Brandwood End Cemetery

Story

Brandwood End Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Brandwood ward of Birmingham, England.HistoryUntil the early 19th century the Church of England church yards and burial grounds were the only major places available for burials. By that time these ancient burial grounds were becoming overcrowded, causing the burials to become shallower and the graveyards to be considered as unsanitary health hazards. Added to this was the massive increase in the population, particularly in the expanding urban industrial areas, which increased the demand for burial space. The situation was further exacerbated by the increased death rate during periodic epidemics such as cholera, occurring unchecked within these overcrowded urban environments.These burial problems were resolved with the development of ‘public cemeteries for all’. This was initially not under the direction of local or central government, but under Joint Stock Companies for profit. For example, Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, founded in 1834, was a local example of such a Joint Stock venture.However, these efforts by private enterprise could not, by themselves, solve the overall problem, and as a direct result of the cholera epidemics of 1831-1832 and 1848-1849 central government had to take action. Between 1852 and 1857 a series of Burial Acts were passed, which established a national system of public cemeteries under the direction of local Burial Boards. These Boards were responsible for the interment of the dead; could build and manage new cemeteries; and, charge the expenses to the Poor Rate.