Author: Jane Edwards

Football Connection to Brandwood End

I am sure we must have some followers who are also interested in Football? This gentleman is buried in Brandwood End in an unmarked grave. Like many, he has a back story and a serious football connection!
 
John Charles Shaw – born 1830 Penistone a market town in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley West Riding of Yorkshire – died on the 23rd November 1918 aged eighty eight. His wife Louise had purchased the burial plot at Brandwood End Cemetery, Kings Heath Birmingham. Full obituaries appeared in the Birmingham and Sheffield press,
Educated at Penistone Gramma School – based on evidence took football played at Penistone to Sheffield in 1853 – First Captain of Sheffield Football Club – the world’s oldest football club founded1857 and Founder of Hallam Football Club 1860. Member of first representative side – London v Sheffield 1866. Captain of winning Hallam Club for Youdan Trophy 1867 – the world’s first organised knockout challenge cup. President of Sheffield Football Association – first provincial association in the country 1869 – oversaw the amalgamation with the Football Association in 1877.
Source kind permission of Hallam Football Club
Penistone History Archive
1866 was the year that saw the first representative soccer match between London and Sheffield and John Charles Shaw was selected to play in this first encounter. 1867 saw the Youdan Cup competition take place, with twelve Sheffield clubs taking part in this, the world’s first knock-out tournament, which was eventually won by Hallam. The Sheffield Football Association was formed shortly after the Youdan Cup.
What is highly significant is that John Charles Shaw is a major contributor in almost all of the initial stages of football development in Sheffield. He is connected not only with the establishment of the Sheffield Football Club, Hallam Club, and Youdan Cup, but also the founding of the Sheffield Football Association with its Players Insurance Fund, and the historic links with London and Birmingham.
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The Youdan Trophy. The world’s first knock-out challenge cup competition. Won by the Hallam Club and held aloft in triumph by the captain, John Charles Shaw.
The following year saw the Cromwell Cup, the world’s second oldest competition. Won by the Wednesday Club and held aloft in triumph, by the victorious captain John Marsh, both captains, former pupils of Penistone Grammar School. Source: by permission of Hallam Football Club.
John Charles Shaw’s grave at Brandwood End Cemetery –
Section B2 C/E Grave 1326 – the empty space in the middle plot.

Graves uncovered by FBEC and Deutsche Bank

We were pleased to welcome yet another Team of volunteers from Deutsche Bank to Brandwood End this week to help with our ongoing project to make every grave in the cemetery accessible. Many of the older graves have been lost for some years under Ivy, Holly or in some cases self set trees. The Friends, assisted by various Corporate groups, have been working all over the cemetery to try and make sure visitors can get to family graves.

The coppice area they were working on and how it looked afterwards, graves revealed

Sometimes this involves removing Ivy or small Holly bushes and other shrubs that have grown out of control. There are lots of self set trees, mainly conifers, growing on or between graves. Many of these have now reached significant height and width and can obscure maybe 6 or 8 graves! If possible we remove lower branches (crown lift) to allow access to graves but occasionally the tree will be removed.

Deutsche Bank have been on site on several occasions this year and we hope to welcome them again in the New Year. Follow this link to see further photos.

Remembrance 2024

Todays Remembrance service was well attended with well over 150 people attending. The leaves quietly falling off the trees during the two minute silence in some way added to the atmosphere and the Buglers performance was top rate as usual.

Wreaths were laid by a number of organisations including the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service and local Councillors.

If you follow this link you can find an album of photos taken by committee members.

Death of Dr Julian Litten

It is with great sadness that we report the death of our long serving Patron Dr. Julian Litten.
Dr Litten had been involved with the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery since our inception 20 years ago next summer.
He kept in touch with our activities and regularly suggested funding streams and ideas to help us progress our cause. He was a knowledgeable and charismatic and we will miss his support and interest.

Grave Gardening Session in December 2024

Our last Grave Gardening Session for 2024 will be on the 14th December starting at 11am and running till 12.30pm        Meet by the Lodge on the main drive near the entrance. Please try to arrive on time as we will be moving to another area on this 53 acre site and may be hard to find.

Everyone is welcome but under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Stout footwear is advisable and you may want to bring your own heavy duty gloves, although we do have some available.