Can we take a moment, in this special year, to welcome everyone who views our web site and visits the cemetery. Please spread the word.  Interest in the cemetery has swelled of late and we are so pleased to be able to share our love of this amazing cemetery with others. Can we remind you that there are no permanent ground staff at Brandwood End and we share them with several other cemeteries, but we can assure you that they do what they can with the time and resources allotted to them and every member of the ground staff has a love of the cemetery that goes beyond their ‘job’. There will always be issues relating to this large site of 53 acres, which used to have 16 permanent gardeners in its hey day, but with the co operation of the public, the Friends, Bereavements Staff and BCC grounds maintenance we hope we can keep this as a welcoming and safe space for those that visit.

Its 15 years since the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery (FBEC) were formed, on the 21st July. Over those 15 years we have remained remarkably busy but many of our projects have remained unseen, so we thought we would create the a poster showing some of the more evident things we have managed to achieve. If you have an interest you can follow this link.15th Year poster

Our main aim was, and will always be, to see the chapels returned to use, in some form that will provide a sustainable future for them as we would all hate to lose these beautiful buildings. It may appear that very little has happened on this front but believe us when we say it has been, and remains, a total roller coaster ride.

We have seen possibilities being raised….and then dashed many times, but we will continue to fight. At present the councils stance is to try and ‘prevent further deterioration’. Unfortunately just to stand still costs thousands of pounds a year in repetitive maintenance. Last year we achieved major goals with the installation of a new temporary roof on the building, the cleaning out of both chapel interiors and proper interpretation.

You will see from our linked poster that we are busy in many areas and we continue to look for support with projects and also for new members on our committee.

We hope you find the Cemetery a peaceful place and we will continue to try and work with Bereavement Services and BCC to maintain a welcoming and interesting environment- historically and environmentally.

2020 is a special year for Brandwood End, as it is 90 years since the dedication of the Cross of Sacrifice. Our Chairman has researched its history and we hope you find this shortened version of events of interest.

At 3pm on Sunday 20^th July 1930 the Cross, erected by the Imperial War Graves Commission to the memory of the 103 (at the time) soldiers who died during the Great War and who were buried in the Cemetery, was dedicated by Birmingham’s Assistant Bishop Hamilton Baynes, who during the Boer War was Bishop of Natal (and an Army Chaplain both then and again in WW1).

The event was extremely well attended, despite the continuous downpour that had drenched Birmingham for two days, with the Lord Mayor Alderman M Lancaster, Councillor F. McDonald Chairman of the Parks and Cemeteries Committee, Councillors, representatives of the local TA Units, members of numerous branches of the British Legion (with their banners), the Vicars of Kings Norton and All Saints Kings Heath and other clergy all present and led to the Cross by the military band of The Legion of Frontiersmen. A large number of the public attended, many of whom carried wreaths and bunches of flowers to place on the Cross and the Lord Mayor laid ‘a massive wreath “from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of Birmingham” .

We are pleased to report that the Cross and Screen walls have been cleaned in time for this special date and on the 20th the Friends will lay a small wreath to mark this date, which coincides with the 15th Anniversary of the formation of the Friends on the 21st July 2005.