Birmingham Central Hall

War memorial

One of the problems to be faced when closing a chapel is how to preserve any memorials.

In January 2016 a bronze war memorial was offered for sale on Ebay. Working from a sample of the names shown in the photographs we concluded that it was probably the memorial from Birmingham Central Hall, which passed out of Methodist use some time ago. All the men appear to be from Birmingham.

Ann Fox has researched the names.

Samuel Andrews, Private 140564 8th Bn Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)( prev 2nd Bn Devonshire Regiment and Worcestershire Regiment) d 28/5/18, age 31 Son of James and Maria Andrews; wife of Sarah Beatrice Andrews ? Aston, Birmingham

Charles Henry Bates, Private A/834(Rifleman) 18th Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps, d 3/8/17, age 25, Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, Son of Charles Bates, 11 Spring Hill Avenue, Spring Hill, Birmingham

Thomas Arthur Bellamy, Private 22169 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards, d13/4/18, age 23, Ploegsteert Memorial, Son of Arthur John and Ellen Bellamy, 110 Wyrley Road, Witton, Birmingham

William Charles Bishop, Private 34177 8th Bn Yorkshire Regiment (formerly 16/21741 16th Bn Cheshire Regiment, d 19/10/17, age 23, Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Son of David Bishop 3/57 Price St, St Mary’s Birmingham

Joseph Alfred Coley, Captain 5th Bn attd 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers, d 22/3/18, age 21, Arras Memorial Son of Alfred William & Catherine Lavinia Coley, 124 Pretoria Road, Bordesky Green, Birmingham

Richard Ernest Crogan, Sergeant 8741 2nd Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, d 7/11/14, Ploegsteert Memorial Son of ???

Philip Henry Kesterton, Private 120878 (Gunner) 289th Siege Bty Royal Garrison Artillery d 11/6/17, age 32 Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery Son of William & Constance A Kesterton, Birmingham

John Henry Dickinson, Private 242571 1st/6th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment, attd V46 Trench Mortar Bty Royal Field Artillery d 28/7/17, age 33 Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension Son of John and Flora Dickinson, Bearwood Birmingham

Albert Finney, Private 36222 2nd Bn Yorkshire Regiment d 18/12/16, age ??? Birmingham (Warstone Lane) Cemetery Son of John and Pheobie Finney; husband of Alice Finney, 2/13 Howe Street Birmingham

Frederick Walter Fryer, Corporal 1st Kings Shropshire Regiment ???

Frederick William??? Ernest Holt, Private 506 15th Royal Warwick Regiment d 3/9/16, age 18 Thiepval Memorial Son of Mrs E Holt, 12/99 Tower Road, Aston Birmingham

Benjamin Edward Lilly, Private 10733 10th Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry d 25/3/18, age 21 Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont Son of Joseph and Sarah Lilly, 350 New John Street West, Birmingham

Thomas Vivian Lunn, Private 57849 Devonshire Regiment, transf (104661) 175th Coy Labour Corps d 1/9/17, age 21 Tincourt New British Cemetery Born Birmingham. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Lunn, 27 High Street, Evesham Worcs

W MacDowell J Stanley Overton, Private 1741 15th Royal Warwick Regiment d 16/7/17, age 18 Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun Son of Mrs I E Overton, 41 Fulham Road, Sparkhill Birmingham

Peter Parkes, Rifleman R/2314 10th Batt Kings Royal Rifle Corps d 3/9/16, age 31 Thiepval Memorial Son of John and Mary Ann Parkes; husband of Laura Fletcher (formerly Parkes), 8 Rathbride Terrace, Icknield Port Road, Ladywood, Birmingham

Seth Hixon Roberts, Private 15/458 15th Royal Warwick Regiment d 22/9/16, age 29 Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz Son of Mrs A Jones, 138 Birchfield Road, Handsworth Birmingham

Henry Richard Sale, Private 14/1702 “D”Coy 15th Royal Warwick Regiment d 4/6/16, age 20 Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras Son of Henry and Ellen Sale, 1 Lower Terrace, Blockley Worcestershire

Harry Stockall, Private 5118 8th Royal Warwick Regiment d 28/8/16, age 40 Puchevillers British Cemetery Son of William and Eliza Stockall

William Henry Stockall, Private 9406 4th Worcester Regiment d 6/12/16 Bagdad (North Gate) War Cemetery Son of ???

Albert Percy Summers, Sergeant 200457 “C” Coy 1st 5th Bn Royal Warwick Regiment d 4/10/17, age 24 Tyne Cot Memorial Husband of Beatrice Summers, 4 Queen’s Avenue, Factory Road, Handsworth Birmingham

Ernest A Walker, Lance-Corporal 14/1862 14th Royal Warwick Regiment d 23/7/16 Thiepval Memorial Son of ???

John Henry Wilkinson, Private 5th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry

John Woodward, Private 5371 1st/5th Bn Royal Warwick Regiment d 2/11/16, age ??? Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery Son of ???

Hubert A Wragg, Sergeant 293429 2nd/1st Kent Heavy Bty Royal Garrison Artillery d 10/11/18, age 33 Birmingham (Handsworth) Cemetery Son of John and Mrs E Wragg, Jennings St, Te Kuiti, Waitomo, Hamilton NZ

None of these men appear to have been remembered on any other memorial in this country, so we can but hope that the Birmingham Central Hall memorial will re-appear. Any further information about the memorial or the men commemorated will be welcomed.

Additional sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Imperial War Museum Register of War Memorials.

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