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Key Hill Cemetery - Birmingham in Bloom
- Thread starter Key Hill Brian
- Start date
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
I didn't know you had planted many other volunteers - no wonder we are always short handed??
How long does it take to raise a new crop of volunteers - I can't wait for the picking season - will be be pick your own?
How long does it take to raise a new crop of volunteers - I can't wait for the picking season - will be be pick your own?
W
Wendy
Guest
Well I thought it was a good idea at the time
when do you think they will start sprouting..
We must be desparate to try and grow volunteers:cry:
when do you think they will start sprouting..We must be desparate to try and grow volunteers:cry:
i would just like to give a big thanks to brian for finding a rellie of mine who is buried at key hill...today i obtained what i was hoping would be her death cert to marry up the info bri had given me and the info i had and it all matches....the rellie was my dads aunties child.. she was born and died on the same day but not stillborn...i will now be going to key hill to lay flowers for her as i know she has been sadly neglected...
thank you again bri i owe you a pint tomorrow....
lyn
thank you again bri i owe you a pint tomorrow....
lyn
W
Wendy
Guest
Oh Lyn thats fantastic news as I know how long you have been searching. Well done Brian I think you have made Lyn's day!
lynne webb
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Brilliant news Lyn, so sad but at least you know what happened. So pleased for you.
Lynne.
Lynne.
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Just got back in from KH, put 4 builders bags of 'spare' leaf litter into our hole just to get it used to the compost coming!
Whilst at it I took a pic of one of the Publics T9
View attachment 68687
Whilst at it I took a pic of one of the Publics T9
View attachment 68687
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
View attachment 68688The other side is not so weathered!
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
View attachment 68689Sadly, erosion has taken most of the names, it is still possible to work out who some of them are, but most of the 55 (on avaerage) buried here, are not recorded - Inscriptions were an expensive add on cost.
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
View attachment 68690AS you can see - they are clearly visible from Vyse St Stn - next time you are on the train or tram - spare a thought.....
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
View attachment 68691This area at the bottom of the sloping path, at the end of the vaults has recently been cleared of the excessive spread of Ivy, rleaving surplus leaf litter behind that had been trapped within.
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
View attachment 68692 which has now been carefully transported into the Flower bed and lightly forked in, to acclimatise the bed to the sweeter, heavier, well rotted stuff that will be (hopefully) be taking up residence at the weekend!
Hi Brian. Some very nice work achieved on all of this. Enjoyed the Beadles Hut excavation very much. Thanks for your entertaining descriptions as the story unfolded. Seems sad to fill in the 'ole. Can you tell me what a Public T9 is please? It's something that I've not heard before. Viv
oh bri thanks everso for those pics of T9 where the baby harrington is buried...it matters not that there is no inscription for her..i shall be down to see if i can in anyway tidy up the area and place flowers for her...
thanks again bri...you are a diamond...
lyn
thanks again bri...you are a diamond...
lyn
Ohhhh so does "Publics T9" mean a public grave and T9 is the site reference? Silly me :headhit: ... Lyn it's so good you've found the grave. Viv.
hi viv..yes T9 is the ref to where the grave is...myself and another family member have been searching for 2 years for baby harrington as all we had was her birth cert which does give her a first name..we could not find out what happened to her after that and then the other day quite by chance on list of harrington deaths for 1945 at key hill i spotted an entry for female infant harrington 1945...thats all i had to go on..helped by brian checking the records for me at handsworth i then found a death for infant harrington 1945..rushed up to get a copy this morning and everything fits....
lyn
lyn
That's good Lynn, I'm glad for you. This sort of outcome makes all those efforts worthwhile. Viv
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Sorry - been away for me tea. T9 is Section T Grave No. 9.
In this case it is 4 graves that share a communal headstone. The graves of this type are called Public Graves - They are not personal graves owned freehold by a person or family. They are Public usage graves used by the more normal (and a few not quite so normal) working class types who can only afford to rent a space in a larger, friendlier Communal grave.
These partyicular Key Hill graves can be 40 feet deep, brick lined - very much storage rooms in the ground! Each can have up to 5 bodies side by side, similar to a tin of sardines (Very friendly old game where you snuggled up in the wardrobe, etc, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
and could have up to a dozen 'layers'. Each of the 4 graves is filled in turn (it doesn't take too long with burials often several times a day, 5 days a week), once they are all full, everyone who has paid extra for the privilege has there named inscribed on the headstone which is placed at the junstion of all 4 graves. Each side of the headstone has 2 columns, 1 per grave, with the grave number at the top.
All very close & compact, very much as the housing was. Think of as renting a room in a block of flats, rather than buying your own freehold deatched plot!
They have become overgrown since the Council does not weed, only has the grass strimmed, and weedkileer sprayed now and than. We did plant blue Hyacinths in each quarter 2 years ago, but I only found out this year, they slowly revert back to bluebells!
