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Key Hill Cemetery

As most of you know I am very fond of this cemetery and try and help when I can but I am in complete admiration of people like Brian and Colin. The cemetery has been completely transformed over the last few years because of their dedication working to tidy the cemetery. I am so pleased you enjoyed your visit hifigary. I love to see people enjoying this beautiful tranquil place so close to the city. The only wish I have is a visitor centre. It's a shame there is no chapel or building where information on the residents could be displayed. Oh well maybe one day.
 
hifigary, I am so pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Key Hill - I visited it for the first time last September and very quickly became smitten with the place. Brian and Colin work really hard to keep the cemetery looking tidy so that visitors can enjoy walking round it. I too wish there was a visitors centre there - it would be lovely. I hope you visit again one day - perhaps in the spring when all the bulbs (hopefully) come up
Polly
 
I have recently moved into an apartment near there, so do plan to go again. Next time with a
camera. It was freezing cold and hats off to whoever it was cleaning up (sorry, I did not ask his
name). It was only helped by a couple of pints to warm up in the Lord Clifton on the way home :)

This weekend I think I will visit Warstone Cemetry and try to find the Druid grave. (with a visit
to the Red Lion opposite - can you see a theme in these visits yert?)

Gary
 
I bet the man you met was our Brian he is on the forum as Key Hill Brian!
 
Yes, it was me, doing a little, despite the frost! - giving it a miss today as it's totally white here at present.

As I mentioned to Gary, We have a clean up day on the 30th Jan - 10-3 or whenever, if anyone fancies coming along and working off the remains of the Xmas pud!

I'm not sure what the Committee would like done, it depends on whether the Contractors come back to finish shifting the leaves, if not we may need to do it.

There are a lot of twigs / branches lying around to be collected up, and I would like to note the graves with wreathes / flowers on (50 at last count!) so we can give them a wash & spruce up during the spring, and again before next Christmas. We are trying to get them all tidy, but if we can keep an eye on those that are visited by relatives, we can move on to their neighbours, and get little pockets as examples to encourage more people to bring a small trowel or fork with them when they visit.
If you want to take a weed or two home on each occasion as a souvenir - please feal free!

For those who have not visited Key Hill, please pop along - It's tghe most peaceful, tranquil place for miles around.

Brian
 
When you have taken some photos don't forget to post them on here so we can all have a look at them. (Yes I can see a theme in your visits - enjoy yourself!)
Polly
hifigary said:
I have recently moved into an apartment near there, so do plan to go again. Next time with a
camera. It was freezing cold and hats off to whoever it was cleaning up (sorry, I did not ask his
name). It was only helped by a couple of pints to warm up in the Lord Clifton on the way home :)

This weekend I think I will visit Warstone Cemetry and try to find the Druid grave. (with a visit
to the Red Lion opposite - can you see a theme in these visits yert?)


Gary
Click to expand...
 
Here are some photo's taken today in the snow at Key Hill Cemetery as always Brian was there to help clear the snow off our family grave.:)

100_2203.JPG
 
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Nice photos Wendy - Brian doing sterling work as usual, whatever the weather!
At least the residents are well insulated underneath all that snow.
 
Well done wend thanks for taking the trouble to go to Key Hill not an easy journey from Tamworth in this weather!! (nice photos)
 
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Michael volunteered to take me I just wanted to see it with snow on the ground........brill.
 
Just shout when you want to go! I am hoping he will take me to the "Birmingham Lives" at the Art Gallery tomorrow just have to ask him...........lol
 
Cheer Wend/Michael Got Courtney PETE'S WORKING. so perhaps another time cheers.....
 
Thanks for posting those photos Wendy. I have really enjoyed looking at them - Key Hill looks lovely in the snow! Seeing all the ice on the headstones makes you realise how lovely it would be to get them all stood up again - all that ice is going to spoil them eventually.
Polly
 
This is an interesting memorial I took a photo of yesterday.

George Perks of The Grange Perry Barr Died Dec 28 1892 aged 88. I am not sure what his profession or business was but his wife was the daughter of Pen Maker Joseph Gillott. The memorial has an inscription which I found interesting.

We bequeathed a sum of money for a memorial stained window and for the restoration of the west end of the south aisle of Aston Church as a monument to the memory of his wife and himself.

This shows that some who supported the Church of England were also buried at Key Hill which was a mainly non conformist cemetery.
 
Here is the Will of George Perks it seems he was a Glass and Lead merchant. The couple also received an allowance from the Gillott family but this stopped after Maria's death. I wonder if there is a photo anywhere of 'The Grange Perry Barr'.



