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Warstone Lane Cemetery

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wendy
  • Start date Start date
Passed through WL Cemetery yesterday as I was passing by.
I noticed there is a new Monument to WW1 fallen - small black with a Red Rose carved in it.
It has been placed on what was Baskerville Island - and the info panel bout Baskerville has been removed.
I tried to upload a pic but the imaging site wants me to log in - and I have lost my password - so long since I posted!
Although a nice little monument - There is already a traditional Wall & Cross of Honour - the nations standard memorials for WW1 fallen, by the Lodge - barely 100 yards away.
Any idea where this new memorial came from - and why duplicate an official National Monument?
If there was spare money due to the WW1 anniversary - would it not have been better spent tidying up those existing CWG Memorials that's re shabby and need cleaning?

Brian
ps I'll try and post the pic on the fb page - that may work
 
These monuments have been placed in several cemeteries they are to mark the beginning of the Great War 100 years ago. I don't think they are to take away any respect from the original Monuments to the fallen dead. These are just commemorative for this year.
 
This island was originally in honour of John Baskerville - What has happened to him?
I did not notice where the information panel had gone to - has it been relocated?
He is buried in the catacombs below where the circle is.
The civilian dead were buried in their own family graves wherever possible - there is no single communal grave for them.
 
Hi, I am seeking the grave of Alfred Oswald Kynaston who died in 1874. G 1080 is the grave reference in Warstone lane cemetery.
i was there today but as I didn't have a map of the place I couldn't locate it. I suppose it would have been a complete fluke if I had found it considering how large the place is!!
I have since seen a map via this site but will not be able to go back for quite a while (I do not live in the immediate vicinity) and was wondering if anyone could kindly give me any info about it or perhaps post a picture? I would be very grateful.
i must say it was very tranquil being there today and I have seen all the hard work people have done in keeping it in good repair. Keep up the good work, and thank you.
 
Hi Beckajt, I had a look at the website for the Jewellery Quarter Research Group and unfortunately there isn't a memorial listed for that grave. My ancestor Thomas Pressdee is in that section and his gravestone was laid down and buried for "Health and Safety" and is just a patch of grass, so there may have been at some time. I'm sorry there isn't better news!
rosie.
 
Thanks Rosie.
Do you think there isn't a headstone at all? or perhaps nobody has listed the info on the website you mention. After all it would be a mammoth task to list them all.
 
Beckajt said:
Thanks Rosie.
Do you think there isn't a headstone at all? or perhaps nobody has listed the info on the website you mention. After all it would be a mammoth task to list them all.
Click to expand...

hi beckajt i think it would be worth double checking as i think the list of headstones on the website is far from complete as i have got rellies with headstones that are not on the list..

all the best

lyn
 
Unfortunately the records for Warstone Lane Cemetery are nowhere near as good as Key Hill cemetery records. Maybe if you let us have the section and grave number someone will be able to double check for you.
 
I think that #423 says it's G 1080, so I'll pop into Warstone lane today; I need to go to the jeweller on the corner anyway (Bicknells)
I have the plan for section G, so it shouldn't take me long (though the orientation of the plan seem to be wrong, so it might take me a while to get my bearings!)
 
beckajt if anyone can locate leslam can....she helped me find my froggatt buriels a couple of years back...

lyn
 
Thanks for that vote of confidence Lyn! And, as I don't like to disappoint, I have been slogging my way round section G this afternoon.

The search for G 1080
-------------------------
The good news is that I have located the grave :)
The bad news is that there is no memorial - but there is one next to it, so it's relatively easy to find. I wasn't convinced that I had it correct until I got home and rotated the plans I had, but I'm now a happy bunny!

[At this point, it has to be said that I thought I had found the memorial; there was a flat stone with the number obscured by a thick carpet of grass, I pulled it back and traced the number with my finger and I was sure it was 1080, so I went dashing back to the car for my gloves and a scrapper; However, when I removed the grass it was actually 1030 :( ]

I am going to attach two pictures:
One shows the location of G1080, view from the patch of trees in section G.
Second picture shows the location of the grave, marked by the folder. the grave next to it is Elias Cooper, which grave H1087. 1087 is clearly visible when you pull back the grass. I have checked it in the database from JQRT. When you orientate the plans for section G & H correctly, they marry up beautifully, showing H1087 next to G1080 (see grave plan)
​
I didn't have time to clean up Elias Cooper's grave today, but I will go back later in the week and tidy it up so that it acts as a reference for other searches.

NB I think that the memorial index is only for those that have survived. I have a grave N218 that has a buried stone with an inscription; it doesn't appear in the JQRT database, but I found out from Handsworth cemetery. They have (or did have when I was investigating) a database of all the graves. I think it is worth emailing Handsworth and asking the question. It may take a few weeks to get a reply - or you may be lucky and get a quick reply.

annotated_location of G1080_viewed from trees.jpg location of G1080.jpg warstone-sections G&H.jpg
 
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Grave of Johnson family - G 1030
-------------------------------------
This is the grave that made my spine tingle because I thought it was the one I was looking for. Only a very small bit of the slab was peeking through, so I had to scrape back the grass.

johnson-G1030.jpg

The inscription is:
In affectionate remembrance of Amelia Johnson
who departed this life January 16th 1878
aged 84 years.
Also of Harriet Johnson who died November 3rd 1880 aged 54 years
and of George F. Johnson who died July 7th 1885 aged 29 years.
Also of William Handley Johnson who died March 26th 1895 aged 69 years.
Also of Elizabeth Amelia Morris who died July 19th 1905 aged 58 years.​
 
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brilliant detective work leslam im sure that beckajt will now be able to locate her knynaston grave from your photos and trusty folder lol...thanks also for the pic of the war memorial its lovely

lyn
 
Oh, thankyou thankyou thankyou leslam that is brilliant!!
I reallyappreciate your effort in finding out that information for me. I will definitely use this info to go there another day to pay my respects. It's lovely to be able to find forgotten family. It is just a shame there appear to be no markings.
 