All are welcome to come, weed, plant bulbs, etc. Or justr come and have a chat or a ponder. Since some of these are visible from the metro/train station overbridge, you can stand and stare for a moment and just reflect from afar.
Every grave is someone and so long as they are in your thoughts, they still exist. It brings part of the cemetery to life knowing people who knew people..
I am glad that we have reunited yet another family - my pleasure Lynne.
Brian
In this case it is 4 graves that share a communal headstone. The graves of this type are called Public Graves - They are not personal graves owned freehold by a person or family. They are Public usage graves used by the more normal (and a few not quite so normal) working class types who can only afford to rent a space in a larger, friendlier Communal grave.
These partyicular Key Hill graves can be 40 feet deep, brick lined - very much storage rooms in the ground! Each can have up to 5 bodies side by side, similar to a tin of sardines (Very friendly old game where you snuggled up in the wardrobe, etc, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
and could have up to a dozen 'layers'. Each of the 4 graves is filled in turn (it doesn't take too long with burials often several times a day, 5 days a week), once they are all full, everyone who has paid extra for the privilege has there named inscribed on the headstone which is placed at the junstion of all 4 graves. Each side of the headstone has 2 columns, 1 per grave, with the grave number at the top.
All very close & compact, very much as the housing was. Think of as renting a room in a block of flats, rather than buying your own freehold deatched plot!
They have become overgrown since the Council does not weed, only has the grass strimmed, and weedkileer sprayed now and than. We did plant blue Hyacinths in each quarter 2 years ago, but I only found out this year, they slowly revert back to bluebells!
All are welcome to come, weed, plant bulbs, etc. Or justr come and have a chat or a ponder. Since some of these are visible from the metro/train station overbridge, you can stand and stare for a moment and just reflect from afar.
Every grave is someone and so long as they are in your thoughts, they still exist. It brings part of the cemetery to life knowing people who knew people..
I am glad that we have reunited yet another family - my pleasure Lynne.
Brian
pollypops
master brummie
Lyn, I am so pleased that you have found the grave of your baby relative I know how you feel as I too have a baby relative buried in a public grave in key Hill. I was so pleased when I found out where she was buried. Her name is not on the headstone - like many of the people buried in the public graves - but I know where she is and that is all that matters.
Well done Brian for finding another lost relative.
I know how you feel as I too have a baby relative buried in a public grave in key Hill. I was so pleased when I found out where she was buried. Her name is not on the headstone - like many of the people buried in the public graves - but I know where she is and that is all that matters. Well done Brian for finding another lost relative.
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Hi Polly,
The relatives are not lost - they know where they are well enough - I think they are just keeping their heads down, not knowing how the family has turned out!
The relatives are not lost - they know where they are well enough - I think they are just keeping their heads down, not knowing how the family has turned out!
pollypops
master brummie
That is so true Brian - but they can't hide for long with you on the case!
I noticed on the photos you posted, there are some wooden crosses with names on - what are they?
And please don't say "wooden crosses with names on" lol
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
All cemeteries allow 'temporary' grave markers, at a cost, usually whilst waiting for the relative to settle in before dropping 1/2 a ton of granite on their head!
They should be provided via the cemetery - as in the case of Harry Gem, or via an undertaker or memorial mason. There is often a charge for installing them.
They should last for only 2 years and than be removed, or replaced with a 'proper' headstone.
In Warstone lane & Key Hill, however, we have an understanding that the 2 year rule is 'flexible' especially in unmarked Public Graves, where there is no headstone possible. The understanding is that the temporary markers or Crosses, be professional, tasteful and maintained in good order. The gold coloured ones can be obtained from handsworth for about £50. Wooden ones with brass plates etc, can be more expensive.
Some people however, still make their own, and handpaint the details on. I fear these may not last long after Cemetery Inspections, which at present do not occur regularly.
The temporary markers are a good way of remembering those without an inscription - some are shown on the Friends facebook page.
The Friends are considering placing handsworth gold markers, similar to Harry Gem, for those notables on the tours who have no surviving headstone.
Brian
They should be provided via the cemetery - as in the case of Harry Gem, or via an undertaker or memorial mason. There is often a charge for installing them.
They should last for only 2 years and than be removed, or replaced with a 'proper' headstone.
In Warstone lane & Key Hill, however, we have an understanding that the 2 year rule is 'flexible' especially in unmarked Public Graves, where there is no headstone possible. The understanding is that the temporary markers or Crosses, be professional, tasteful and maintained in good order. The gold coloured ones can be obtained from handsworth for about £50. Wooden ones with brass plates etc, can be more expensive.
Some people however, still make their own, and handpaint the details on. I fear these may not last long after Cemetery Inspections, which at present do not occur regularly.
The temporary markers are a good way of remembering those without an inscription - some are shown on the Friends facebook page.
The Friends are considering placing handsworth gold markers, similar to Harry Gem, for those notables on the tours who have no surviving headstone.
Brian