• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Key Hill Cemetery

In the not too distant past I spent a great deal of time in Keyhill and the only bad experience I had was with a couple of methadone addicts swigging their elixir behind a public grave memorial.
As Keyhill was a non conformist burial ground those churches encouraged the concept of "we bring nothing into this world...we take nothing out...the inclusion of grave goods was discouraged. During the exhumation of the mid 90s very little precious metal was discovered amongst the human remains.

There was an incident in the 70s or early eighties when the catacombs were criminally accessed through the gardening store (this was an empty chamber) when a coffin was opened and the skull removed for satanic purposes. The green doors of the garden store were shortly afterwards removed and the cell sealed. The frontage of the catacombs were the Park Lane residents... what is not commonly known is that the catacombs extend beyond where many further interments exist. It was from the garden store that this maze accessed.
 
Hello John another piece of interesting information from one who was there....brilliant!:)
 
Here is a photo and information on the newly restored gates at Key Hill Cemetery.:) They look wonderful and a lovely sight on Ickneild Street.:)
 
Them gates look like the one i always remember when my mom used to take to my nans grave


Mossy
 
Mossey I didn't know your Nan was a resident, I have a few family members there. The gates are like new now built in 1835. Here is an old photo of the gates I am sorry I don't know the date. The cemetery looks lovely now all the hard work done by volunteers. It is such a nice place to visit now lots of wild life and thankfully no trouble......:):)
 
Wendy my nan was killed outside the Fordruf pub whle visiting on of my mothers sisters in West Heath she was knocked down by a drunk,didnt matter in the days drunk or sober it was about 1952 her name was Markland it was on the right as you went in at the top perhaps you could have a look for me


Mossy
 
Of course I will Mossy. Next time I go I will take my camera as well. I am so sorry about what happened to your Nan it must have been awful for you all.
 
Wendy i was to young to remember but im sure at the time it was upsetting for my mom and all her sisters
there were 6 of them and all their names begun with the letter E

Mossy
 
hi wendy
have you any idea when they demolished that lovely crem;at warstone lane
and why i thouht they could have kept it and made it a grade lsting building
as you stolled through he gates and walked up that slope towards it
the building gave you some sort of a feeling
best wishes astonian ;;;
 
The cemetery chapel was demolished in the 60's it is Key Hill not Warstone Lane.The cemetery chaplin lived in the chapel until his death he was in his 80's maybe thats why it fell into disrepair. There are many stories about Mr Manning in the war years he would go out looking for bombs with a saucepan on his head. He also kept those gates locked at night. The joke was to keep the resident in.:)
There is one picture of the inside and the other one is when it fell into disrepair.
 
The gates look wonderful Wendy, well done everyone invloved. I know it's close to your heart.:)

I wish that I lived nearer to St John's in Perry Barr. I can't bear to go in to the church yard now, it is in such a bad state. I know my grandparents grave stone has fallen over, but I couldn't get near it the whole place was so overgrown last time I was there. :(
 
good morning wend
many thanks for filling me in on the request for the crem
and for putting up the photo.s
i have a great intrest in these two cems i have done for many
years since i can remember
i was wondering do you know any think about the progress of st
barabus in erdington havethey made any head way
in the reconstruction of the church yet ?.
i also have an intrest in that church as well .
best wishes astonian ;;;
 
Morning Astonian thank you for your comments yes the cemetery looks lovely now better than it's looked in years. There are now many people who visit which has had a bonus of getting rid of the undesirables. The local police have helped as well. The volunteers who do all the work should be commended for their hard work.:)

Sorry I don't know about St Barnabas maybe ask on the thread for the church.

Di it is such a shame when graveyards get into this state. I think people doing community service should help to clear them. Now it's the dreaded Health and Safety which stops a lot of this work!:(
 
hi wendy
many hanks for your reply
i am very surprized to hear the local constabery are doing abit
of patrols of the cem ,still thats good news
years ago it was the grave diggers whom used to do the rounds of patrols
mainly because they had a number of graves to dig overthe week ends
and maintain the grounds as you know
but du to the state of finanes and the automation
of grave digging they are no longer there
is it the central police[ steel house lane ] that cover that area ,
because it wouldhave been good old keyon st ,but as we all know
its long gone would it be safe now for one to go alone
best wishes astonian ;;;
 
Hello Astonian, the police are often seen riding bikes through the cemetery. I have been alone and did not feel at all frightened. There are many people in the cemetery now volunteers and people searching for family graves. It is safer than Warstone Lane as there are no drunks now.:)
 
hi wend
many thanks for your reply and for re assureing me of being safe
i will start going again on my own
i love grave searching and i admire the head stones
i also find it transquiliseing and i can relax and my mind opens up
the last time i was there i did take alot of pictures of graves and distant
shots of the walk ways which i never down loaded to the site
but before i have done some members have captured there moments
of the shots i had taken so it was pointless in me doing that
once again wend, have a nice day and keep the good work up
best wishes astonian ;;
 
Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry have filmed the burial records for Key Hill and an index of names is available on their website www.bmsgh.org. A search service is available
 
This is a great link gensec, for those of us not able to get to birmingham library this is great news.
Thanks Tracy
 
gensec said:
Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry have filmed the burial records for Key Hill and an index of names is available on their website www.bmsgh.org. A search service is available[/QUOTE

Hi Gensec,
I've tried to get some information on 2 relatives.
It maybe that I'm computer illiterate, but I have tried the site you recommend and can't seem to find a way forward.
I won't be able to get Birmingham until next year at the earliest.
If you can find any information on Emily Hanson d. March 1943.
Or Emily's daughter, Rose Hanson, who possibly deceased 1940, and were buried at Key Hill Cemetery, I would be most grateful.

ladywood
Click to expand...
 
