OLD WEST BROMWICH PHOTOS

just returned from a visit to west brom. and to do my bi-annual maintenance to my grand parents grave. What an utter disgrace is the state of the churchyard, many past prominant residents of the town are burried there and one would think that the people who administer the church could show some respect to the past history of the town. The prominent position of the churchyard must be a negative for visitors who pass by the church wall but I suppose the church will cry lack of funds.

last time i visited it  it seemed someone had actually made an effort but it doesn't take long to go back again, i was told that it used to be done by Community Payback but this is no longer allowed under 'elf and safety'.

barbara at July 25, 2011 at 2:08 PM

last time i visited it  it seemed someone had actually made an effort but it doesn't take long to go back again, i was told that it used to be done by Community Payback but this is no longer allowed under 'elf and safety'.

Hi All Saints Church was beautiful my mother was married there and me and my sisters were christened there i suppose they will wait till it gets worse then it will cost more to fix the curator should step in and do something about this im sure the parishenors would welcome the tidy up of those graves god luck barbara and go to the council and ask them for help

Hi all

Have been to Old Church this morning to tidy up my dad's grave.   There was someone

there today tidying round some of the graves but as it is most probab ly being done on a

voluntary basis it is hard to get people to commit!  There used to be young offenders doing

the job but haven't seen them for quite a while.

Pat

This is all very sad,Barbara recently tried to locate a family grave,for which I had the allocated number,and despite valiant efforts and much time spent searching and finding the graveyard operatives,was unsuccessful.

I think that this benign neglect has been going on for sometime,perhaps due to lack of funds or that the people in charge are not West Bromwich people and therefore do not have our love and respect for the people and hard times they all went through for it was a tough place and the people were strong,resilient and proud of their town and background and heritage,perhaps this is happening everywhere,I don't know but it hurts when it is so close to home.

This has been an interesting thread with a number of thoughts put forward for why the churchyard is not in the best of condition. I am not sure of the make up of All Saints chruch membership but I suspect that like many churches the congreagation are predominantly over 60's and 2 to 1 female male ratio. I could be wrong but if not this may well be a major factor in why the churchyard is not as well kept as it moight be.

Unfortunately it has to be said that keeping a piece of land the size of the graveyard in good condition is a very big task and where 50 years ago the congreagation may well have been both much bigger and much younger that it is now the ravages of time and the decline in church attendance is not helpful.

I don't quite understand why anyone thinks the church members may not be from West Bromwich and therefore do not have any interest in the people who rest in the churchyard - it may be that church members hold very similar views to people commenting here but do not have either the ability or wherewithal to do anything about the problem.

It might be interesting if someone from the church could make a comment here and give their side of the coin.

Ian,I did not mean that the congregation may not be W/Brom folks more that the administration of graveyards and records in general is probably bot held as close to the town as it was,this would be true of any town nowadays as people are mobile and commute far greater distances.

It is probably simply down to no money to do the job.

In my case none of the council held records can confirm where my ancestors grave is even though they have the grave plot number.

Hi Malcolm

Just a thought (which you may already have done) but I approac hed the Church when I needed to know exactly where my dad's

grave was.  I had a rough idea but there were many around him also not looked after and so I had to be sure.  It was the church records which showed my dad's grave.

Pat 

pat at August 3, 2011 at 11:57 AM

Hi Malcolm

Just a thought (which you may already have done) but I approac hed the Church when I needed to know exactly where my dad's

grave was.  I had a rough idea but there were many around him also not looked after and so I had to be sure.  It was the church records which showed my dad's grave.

 

Pat 

Good idea,will try and time my next visit during working hours and see if the Church has a better map which actually shows where the numbered graves are.

Thank you Pat

Hi Mr Gordon, i think i can help you in your search for your headstone  as i work in heath lane cemetery !! ... i will contact you direct by message on this site.

Hi Mr Gordon, great news !! ... i have found your missing headstone stone ...A5207 .... i will message you direct with info.