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What happened to remains?

S

Sheryl

proper brummie kid
Hi everyone,
I know some of my Powell ancestors were buried in the churchyard of St Martins & I read an article about how the churchyard was excavated & the remains removed & examined. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what happened to the remains. Have they been interred in another cemetery perhaps?
Regards Sheryl in NZ
 
I only read about this last year, and I've already forgot a lot of the details. There were so many burials there over the years, on top of one another, that a lot had disintegrated. But a lot of the remains were reburied, I think at Witton. I'll see if they have the book still at the library and check. But someone else may know for certain.

Ann
 
St Martins Church in the Bull Ring Birmingham.

Apparently at one stage there were so many bodies piled on top of one another, it was said that the burials would be higher than the surrounding walls of the church. An over spill was created at Park street.
I feel sure that the remains of both St Martin's and Park Street are now buried at Witton Cemetery.

Cremation in this country is a recent thing in terms of how old our Mother Church St Martin's is.

The first cremation took place in Woking in 1885.

To name a few in Birmingham, crematoriums opened
Lodge Hill in 1937
Yardley Crem in 1952
Sutton Coldfield Crem in 1964


Bo
 
Sheryl said:
Hi everyone,
I know some of my Powell ancestors were buried in the churchyard of St Martins & I read an article about how the churchyard was excavated & the remains removed & examined. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what happened to the remains. Have they been interred in another cemetery perhaps?
Regards Sheryl in NZ
Click to expand...
hi Sheryl i have powell relatives from Warickshire also Marshall from birmingham could there be any conection do you think ?
all the best Brian
 
Wow! Thank you Wendy, Linda, Ann & Bo so much for your replys. I will certainly try contacting St Martins & also Witton cemetery & hopefully find those lost remains. I hate to think of them being left in a draw or a cardboard box somewhere. I'm sure the powers that be would have more respect than that.
Thanks also to Brian for your reply. My GGG Grandmother was Rachel Marshall b. c.1804 to parents John & Hannah Marshall. Rachel married William Henry Powell in 1832. He was a Brass Founder. They are among the ancestors buried at St Martins that I'm looking for. Please let me know if you think there is a connection to your Powells & Marshalls. I'd be thrilled to make contact with some more living relatives.
Regards Sheryl
 
Sheryl said:
Wow! Thank you Wendy, Linda, Ann & Bo so much for your replys. I will certainly try contacting St Martins & also Witton cemetery & hopefully find those lost remains. I hate to think of them being left in a draw or a cardboard box somewhere. I'm sure the powers that be would have more respect than that.
Thanks also to Brian for your reply. My GGG Grandmother was Rachel Marshall b. c.1804 to parents John & Hannah Marshall. Rachel married William Henry Powell in 1832. He was a Brass Founder. They are among the ancestors buried at St Martins that I'm looking for. Please let me know if you think there is a connection to your Powells & Marshalls. I'd be thrilled to make contact with some more living relatives.
Regards Sheryl
Click to expand...

Hi Sheryl thank you for your reply saddly it looks as if we are not reated but have you by any chance have any of these's names in your tree that may connect us :Stones/ Skidmore/ Farrington / Baker/
all the best
Brian
 
Sheryl i posted a reply to you in the wrong place sorry it look's as if we are not related saddly but there may still be a chance if you have any of these names in your tree : Stones / Skidmore / Farrington / Baker
please let me know and thank'sfor your fast reply
Brian
 
This photograph shows the demolition of the previous St. Martin's in November 1872. So some remains would have been lost then I would imagine.

Ann
 
Hi Brian,
It's a shame but I don't have any of those names in my tree. Good luck with your research.

Hi Ann,
Thanks for that wonderful photo. Is it ok if I copy it to my computer? I'd like to keep it with the other info I have on St Martin's?

Thanks Sheryl
 
Hi Sheryl,

Of course you are very welcome to copy it. I must try and get the book again, as there were some more interesting photos in it.

Ann
 
Thanks again Ann,
I am going to really enjoy belonging to this forum. I get quite frustrated sometimes being so far away from England but it's nice to know there are lots of other people out there who are interested in the same things I am. There is so much I want to learn about my roots & in researching my ancestors I am learning so much more than I ever expected about their way of life & the places they lived. Thank God for computers!
Kind regards Sheryl
 
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