GAZETTE 8th March 1893

WILL OF THE LATE MR GEORGE PERKS

The value has been sworn at £39,790 10s 10d of the personal estate of the late Mr George Perks of the Grange, Perry Barr, who died on December 26yh last, and of whose will dated 25th July 1892 with codicils said October 2nd, 6th and 16th 1892, the executors are his cousins Mr Robert William Perks, of Claverley, Chislehurst MP and his nephew Mr. Robert Perks Yates of Lyndhurst, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham, Edge Tool manufacturer, to whom the testator bequeaths £1000. He leaves in trust for Harriet Hartley Cooper £2000, for Alice Potts £1000, for Susan Jane Darlaston £3000, for Harriet Yates Perks £3500 for Robert Hartley Perks £3500, to William Sutton £100. To his servant James Longland £100 and other legacies. All the residue of his property Mr Perks left upon trusts for his sister Sarah Jane Burgess of Melbourne, Victoria and her children.



Mr R P Yates, as one of the executors of his late uncle Mr Perks had informed him that it was the intention of the executors to set aside the sum of £1,000 towards a memorial to the deceased gentleman and or suggestion of Canon Eliot, Mr Yates had persuaded his co-executors to devote his sum towards the restoration of the south side of the parish church. There was also a legacy of £200 left to the vicar and churchwardens during the past year to be used to some church purpose yet to be decided upon. This bought up the grand total of money contributed for church extension during the past twelve months to £3570 less lety of £200. The vicar suggested it would be desirable before the meeting of the church congress in Birmingham, to try to finish both aisles of the church and also the memorial home to accomplish which £3000 more was required. He is conclusion appealed for funds in order to allow him to complete the work church extension so much needed in the growing district like Aston.

George also left some valuable books to Mr R.K. Dent librarian at Aston Free library after his death
 
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hi polly ive been searching for pics of the grange to to no avail as yet...if we can find out exactly where it is i may have better luck...

wend i found this a most interesting read..thanks for posting it...

lyn
 
I have done a bit more digging and it seems 'The Grange' was on The Aldridge Road Perry Barr. I am not sure how big the house was though.
 
hi wend..well that narrows it down a bit then...i was just thinking that on the left hand side coming from the dog track there are one or two quite large houses that would certainly have been there when george perks lived at the grange. one of them is a hotel now..just a thought and may be worth while trying to find out if there was a number to the house...

lyn
 
hi polly...well i had not seen this...its seems geo perks has caused quite a bit of interest:)im off to hunt old pics of aldridge road now..:rolleyes:

thanks polly..

lyn
 
Hi Polly yes I did read this it gave me the extra info. I like to do this it brings the families in the cemetery back to life.....so to speak!
 
Key Hill Brian said:
Yes, it was me, doing a little, despite the frost! - giving it a miss today as it's totally white here at present.

As I mentioned to Gary, We have a clean up day on the 30th Jan - 10-3 or whenever, if anyone fancies coming along and working off the remains of the Xmas pud!

I'm not sure what the Committee would like done, it depends on whether the Contractors come back to finish shifting the leaves, if not we may need to do it.

There are a lot of twigs / branches lying around to be collected up, and I would like to note the graves with wreathes / flowers on (50 at last count!) so we can give them a wash & spruce up during the spring, and again before next Christmas. We are trying to get them all tidy, but if we can keep an eye on those that are visited by relatives, we can move on to their neighbours, and get little pockets as examples to encourage more people to bring a small trowel or fork with them when they visit.
If you want to take a weed or two home on each occasion as a souvenir - please feal free!

For those who have not visited Key Hill, please pop along - It's tghe most peaceful, tranquil place for miles around.

Brian
Click to expand...
I thought I would bring this up to the top in case anyone fancies some exercise on Saturday.:D
 
We had a great time at the Key Hill Cemetery clear up day. It was lovely to see Pollypops and Richard. The turn out was quite good considering the cold weather. I have to say it was just right and we didn't get cold at all. Thanks for the support!:):)

Key_Hill_clear_up_2010.jpg
Key_Hill_clear_up_2010__2.jpg
Key_Hill_clear_up_day_2010___6.jpg
 
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I agree Wendy - we did have a great time yesterday and the weather was perfect. It was lovely to be out in the fresh air doing something useful. I can't believe how many leaves we managed to put into bags and still have time for a laugh. Hubby and I really enjoyed ourselves. I can highly recommend Key Hill clear up days if you want some fresh air, exercise and a laugh.
Lovely photos.... now where is that one of you?????
Polly :)
 
Key_Hill_clear_up_day_2010___5.jpg
Key_Hill_clear_up_day_2010__
Key_Hill_clear_up_day_2010__7.jpg
This is the one pollypops.:) Just to prove I was there!:beam:

Key_Hill_clear_up_2010__8.jpg
 
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