Well I am so thrilled to share some news. I applied to Handsworth some time ago for a search of my family grave memorial at Key Hill Cemetery. I can now tell you it has been found and excavated by a dear friend who is
a volunteer at the cemetery. The stone is in amazing condition although it is broken in three pieces. I now have to find out if it can be raised and how much it will cost. It will have to be done by a stone mason. This is the inscription:


In affectionate remembrance of Elizabeth JENNINGS who died February 13th 1863 aged 1 year. Also John JENNINGS who died December 21st 1866 aged 84 years. Also Elizabeth his beloved wife who died February 16th 1867 aged 81years. Also Thomas son of the above who died February 11th 1867 aged 55 years. Also William JENNINGS who died August 12th 1879 aged 72 years. Also Ann WILKS who died January 15th 1880 aged 49 years. And of David JENNINGS who died October 2nd 1902 aged 70 years. Also Rhoda Barton wife of the above who died January 24th 1918 aged 79 years. And of Ann JENNINGS wife of David JENNINGS who died October 16th 1880 aged 48 years.
 
Wendy, I'd be interested to see how much it will cost. Maybe I can do the same for my grandparents grave in Warstone Lane..I know where it is (or should be) but, as you know, it's sunk!
How wonderful for you to discover your memorial.
 
Wendy is all the people you mentioned of your family buried in one grave


Mossy
 
Charlie I will do that. Handsworth also control Warstone Lane so just ask for permission to locate it that doesn't cost anything. I will speak to you when we next meet.:)

Mossy, yes they are all in one grave. The grave would have been dug to 15 feet and it was brick lined. The burial register states at what depth each burial should be. The job of digging the grave must have been very hard all done by hand. There are many old graves like this.
 
I won't be able to get Birmingham until next year at the earliest.
If you can find any information on Emily Hanson d. March 1943.
Or Emily's daughter, Rose Hanson, who possibly deceased 1940, and were buried at Key Hill Cemetery, I would be most grateful.

ladywood[/quote]

I have managed to find a little info Emily Ellen Hanson and Rose Hanson are buried in section R grave number 1229. There doesn't seem to be a headstone but a note says buried kerbs. These were often buried to make it easier to maintain the ground. My family grave slab was buried. These can be a good source of information as they often have names and dates on them. Here is a map so you can see the area.
 
Wendy said:
I won't be able to get Birmingham until next year at the earliest.
If you can find any information on Emily Hanson d. March 1943.
Or Emily's daughter, Rose Hanson, who possibly deceased 1940, and were buried at Key Hill Cemetery, I would be most grateful.

ladywood
Click to expand...

I have managed to find a little info Emily Ellen Hanson and Rose Hanson are buried in section R grave number 1229. There doesn't seem to be a headstone but a note says buried kerbs. These were often buried to make it easier to maintain the ground. My family grave slab was buried. These can be a good source of information as they often have names and dates on them. Here is a map so you can see the area.[/QUOTE]


Dear Wendy, Thank you so much for your kind help. I am very grateful.
I can't get to Key Hill until next year, but I will take your R 1229 and glean from it what's possible.
I'm only good at drawing. If I can reciprocate, let me know.


ladywood
 
It's a pleasure I love this cemetery and it looks wonderful now. People are often there either looking for family,cleaning up,walking dogs or just sitting chatting. To me this is what it should be a place of traquility to be enjoyed so near to the bustle of a large city. The more people that have a connection the more will want to come......the place then becomes a safe place to be!:)

With help I should be able to locate your grave at least.:)
 
I took this photo on Sunday on the Key Hill Walk. This is the grave of Thomas Hamilton Mc Bean who was in the Scots Grays for 36 years. The story goes he was in an explosion in a barracks in Birmingham. He was rescued by a friend but died of his injuries. The strange thing was after his rescue they found cigarettes and matches where the explosion was but he didn't smoke. It was later thought he may have tried to commit suicide.

It's sad the lettering has fallen off these were lead and you see them around the cemetery. I loved the crossed sword detail at the top of the stone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wendy said:
I took this photo on Sunday on the Key Hill Walk. This is the grave of Thomas Hamilton Mc Bean who was in the Scots Grays for 36 years. The story goes he was in an explosion in a barracks in Birmingham. He was rescued by a friend but died of his injuries. The strange thing was after his rescue they found cigarettes and matches where the explosion was but he didn't smoke. It was later thought he may have tried to commit suicide.

It's sad the lettering has fallen off these were lead and you see them around the cemetery. I loved the crossed sword detail at the top of the stone.
Click to expand...

It is a shame about that gravestone,especially after you've managed to dig up some interesting facts.
I do so enjoy being in cemeteries,you sometimes feel so close to those who have passed on,but it is a dreadful shame that no money is available to repair stones.
My grandfather was a granite stonemason in Cornwall,and given the care they take to make them,you'd have hoped some arrangements could be made to repair them,long after any immediate family is left to do the job.

Tim
 
Thanks wessex I didn't find the info it was given to me. I found it quite sad realy. I loved the crossed swords at the top of the stone.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top