As I think has been mentioned before, there's a chance that the stone was buried when memorials were laid down in the 50s and the levels adjusted for easy mowing. Handsworth Cemetery office should be able to tell you for sure (remember to give them the grave reference when you contact them), but even if there is a buried memorial, it is a long and expensive business to get it raised. Because it's a C of E cemetery (Key Hill is non-conformist), the bishop has to be asked for permission and the forms take about a year to process. I did think about getting my husbands raised, but decided against it.
I will go back later in the week and clear up the adjoining grave anyway.
 
Good work leslam! It's so rewarding when you can find one nearby to get a guideline.....mine are nearly always just a grass patch.
We were looking for one at the Uplands the other day and the patch of grass was so large we couldn't work it out but a member of staff got the maps out for us and escorted us there. He was very kind.
rosie.
 
Well done Les - it's great you were able to work out where the grave is.
Looking forward to seeing the Cooper grave when all the grass has been scraped off.
 
Cooper grave (H1070) - the reveal:
------------------------
Half an hour yesterday with appropriate tools and brush took us from this:
location of G1080.jpg
​
to this:
H1087_cooper.jpg
​
The inscription reads:
In memory of Elias COOPER who died March 12th 1859 aged 58 years.
Also of Sarah Rose daughter of the above and dearly beloved wife of Edwin JEFFS who died December 14th 1883 Age ?? years
Sarah his wife who died March 21st 1889 aged 56 years interred at G. N. L. C., New Southgate.
Elias Rose his son who died October 14th 1907 aged 61 years.
Also of Jane beloved wife of Cornelius Rose COOPER who died December 7th 1922 aged 71 years.
Also Fred devoted son of the above who died August 27th 1934 aged 47 years.
Also Cornelius Rose husband of the above Jane COOPER who died March 29th 1945 aged 92 years

​
I will add to the Surnames section as well, so that any additional research can be included there to make it easy for people to find.


More on G1080 : I don't think that there is a buried memorial (but it would be best to get Handsworth to confirm that). I took a 'pokey' stick with me and it went down quite easily. I stopped when it had gone in 9"
 
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what a wonderful acheivement les thats a massiive difference you have made to the cooper grave...well done

lyn
 
Excellent work Les,
Obviously overgrown with grass, and than broken by the Motor Mowers passing over it. May well be more surface mounted I a similar condition.
If there was a memorial adjacent which was buried in the 1960's it would have been noted by Mr Pike, the Cemetery Superintendent who oversaw the removals.
If so, bmsgh would have a copy - email warstonelanecemetery@bmsgh.org for info

Brian
 
Well done Les that looks brilliant. Such a shame it is broken but at least people can see it now and read the inscription to the Cooper family. Thanks for posting the pictures.
 
In the remaining time on my meter, I tidied up these as well:

Boyden/Hirsch (G1033)

I have to say that I'm not convinced about the grave number that is in the index, but, unusually for a flat stone, there is no number on the memorial. The grave number and the plan are sometimes at odds - and the entries for Boyden and Hirsch seem confused anyway. Anyway, it is right next to G1030 (Johnson)
From this boyden_before.jpg to this boyden_hirsch_G1033.jpg


​
Johnson (G1030)
From this johnson_before.jpg to this johnson-G1030.jpg


​
The next one in my sights is Ward grave (G1065). It currently looks like this:
ward_before.jpg​
 
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Does anyone have any info about grave P 1538 Elizabeth Catley who died in 1915 and buried at Warstone Lane? If anyone can post a link to the section map then I can go over myself one day to have a look. I wouldn't expect anyone to search for it, but if there is any info already known I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Great work on uncovering those stones leslam. It is such a shame they were allowed to get into that state in the first place, but a sterling effort in sprucing them up. I know if they were my relatives I would be grateful.
 
Unfortunately, this is another grave that, according to the JQRT database doesn't have a memorial (or at least not one that is visible). Again, I would contact Handsworth or Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry (BMSSH) at warstonelanecemetery@bmsgh.org

I'll have a look through the pictures I have already taken to see if there are some of section P - pretty sure that I have done some searching in there before. I'll dig out the plan for section P and post on here; but don't be surprised if I can't resist going to investigate early next week - it's only 10 minutes away from me!
 
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Typical. It's just my luck none of my rellies have headstones left. What about James Catley H1268, died 1875 or Ann Catley H1093, died 1877, both at Warstone Lane. They were my 4 times great grandparents.
 
I have just found this!

Warstone Lane - H 1268
In loving memory of Henry BAGNALL who died November 11th 1928 aged 82 years. "Not forgotten by his sister." '1268.'Kerbs, part buried.Appears to be a reused public grave from burials in 1875/6. This memorial may be associated with H: 1267 'Mitchinson' see above

If the kerbs are part buried then James Catley (my great, great, great, great grandfather) might just be on there!
 
So is Bagnall one of 'yours'? If not, it's quite possible that there's been a transcription error somewhere, but here's hoping! Section H is on the plan I posted in #430 above.
 
Don't think Bagnall is family to me, but I notice it says it looks like it is a re-used public grave from 1875/6. There must be some info on the kerbs from what is still showing for whoever put the info on the JQRG webpage to have seen and noted it. It says they are part buried so I am just being hopeful that if they were uncovered it would mention James Catley who died in 1875. You never know.
 
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