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Key Hill Cemetery

Thanks Maggie you will be missed. I know work must come first it pays the bills!:(
 
Oh great Maggie, come and say hello I will be there from about 8 am.
 
Wendy I will get there if your going at that time cos i don't have to be in work till 1:) see ya sat
 
Isn't it strange how some things happen. I had a phone call on Wednesday asking if I could help a lady find a family grave at Key Hill. She told me she had been to the library and gave me the number. When I asked for the name I nearly fell off the chair. I had written a piece about the family because I loved the memorial. I said no need to search I can take you straight to it. Well at least I will get one visitor tomorrow and two with Maggie. Lets hope it doesn't rain.
 
A couple of pics from Key Hill today.
The CO-OP hearse
Some of the volunteers in costume
Our own Wendy
 
just got back from key hill cemetery. we could only go for the last hour so didnt get to see the horse and carriage but we were taken on an hour tour around the important graves by pauline there. it was very interesting and will definitely go again.

my mothers step father had a wholesale grocers on the "flats" at the bottom of key hill. it was called A & J SNAPE if anyone remembers the business. mom is 84 now but as a girl would travel around with her father in his van supplying the local grocer shops.

chris
 
Those photos are great, thanks for posting them. Looks like you all had a great time (if you can say that in a grave yard!).:)
 
Hi All:)
managed to get to Key Hill for an hour today :) It was lovely to see people in Victorian dress and the horses were beautiful.. Thanks to Wendy for the welcome..Hope to visit again very soon I dont know if any of our members were involved on marking the graves out for visitors but if so I would just like to say thank you
Maggie
 
Thanks for the kind comments it was lovely to meet Maggie and thanks for coming Mike. We had a great day the cemetery was busy as ever. Yes Dolphie its fine to enjoy a cemetery, the Victorians used them like parks and strolled and enjoyed the solitude. We should learn from this they are not morbid and eerie just places of history, especially this one! If you think about the great exhibition and Crystal Palace without our expertise this would not have happened. We have John Henderson of the company Fox Henderson who built the frame of the Crystal Palace. We also have the Chance family from Chance Bros who supplied the glass. They invented plate glass. Without these Brummy people the Great Exhibition may not have happened. The place is steeped in our history with the like of Joseph Chamberlain, George Dawson, Joseph Gillott, pens Alfred Bird, custard the list is endless. The place is so important to our city it should be held in the same high esteem!
 
Wendy I have to say that I grew up in Hockley and up until the last bank holiday I had never set foot in Key Hill:( now you can't keep me away :)
As you say the cemetery is steeped in history and it is so tranquil it is hard to believe it is so close to the city centre..I really think if there are any Brummies out there who have never been then they really should visit:)
Maggie
 
Wendy, I couldnt agree more.....I love cemeterys. They're very tranquil places arent they?? I'm coming down to Brum in November & will make very effort to get over for a visit to Key Hill.:)
 
Well it captivated me from my first visit, not because it was a cemetery but because who was there! On our first open day in 2004 we were visited by MP Clair Short who admitted she had never been in the cemetery. I could not judge as not many people had then! But now we can change this can;t we.
 
Hi Wendy:)
I really do hope that we can change this and get more people in :)
It really is worth visiting and I hope some more of the forum members will come and see just how much history there is there:):)
 
Thanks Maggie I do wonder if this cemetery was in London how different things would be!
 
Wendy I see what your saying :)but I cant believe how my views on cemeteries have changed since visiting Key Hill..I know it seems a bit over the top but it is just the place to go to relax and learn about the families that that made Brum what it is..I think the Victorians had got things right:)
 
Hi Wendy, We have a relative buried in Key Hill. We have no idea where. I am very greatful for the photo's you have posted, such a nice historic place. Lets hope now Carl Chin is involved something may happen to its security.:) Our relative is William Albert Cull.
 
There is an ongoing project at the moment of all memorial inscriptions. The names were available in indexes on the open day. If you know when William died it would be worth asking Handsworth Cemetery as they hold the Burial Registers for Key Hill. If you need any more help please ask.
 
Thank you for your help. When is the next open day? I will get intouch with Handsworth cemetary and see what they comeup with. :)
 
Hello Fred, the open day is once a year on the National Heratage weekend in September.
 
Hi,

Mention of Key Hill cemetery made we wonder whether my memory is right that Nortons department store was down that road. I seem to have a memory of going with my Mom to pay the mortgage there. I think there may have been a branch of West Brom Building Society in there.

I do remember the counter being at eye level!
 
Hello Wendy,

Firstly I must say well done on all your efforts for Key Hill. Pity all cemeteries don't have "Friends" looking out for them. You are to be commended.

I was wondering - is there any kind of list naming who is buried there and where?

My Gt Grandmother lived around Icknield St area - wasn't the slightest bit religious and was a pen cutter. I've searched for her burial in the Warstone Lane records with no luck, although some of the records are so faded as to be illegible.
I had no time to ask if there were records also for Key Hill available.

She was buried in a pauper's grave - does that make any difference?

Many thanks for your time,
Tess
 
Hi InTrouble, thank you for your kind comments. There are many 'friends' groups now for cemeteries I am glad to say. Witton and Brandwood End have excellent groups and need all the members and help they can get!

There are burial indexes at Central Library and the records are kept at Handsworth cemetery. If you have the exact date it would be worth giving the a ring. If they have to search they do charge. The currant chairman is doing a memorial inscription list which will have an index when finished. One thing I must clarify is there are NO paupers graves at Key Hill they are Public Graves which had to be paid for but were much cheaper than a private grave. There are some memorials for the public graves but again families would have had to pay to have their loved ones name added. If you let me know your gt grannies name I will ask for some help to see if she was buried at Key Hill Cemetery.
 
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HI Wendy
Many Thanks For Putting Arther Smiths Pics Up
They Are Good Ones Do You Know If They Are Still Standing
Do Freinds Of The Cemetry Still Excist I Would Like To Get
 
Thank you for your swift reply and all the info, Wendy. Much appreciated.

Yes, Mom now tells me that Gt Nan was chucked in with a few others, had no private grave. Sorry I didn't have that info earlier.

I wouldn't dream of asking you to investigate, as her death is within a 10 year time frame. Another trip to the Library will hopefully sort it.

But thank you so much for your kindness.

There are no "Friends of" groups around here that I know of Wendy, so the BC could really benefit from following Birmingham's lead.
I'll put it to my BC forum.
I'm known as "Graveyard Tess" on one forum, for my habit of photographing graves - especially those in a bad way - before they're gone completely. But there is so much more that needs to be done. And urgently.

You are an inspiration, and if you don't mind may I mention your Group and web site on my BC forum?

Tess
 
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