• 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

St Phillips Church Cathedral

When I've looked at the North Prospect drawing before, I've wondered if there's a funeral taking place in the churchyard as there seems to be a procession moving towards two gravediggers(?) and a cleric (?). Or is it my imagination ? Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
When I've looked at the North Prospect drawing before, I've wondered if there's a funeral taking place in the churchyard as there seems to be a procession moving towards two gravediggers(?) and a cleric (?). Or is it my imagination ? Viv.
Click to expand...

It does look like you say Vivienne
 
Apparently the burial ground of St Philip's was reduced in size during the 18th. century for the construction of roads around it covering earlier burials.
 
According to Terry slater's book on St Phillips, in 1781 " a few feet of ground from the churchyard..in Temple row" were taken, allowing construction of a footpath outside the churchyard and between the road and the churchyard. But in the same year an old paln of 1853 was reinstituted to take into the churchyard Batchellors Walk , on the north side. The main reason given is the necessity to hav espace for more graves, but also mentioned was that the Walk " continues to be used for jocular purposes" . Heaven help you if you enjoyed yourself as far as the church was concerned.
 
Not heard of Batchellor's Walk before. Would this effectively be within the churchyard grounds today ? Viv.
 
From what I understand from the book it would be inside the grounds alongside Colmore Row
 
Removing the Burne-Jones windows at the beginning of WW2. Viv.

image.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    18.3 KB · Views: 8
thanks viv and what a good job those windows were removed for safety...nice bit of forward thinking..if they had not have done that chances are we wouldnt have them now

lyn
 
The removal and boarding up of ancient windows took place over much of the country, even in rural towns, particularly where airfields, military, naval or places of strategic importance existed. Many were of mediaeval origin. Interestingly work was done or continued during WW2 in some large abbeys, churches and other buildings, in order that the skills of those artisans familiar with cosmati floors, (egg) tempera paintings and other highly skilled crafts, was not lost. After all it seemed unlikely that such people - unless they wished to do so - would be of great service doing other war work. Even whilst the war raged, once the bombing had abated, those in officialdom were making plans for a post-war future. For instance, much of post war Birmingham planning was done in mid to late WW2.
Incidentally, whilst Coventry Cathedral was destroyed by bombing nearby Lichfield was not. The Luftwaffe used Lichfield as a marker due to unusual spires. Ancient churches, usually aligned east/west, were - and presumably still are - great for compass bearings by aviators.
 
Suffragettes 1914...

“St Philip’s Cathedral in the city centre was attacked the following month: slogans condemning forcible feeding were daubed throughout, including on the Edward Burne-Jones stained glass.”
 
Open to question whether this was worse than the burning down of Northfield library, as the windows could be cleaned
 
I believe that Sir Philip Burne-Jones was the son of Edward, and in 1914 he had this to say concerning suffragettes. It could give an indication as to why the windows were a target.

6F3DD74A-206B-4724-9D09-1CF4100E9D5F.jpeg
 
We've seen a similar image on here of the removal of railings surrounding the churchyard in WW2. But this press photo mentions two drinking fountains - we know of the one, existing 'Angel' drinking fountain, but where was the other? They were on either side of the churchyard, so was the other on Colmore Row ? It also suggests a possible new 'arrangement' of the churchyard in the future. Did this happen ? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
Viv
The other drinking fountain was on the right of the Colmore Row entrance to St Philips Place where the original Bluecoat School was, as indicated on this map. I'm looking for a photo with an image, but no luck so far.

drinking fountains.JPG
 
Thanks Phil. I don't remember ever seeing it, well at least not from the 1970s/80s. And I've never noticed drinking fountains ('D. Fn') marked on a map before. Viv.
 
This is a very poor photo, on which that I think you can just make out the location of the other fountain. I don't ever remember seeing a drinking fountain at this location either, perhaps unlike the other it was never replaced after the war.

City Colmore Row.JPG
 
That photo look rather before the new road system came into operation at there is tram track and overhead visible in the foreground.
 
The pavement was much narrower on that side too. Maybe it was widened to accommodate all the later bus shelters (after the trams) along that stretch of Colmore Row. Viv.
 
Whether it was marked seems to vary also. the c1927 map seems to be the only 1:2500 map to mark it, though the large scale c1889 map does (and labels it fully)

map c1889 showing drinking fountain by st philllips.jpg
 
I've just come across this view of the fountain, though it is a poor image it's about the best view of the "other" drinking fountain that I have come across.

City Colmore Row Bluecoat School.jpg
 
I was walking through St. Philip's Churchyard today and was surprised to see that around 2/3rds of the grounds were being covered in some sort of temporary plastic block paving and Christmas Market huts were being installed.
I have several ancestors buried there, and I was upset that that consecrated ground with bodies still buried was being used in this way.
I went inside to speak to a kind gentleman who told me it was necessary to raise funds for the Church and there had been discussions. I'm still not very "comfortable" with this, he did say that it's used like a public space and there are always people drinking in there anyway.
Perhaps I'm just being too sentimental!
rosie.
 
rosie i can understand where you are coming from..it does seem strange that this is the first time to my knowledge that this has happened ..do you know if the christmas huts are being put up by the church or is it because due to all the work going on they are using the space to accommodate the german market and if it makes you feel a little better rosie things could be worse..you may have rellies buried over at the park st burial ground and the bodies there are being dug up and placed elsewhere which annoys me very much..x

lyn
 
Hi lyn, No he said they are for the Church not the German Market.
My Gt. Grandmother was "moved" for the Metro at Key Hill Cemetery!!
(I hope you had a good Birthday.)
rosie.
 
I sympathize here. I have no one interred there, but it does seem to have aura of gross commercialism and so often, when events in areas or projects that have reservations held by many people, that charity is mentioned which it is anticipated will give it some justification and respectability.
There are better methods of raising funds in my opinion
 
They put a protective layer down above the graves before they installed the Christmas market huts. Hopefully no damage to the burials below.





 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top