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St Thomas Bath Row

Nicholas

Nicholas

master brummie
Throwing myself on the mercy and kind indulgence of forum users - laugh, laugh!! - I spotted an interesting looking site on a recent journey through Brum. and wondered if anyone could possibly I.D. the place and point me towards something of it's history, perhaps?

Basically, it was on the 636 route - from Brum. to the Q.E. Hospital - just after leaving the City Centre (around Five Ways, possibly). It was only seen at some speed, but looked to be a small garden, fronted by the tower end of (what looked to be) a Georgian-style church entrance and tower; the latter being the only part of the structure left and the park / garden seemingly being where the body of the church would have probably been(?)

I've just been scouring Google Earth, but cannot seem to be able to find the location anywhere now??

Any help / pointers would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Nick ;)
 
Hi All,

Yes, almost certainly the remains of St Thomas Church bombed during the blitz. It is now designated as a Peace Garden.

Old Boy
 
My 3xg grandfather James Sewell died in 1847 & was buried at St Thomas.
I would have expected his wife Ann, who died in 1858 & his brother John Francis Sewell who died in 1862 to have been buried there too as the family were living in Gt Colmore St.
However Ann & John Francis were buried at St Bartholemew.
Does anyone know if for any reason, burials had stopped at St Thomas. I know the graveyard wasn´t very big & that it was bombed during the war & is now semi derelict, but can´t think of a good reason for burials as far back as that going elsewhere, especially as St Bartholemew isn´t all that close to Gt Colmore St.
 
Burials did not stop at St Thomas that early, not until 1914 in fact. I think unless there was a proper 'family' grave, people were just buried, there seems to be no sentimentality at all, at least I have not found any during my research. My gt gt Grandfather died in Tennant Street in 1862 and is buried at Key Hill, which I was surprised at, as St Thomas was very near to their home. Have you got all the death certificates for the people you mention? I did wonder if they had moved house and so that's why the others were buried at St Bartholomew. Lots of families moved annually, or at least very frequently, so that might be one reason for a different burial place.

Shortie
 
Unusually for the time, they seem to have lived in Gt Colmore Street for many years. They were there when James was buried & still there for Ann & John Francis.
I did wonder whether it may have been a matter of ability to pay. James had been working when he died, but Ann had been a widow with small children for a number of years & John Francis had always suffered from poor health.
It´s not vitally important.....more just idle curiosity.
Thanks for answering.
Senora Ruz.
 
I think you have probably hit the nail on the head there. I know Key Hill was very cheap for common graves, and public ones even cheaper, but I don't know about St Bartholomew. It may well have been the less expensive option. I have the same kind of interest in small items to do with family history also, you just HAVE to know! I have often said that family history research makes a person very nosey!
 
Hi Zena, after bomb damage, remains were moved to Warstone Lane Cemetery Catacombs but I don't know about any gravestones. I hope this helps.
rosie.

P.S.
I should have said that "The Peace Garden" was formed afterwards in the Grounds, and only part of the Church remains. There is a thread on the Forum, hopefully a Member will post a link for me?!
 
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