have an awful memory and am tyring to remember where the library is?
 
Jane Bunford

[quote. I have an awful memory and am tyring to remember where the library is?[/quote]

The library stands at the top end of Adams Hill(Bartley Green as opposed to Woodgate). The area around Culford Drive is being regenerated; as it's only 55 years old it makes you wonder!! Haven't taken a look lately.

Jane Bunford lived in the long row of cottages opposite the library and was living in Jiggins Lane when she died.
 
Re: Jane Bunford

Kevnasp said:
Does anyone on this message board know much about Jane Bunford or has known someone who knew her when she was alive?​



Thanks​
Click to expand...
My husband is the 3rd cousin of jane bunford her uncle bill was my husbands great grandad my husbands grandmother daisy makinson formely andrews remembered jinny as she was known and used to visit her regulary at the cottage in jiggins lane the story has been told that daisys dad william andrews jinnys uncle buried jinny he carried her coffin and reported when he came home that he didn't believe she was inside as he had buried many dead bodies during the war and he thought that the coffin held bricks , his wife at the time told him to stop talking such nonsence however it appears he was right when the skeleton was discovered many many years later at birmingham univercity
 
We visited Field Lane Grave yard Bartley Green 28th April, 2021. Is this the final resting place of Jane Bunford?
 

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smileysteph said:
Re: Jane Bunford


My husband is the 3rd cousin of jane bunford her uncle bill was my husbands great grandad my husbands grandmother daisy makinson formely andrews remembered jinny as she was known and used to visit her regulary at the cottage in jiggins lane the story has been told that daisys dad william andrews jinnys uncle buried jinny he carried her coffin and reported when he came home that he didn't believe she was inside as he had buried many dead bodies during the war and he thought that the coffin held bricks , his wife at the time told him to stop talking such nonsence however it appears he was right when the skeleton was discovered many many years later at birmingham univercity
Click to expand...
My husbands grandfather was Jane's cousin (William Andrews), Where is her grave now, as the original church has been demolished, I've driven past there often as my daughter lives in Field Lane.
 
bit confused about where jane is buried..post 1 says her skeleton is in the museum and the rest of her remains were buried at st michaels church bartley green...just wondering how her skelton is in one place and some of her remains in another place...does anyone know is jane married also see post 14

lyn
 
Linda4smith said:
My husbands grandfather was Jane's cousin (William Andrews), Where is her grave now, as the original church has been demolished, I've driven past there often as my daughter lives in Field Lane.
Click to expand...
The old churchyard still exists at the corner of Field Lane and Genners Lane- that is where the photos in post #14 must have been taken. I think it is accessed from a path off Field Lane.
I have to say that n 4 years at college opposite and getting of the bus in Field Lane I never knew the churchyard was there.
 
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jan i was trying to read that headstone think it says jane dearly beloved wife of charles bunford died 1913 but all info i have read says she died in 1922

lyn
 
Sorry Lyn - I was answering post #15 but the post with the photos does just say "is this the last resting place"? So perhaps it isn't - all the info on the link says is her funeral service was at St Michaels.
 
There is a tree on Ancestry with a better picture and it suggests that stone is the memorial of Jane Bunford wife of Charles but that her maiden name was Inston - so a different person. The tallest woman was born a Bunford and died a Bunford so no marriage.
 
pjmburns said:
Sorry Lyn - I was answering post #15 but the post with the photos does just say "is this the last resting place"? So perhaps it isn't - all the info on the link says is her funeral service was at St Michaels.
Click to expand...
no i dont think it could be janes grave jan...just a coinsidence about the name i think..also all the info i have read does not say that jane married

lyn
 
Regarding Jane Bunford’s grave, a gravedigger was interviewed in 1972 who identified what he believed to be Jane’s original grave (1922) in the graveyard on Field Lane (gravedigger interview video). A book was published last year (The Quirky Guide to Birmingham) which tracked down the same grave and showed a photograph. The grave is still unmarked as it was in 1972. The exact location of the grave was stated as being here (grave location). Jane’s skeleton was returned to her relatives in 2005 by the University of Birmingham and buried in an undisclosed, possibly separate, grave.
 
thanks for that info brummagem bab thats very interesting....hope you enjoy the forum

lyn
 
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