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Key Hill Cemetery

Hi, I'm new here, and not sure where would be the best place to post this question, but you obviously know a lot about the cemetery.
My twin was stillborn at Dudley Road hospital in 1953, and as here and Warstone Lane are the nearest cemeteries to it, I wondered what the chances were of trying to trace the grave, and where I would start?
 
Hello Alexis. This is a difficult question as many still born children were buried unnamed often listed as stillborn child. The date you have given would suggest maybe Witton Cemetery as at this time Key Hill Cemetery was privately owned. It may help if you have a death certificate. You could possibly email Witton with the death date and name. I have to admit I don't know a lot on this subject but maybe if you give me a surname I could check the records I have, sadly these don't include Witton.
 
Alexis I think I have found your twin in Warstone Lane. I will send details in an IM.
 
In the 1950's, The Council appear to have used Warstone Lane for the burial of most of the Stillborn & early deaths of children, along with the impoverished elderly from the cities hospitals.
They had reopened Public Vaults around the edge of the catacombs, which dated from 1900-1920's. The vaults have memorial stones dating from that time, and no new memorials were created for the 1950 occupants.
Many of the impoverished elderly were placed in reopened public graves at the rear of the mint buildings.

They were amongst the last brummies to be interred in Warstone Lane, before the Council wound it down, apart from the very occasional ones in family graves nowadays.

Brian
 
Alexis,

Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry have filmed the internment registers for Key Hill and Warstone Lane and offer a search service. In the first instance you should contact Mrs. Yvonne Harrison on yh_uci@btinternet.com.
 
I have found 3 Charles Leaver's in Key Hill 1851,1877,1888. There is also a Charles Sidney Leaver buried 1890.
 
Perhaps the poster would like to volunteer more info.
There was an artist Charles Leaver 1889-1951
I have also seen a work by Charles Leaver dated 1869 so it appear they are a family of Artists.

Just had a look at census the one buried in Key Hill appears to be Charles Leaver born 1825 Birmingham died 1888 age 63
living in 1871 Heath road ,Harbourne,described as Landscape painter
 
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Thanks for the information Alberta that has narrowed it down. The grave is in section D grave no 121.

Here is the memorial inscription.

In memory of Charles Leaver who died March 5th 1888 aged 63 years. Also Susannah Maria his wife who died December 2nd 1889 aged 66 years. Also of Mary Eliza Leaver who passed away March 19th 1906 aged 64 years. "I know my redeemer liveth." Also of George Leaver who died September 7th 1911 in his 76th year. Notes flat slab broken.
 
Hi Charlie
I found my father's grave in Yardley cemetery - he died in 1951. There isn't a stone and I only found the exact location because I had the number of the grave, and the graves either side had head stones with their numbers on. (hope that makes sense).
I had taken garden tools with me and some plants so I set to and dug the grave over - in doing so I discovered the edging tiles, they had sank well below the surface. I reinstated them, planted a boarder and at a later date took some turf and created a small garden. Of course, if I at some time in the future I can afford I will purchase a headstone.

Regards
Shirley
 
Hi Wendy
Thanks for the information. The Charles Leaver who died in 1888 is the one. I have many pictures of his paintings which I found on Christmas cards, some I have had mounted and framed (probably the nearest I will ever have to the real thing).
some years ago I met the great grandaughter of Charles (Lilian Dutton), she had a portrait of him painted in oils by his son-in-law, Frederick Edwin Davies (Lilian's Grandfather). Lilian was kind enough to have her son take a close-up photograph of the portrait for me. I was able to give Lilian and her family a lot of information that they did not know and between us were were able to draw up a family tree.
I am disappointed that the organised walks through Key Hill Cemetery are no longer taking place as I would have been very interested in taking part.

Regards
Shirley
 
Shirley, what you did to your fathers grave is exactly what my brother and l did to our g/parents grave in Witton cemetry...after digging around we found the scalloped edge surround and cleaned it all out, it had'nt been attended to since 1933 so you can imagine what it was like.. luckily we had got the grave number at the office at the Witton office,also found out our grtgrd/parents were buried there to....after l came back to Texas my brother planted bulbs etc so hopefully they will last awhile....but now my brothers past one it maybe awhile if it ever gets attended to again.....Brenda
 
LADY LEAVER said:
Hi Wendy
Thanks for the information. The Charles Leaver who died in 1888 is the one. I have many pictures of his paintings which I found on Christmas cards, some I have had mounted and framed (probably the nearest I will ever have to the real thing).
some years ago I met the great grandaughter of Charles (Lilian Dutton), she had a portrait of him painted in oils by his son-in-law, Frederick Edwin Davies (Lilian's Grandfather). Lilian was kind enough to have her son take a close-up photograph of the portrait for me. I was able to give Lilian and her family a lot of information that they did not know and between us were were able to draw up a family tree.
I am disappointed that the organised walks through Key Hill Cemetery are no longer taking place as I would have been very interested in taking part.

