Memorials at St Mary's Sellyoak

[ColC]

Hi Kay,
Sorry I could not be of more help.
I  was a Server, Sidesman and member of the PCC at St Mary's for a number of years and remember the Ledsam & Elkington connections.

You could try a direct approach to the Vicar, you never know he might take an interest if you mention the connection, or at least he may point you in the direction of the burial records. There were family burials there until 1954. The Parks dept. were in control from 1927.

Regards

Colin Clarke

[Kayzee]

Thank you Colin, you have been very helpful. Not only have you reminded me that I might be looking for a Howell, but you have introduced me to Birmingham History Forum (which I knew nothing of).
Many thanks & good luck with your searches,
Kay

[Kayzee]

Hi Colin & Oliver,
                         Just to let you know that I have received a personal message telling me that Pickards Pink Pages were online- on there I was able to see an index of the memorial inscriptions that does include Alsop & Howell.  From that information I was able to order the relevant fiche from BMSGH for just £1 plus p& p - what a bargain! So now I just have to wait for the postman!
    Thank you all, would never have found it without your help.
Kay

[oliver2008]

I suspect my help was more limited but great to see you've made progress!

[Kayzee]

Don't undersell yourself Oliver, if you hadn't sent your reply, my query would still be well down the list, not seen by the others & I would still be floundering around in the dark!! You lit the match - cheers!
Kay

[Kayzee]

Well 1 out of 3 is a start!! Most odd really. Bearing in mind that the daughter (Sarah Jessy) died 1st, then Anne Maria the mother (3 years later),finally John the son, I cannot fathom why there is a memorial erected to the mother only.  It makes no sense that these 3 lived together all their lives & yet the surviving son had a memorial made to his mother only?
    Anne Maria married Josiah Allsop MD Birmingham & had 3 children with him. He died 1832.
    Anne Maria remarried George Howell 1836 & had a daughter Mary Ann 1838
    1841 Anne Maria is calling herself Alsop, but daughter Mary Ann is Howell & George is absent.
    1851 Anne maria still Alsop, Mary Ann & George not to be seen again, assume they died?
So, surprised to find Anne Maria buried as 'Annie Marie wife of Josiah Howell MD Birmingham'! I suppose John would have been a man of few words (a trait handed down to the present day!), but you'd have thought when he & his brother saw the mistake they would have got it changed! Surely if she wanted to be known as Alsop for her last 47 years, she would have wanted Alsop on the stone - & why no mention of the sister? Most odd.
   

[ColC]

Hi Kay,
I must say the outcome of this is most strange.
I suppose one possibility is that John had got a little confused in the intervening 50 years or so since the death of his father & stepfather.

Colin

[Kayzee]

Hi Colin,
            Of course you are right - I'm getting a little confused myself!!   And I've realised that maybe Sarah Jessy was on the memorial,   but lower down or even on the other side -   then if the stone had  weathered badly, it wouldn't have been noticed.   Seems reasonable to me.
    I have been intouch with the vicar & he doesn't have the burial register or a copy. However, it has occurred to me that a descendant of the Ledsams may know something. It's a long shot, but I have e-mailed him with my fingers crossed. Don't want to leave a stone unturned!!!
   I noticed you have Lowe as a surname interest - they wouldn't be from Derbyshire would they?
Kay

[ColC]

Hi Kay,
Good luck with your request.

My Lowe connection is quite away back in the 1700s. Hampton in Arden/Barston, Warwickshire,

Regards

Colin