It was a pleasure to meet the Revd Tom Merry and his sister in Brandwood End today as they searched for family graves. Both had travelled from Gloucestershire and Worcestershire respectively and had spent an interesting morning investigating burial records to help locate several graves.

They were both surprised to see the prominence of the family grave of their great grandfather William Adams, shared with one set of their grandparents.

William, known as Bill,  was a notable benefactor to the City of Birmingham, a county councillor, magistrate and chairman of Birmingham Football Club.

After his death in 1911 (and burial at Brandwood End) his house in Moseley called ‘Sorrento’ became a hospital for WW1 wounded and then later a well known local maternity hospital.

William was despatched from his home town of Sheffield to Birmingham, to establish a new branch of Refuge Assurance, a company founded by his father Henry Adams.

Whilst in the cemetery they were also able to locate 3 other family graves.  Our thanks for allowing The Friends to be part of this interesting investigation.