Key Hill Cemetery ( OS grid reference SP059882), originally called Birmingham General Cemetery, is a cemetery in

Hockley Hockley is a large village and civil parish in Essex in the East of England located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea, or, more specifically, between Rayleigh and Rochford. It came to prominence during the coming of the railway in the 189 ...

(the

Jewellery Quarter The Jewellery Quarter is an area of central Birmingham, England, in the north-western area of Birmingham City Centre, with a population of 19,000 in a area. The Jewellery Quarter is Europe's largest concentration of businesses involved in the ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, England. It opened in 1836 as a nondenominational cemetery (in practice nonconformist), and is the oldest cemetery, not being in a churchyard, in Birmingham. The principal entrance is on Icknield Street to the west, with a secondary entrance on Key Hill to the north. The cemetery contains the graves of many prominent members of Birmingham society in the late 19th century, to the extent that in 1915 E. H. Manning felt able to dub it "the

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

of the Midlands". It is the older of two cemeteries in Hockley, the other being Warstone Lane Cemetery, opened in 1847, which was originally reserved for members of the established

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

. The cemetery is no longer available for new burials.

History and description

The cemetery was originally laid out for the Birmingham General Cemetery Company by local architect Charles Edge (d.1867). It opened on 23 May 1836. Many of its fittings and

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...

s are of

architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

and artistic merit. The railings and entrance gates with imposing

piers Piers may refer to: * Pier, a raised structure over a body of water * Pier (architecture), an architectural support * Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name) * Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...

(all by Edge) are

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

. The Greek Doric chapel, also by Edge, has been demolished. The cemetery is itself listed Grade II* on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. A campaign group, the Friends of Key Hill & Warstone Lane Cemeteries, lobbies to have the cemetery restored. The entrance piers and gates on both Icknield Street and Key Hill have been restored in recent years.

Burials

A comprehensive record of memorial inscriptions of existing memorials (and of some of those removed by

Birmingham City Council Birmingham City Council is the local authority for the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. Birmingham has had an elected local authority since 1838, which has been reformed several times. Since 1974 the council has been a metropo ...

) may be consulted through the Jewellery Quarter Research Trust's website. Notable people buried in the cemetery include: *

Marie Bethell Beauclerc Marie Bethell Beauclerc (10 October 1845 – 19 September 1897) was a pioneer in the teaching of Pitman shorthand, Pitman's shorthand and typing in Birmingham, England. In 1888 she was the first woman to be appointed as a teacher in an English b ...

(1845–1897): first female reporter (i.e.

Pitman shorthand Pitman shorthand is a system of shorthand for the English language developed by Englishman Sir Isaac Pitman (1813–1897), who first presented it in 1837. Like most systems of shorthand, it is a phonetic system; the symbols do not represent let ...

recorder) in England; pioneer in teaching of shorthand and typing in Birmingham; first female teacher in an English boys' public school (

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby union: 15 players per side *** American flag rugby *** Beach rugby *** Mini rugby *** Rugby sevens, 7 players per side *** Rugby tens, 10 players per side *** Snow rugby *** Tou ...

). Plot 961.I. *

Alfred Bird Alfred Bird (1811 – 15 December 1878) was an English food manufacturer and chemist. He was born in Nympsfield, Gloucestershire, England in 1811Baptised 25 August 1811 in Nympsfield, Gloucester, England. Parents John and Mary. International ...

(1811–1878): chemist and inventor of egg-free custard and baking powder. Plot 164.H.Manning 1924. *

John Henry Chamberlain John Henry Chamberlain (21 June 1831 – 22 October 1883), generally known professionally as J. H. Chamberlain, was a British nineteenth-century architect based in Birmingham. Working predominantly in the Victorian Gothic style, he was one of ...

(1831–1883): architect. Plot 701.K. * Joseph Chamberlain, senior (1796–1874): shoe manufacturer and Master of the Cordwainer's Company of London; father of the statesman Joseph Chamberlain. Plot 622.K at ///prop.track.bleak. *

Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal Party (UK), Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually was a leading New Imperialism, imperial ...

(1836–1914): politician and statesman, Mayor of Birmingham 1873–76, Member of Parliament 1876–1914; with his first two wives, Harriet (d. 1863) and Florence (d. 1875). Plot 610.K at ///dishes.upset.flood. *

Richard Chamberlain George Richard Chamberlain (March 31, 1934 – March 29, 2025) was an American actor and singer who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show '' Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1966). He subsequently earned the title "King of the Mini- ...

(1840–1899): Mayor of Birmingham 1879–80;

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

and

Liberal Unionist The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington (later the Duke of Devonshire) and Joseph Chamberlain, the party established a political ...

MP for

Islington West Islington West was a borough constituency in the Metropolitan Borough of Islington, in North London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished fo ...

1885–92; younger brother of Joseph Chamberlain. Plot 620.K. * Robert Lucas Chance (d. 1897): director of

Chance Brothers Chance Brothers and Company was an English glassworks originally based in Spon Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands (county), West Midlands (formerly in Staffordshire), in England. It was a leading glass manufacturer and a pioneer of British glassma ...

, glass makers of

Smethwick Smethwick () is an industrial town in the Sandwell district, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It lies west of Birmingham city centre. Historically it was in Staffordshire and then Worcestershire before bei ...

. Plot 902.K. * Dr

Robert William Dale Robert William Dale (1 December 1829 – 13 March 1895) was an English Congregational church leader based in Birmingham. Life Dale was born in London and educated at Spring Hill College, Birmingham, for the Congregational ministry. In 185 ...

(1829–1895): Congregationalist preacher and reformer. Plot 637.K. *

George Dawson George Dawson may refer to: Politicians * George Dawson (Northern Ireland politician) (1961–2007), Northern Ireland politician * George Walker Wesley Dawson (1858–1936), Canadian politician * George Oscar Dawson (1825–1865), Georgia poli ...