Regards
Shirley
Click to expand...
Hello Shirley
How wonderful you have all this information on Charles and the family. The next time I visit Key Hill I will take a photo for you.
If you would like to visit the cemetery I can always meet you there and take you round.
There is an archive for Key Hill residents at The Pen Room (Pen Museum) in the Jewellery Quarter. It would be lovely to include Charles and any info you would like to share.
It is sad about the walks but it is done by volunteers and is a great commitment. I did one once for the forum maybe I should do another.
 
Hi Lady Leaver,

Just got in and am downloading pics taken today, including the D121 Leaver headstaone in key - Broken by vehicles avoiding a bent tree, but still readable - will upload once my PC has finished downloading the.

However - where did you hear that the guided tours have ceased?????

They have increased since they now occur EVERY month, not just the fine weather ones!

Always the 2nd Sunday of the Month. Both Cemeteries now take 2 hours each. Warstone Lane 12-2, Key Hill 2-4 less the time taken to drive round to!

these are on our leaflets, available in Libraries & some Museums and the Vyse St Tourist Info & the Pen Room Museum.

Next Tour is Sunday 12 the June - same day as the History Fair at Holloway Head, subsequent ones are July 10th, August 14th, September 11th (Heritage Weekend), October 9th, November 13th, December 11th.

Private tours for individuals and/or groups are by arrangement with Richard Beardall, Secretary 0793 1167655. Weekends preferred, but in the week subject to shifts and/or other volunteer guides being available.

If you have any problems with guided tours let him, me or Wendy know please, so it can be rectified asap.

On another note, now we know we have another known artist in Key Hill, any chance of a summary of his life/works, with photyocopies or similar of the paintings that you have?
He can be added to the tour, or at least included in the Dispaly, Archive material we have.
We are also currently writing short biographies of notable to be included in the English Heritage Parks & Gardens Database (Key Hill is listed as a grade 2*).

many thanks

Brian
 
Thank you so much Brian - So easy for me to find, not far from the gate. Can you tell me what the name of that road is please.

Regards Shirley
 
Hi Shirley, the gate in the pic is the entrance in Key Hill, off Great Hampton St - the main road from Brum to West Brom.
If you enter via Icknield St gate, turn immediately left and go straight up the hill you than come to where the pic was taken, before reaching the Key Hill entrance.

Why did you think the guided tours had ceased?? They are a main source of income for the restoration of monuments by the Friends now the membership has dropped a littel?

Brian
 
Hi Brian
Thanks for the directions. Wendy said that the man who organised the tours (or was it walks? maybe they are they two different things?) had died.

With reference to Charles Leaver - I would love to do a write-up on him and photocopy the cards - I will also copy the picture of the portrait of Charles, painted in oils by his son-in-law, Frederick Edwin Davies - I'll make a start on that soon.

Regards
Shirley
 
HI Shirley, the current Secretary, Richard Beardall 0793 1167655 is the main tour guide organiser. He's trying to get a few other members trained as guides to help cover the booked tours long with the local history groups we get.
I was with him today - we've been digging out for a new flower bed for Birmingham in Bloom. He would be happy to take you around if you are frree at weekends (he works shiftsin the week), or in the week by arrangement, if you are uncomfortable with the organised tours.

By chance Carl Chinn and his wife was in there this morning - he's never done a tour either! Showed him Joseph Chamberlain and he'll come back another time for the full tour!
 
LADY LEAVER said:
Hi Brian
Thanks for the directions. Wendy said that the man who organised the tours (or was it walks? maybe they are they two different things?) had died.

With reference to Charles Leaver - I would love to do a write-up on him and photocopy the cards - I will also copy the picture of the portrait of Charles, painted in oils by his son-in-law, Frederick Edwin Davies - I'll make a start on that soon.

Regards
Shirley
Click to expand...

The man who passed away was Arthur Smith who did the ghost walks nothing to do with the cemeteries he just did ghost walks. The cemetery tours are totally different and a source of income to the "Friends". I do hope no one else has confused these events.
 
Spent a lovely afternoon at Key Hill Cemetery in search of Charles Reece Pembertons grave (1790-1840). Eventually with the help of Brian and Michael we located the place and just my luck it was at the base of a tree. I did a little digging and found some memorial fragments which we believed belonged to the grave. Her are Brian and myself trying to decipher the letters while Michael sat with the memorial inscription kindly found by our Polly....what a great joint effort!

This is a piece about Charles Pemberton Actor and Lecturer from(Mastoris 1991)
Having been seized by a press gang in 1807, he served seven years in the Royal Navy.
He later gave a series of recitals and readings and was noted for his ability to portray moods and activities with the minimum of stage apparatus and with a little or no change of costume. He was noted as a very fine Shakespearian actor.
Thanks to Polly for the research..:)

Charles_Reece_Pemberton~0.jpg
 
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Wendy, I am so pleased you have found Charles Reece Pemberton's grave.:):)
From the moment I found the letter in the old newspaper about his grave I have been hoping that it would be found. I think this is a great find and can't wait to visit it and see the remains of the stone.
Well done to you, Brian and Michael!:)
 
Polly I think it would be a good idea to start a thread on the famous Brummie topic! I am sure some would be interested. I will have a look at what I have on Charles. Thanks for starting me on this another quest!
 
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