(1821–1876): nonconformist preacher and reformer. Plot 507.O. * George Edmonds (1788–1868): teacher, lawyer, scholar, radical and journalist. Plot 161.P. *

Joseph Gillott Joseph Gillott (11 October 1799 – 5 January 1872) was an English pen-manufacturer and patron of the arts based in Birmingham. Pen manufacturing After a brief period of schooling, Gillott began working in the cutlery trade in his home ...

(1799–1872): pen manufacturer. Plot 374-375.E. * William Harris (1826–1911):

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician and strategist, architect, and writer. Plot 1.C. *

James Hinks James Hinks (7 January 1829 – 10 October 1878) was a dog breeder who bred and named the English Bull Terrier in the 1860s, as well as the English White Terrier. He lived most of his life in Birmingham and died there in 1878. Biography Hi ...

(–1905): developer and manufacturer of oil lamps. Plot 389.P. *

John Alfred Langford John Alfred Langford (12 September 1823 – 24 January 1903) was an English journalist, poet and antiquary in Birmingham. Early life Born in Crawley's Court, Bradford Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Langford was the second surviving son of Joh ...

(1823–1903): journalist, poet, political activist and antiquary. Plot 169.R. *

Harriet Martineau Harriet Martineau (12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876) was an English social theorist.Hill, Michael R. (2002''Harriet Martineau: Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives'' Routledge. She wrote from a sociological, holism, holistic, religious and ...

(1802–1876): author; buried beside her mother, Elizabeth Martineau, Rankin (1771–1848). Plot 790.I. *

Robert Martineau Robert Arnold Schürhoff Martineau (22 August 1913 – 28 June 1999) was a British bishop who was the first Bishop of Huntingdon and who was later translated to Blackburn. Born in Birmingham and educated at King Edward's School ''Who Was Who 1 ...

(1798–1870): Mayor of Birmingham 1846, JP, Bailiff of Lench's Trust. Plot 790.I. * Robert Francis Martineau (1831–1909): JP, Secretary of the

Birmingham and Midland Institute The Birmingham and Midland Institute (popularly known as the Midland Institute) (), is an institution concerned with the promotion of education and learning in Birmingham, England. It is now based on Margaret Street in Birmingham city centr ...

, council member of Mason's College and then

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university in Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingham (founded in 1825 as ...

. Plot 790.I. * Sir

Thomas Martineau The Martineau family is an intellectual, business (banking, breweries, textile manufacturing) and political dynasty associated first with Norwich and later also London and Birmingham, England. Many members of the family have been knighted. Man ...

(1828–1893): Mayor of Birmingham 1884–87. Plot 134.K. *

Constance Naden Constance Caroline Woodhill Naden (24 January 185823 December 1889) was an English writer, poet and philosopher. She studied, wrote and lectured on philosophy and science, alongside publishing two volumes of poetry. Several collected works wer ...

(1858–1889): poet, philosopher, and science student. Plot 460.P. *

A. Follett Osler Abraham Follett Osler (22 March 1808 – 26 April 1903), known as A. Follett Osler, was a pioneer in the measurement of meteorological and chronological data in Birmingham, England. Early life He attended Hazelwood School on Hagley Road, ...

(1808–1903): glass manufacturer, developer of time-pieces. Plot 611.K. * Charles Reece Pemberton (1790–1840): actor, dramatist and lecturer. Plot 380.O. *

Joseph Powell Williams Joseph Powell Williams (18 November 1840 – 7 February 1904) was an English Liberal and Liberal Unionist politician who was active in local government in Birmingham and sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1904. He was a close political a ...

(1840–1904):

and

MP for Birmingham South 1885–1904. Plot 917.K. *

John Wellington Starr John Wellington Starr (1822? – November 21, 1846) was an American inventor and pioneer in development of the incandescent light bulb. Life Starr was born in Cincinnati. In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), he f ...

(–1846): American inventor and pioneer in the development of the

incandescent light bulb An incandescent light bulb, also known as an incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe, is an electric light that produces illumination by Joule heating a #Filament, filament until it incandescence, glows. The filament is enclosed in a ...

. Plot 403.P. *

Samuel Timmins Samuel Timmins (27 February 1826 – 12 November 1902) was a British Shakespearean scholar and antiquarian. He was invariably known as Sam Timmins, and signed himself "Sam: Timmins", using a colon for abbreviation in early modern style. He ...

(1826–1902): Shakespearean scholar and antiquarian. Plot 712.K. * Charles Vince (1823–1874): Baptist minister and reformer. Plot 784.K. *

John Skirrow Wright John Skirrow Wright (2 February 1822 – ) was one of the distinguished pioneers and social improvers of the 19th century in Birmingham, England; and inventor of the postal order. He was involved in many aspects of Birmingham's mid-Victorian l ...

(1822–1880): reformer and MP. Plot 218.E. * Edwin Yates (–1874): Mayor of Birmingham 1865. Plot 426.K.

War graves

There are 46 Commonwealth service war graves in the cemetery, commemorated by the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...

, 38 from the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

(mostly in section L, none marked by headstones) whose names are listed on a Screen Wall memorial; and eight from the

Second The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of U ...

References

External links

Friends of Key Hill Cemetery & Warstone Lane Cemetery

The Jewellery Quarter Research Trust
- includes plan of graves at Key Hill
The ''Hockley Flyer'': the "voice" of the Jewellery Quarter
{{Cemeteries in England Cemeteries in Birmingham, West Midlands Grade II listed buildings in Birmingham 1836 establishments in England Nonconformism

History and description

Burials

War graves

References

Further reading

External links