Hagley Historical and Field Society

Fashions have changed over the years in the way in which we deal with our dearly departed. Cremation is now chosen by over 75% of us. However, in late Victorian times burial was almost universal and the Victorians had an obsession with conducting the most lavish funerals, often spending more on death than in life. Thus, on the wave of this obsession, in 1894 Newman Brothers completed a purpose built foundry and factory on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham to make some ‘brass’ in both senses on the word.

Newman Brothers were brass founders and manufacturers of high quality brass coffin fittings which were distributed all over Britain. The story of the rise and fall of this business was the topic of our speaker this month, Simon Buteux. Simon is the Director of the Birmingham Conservation Trust responsible for turning the old Newman Brothers’ works into Birmingham’s newest museum. He told us that Newman brass fittings were used on the coffins of many high profile figures including Joseph Chamberlain in 1914, Winston Churchill in 1964 and the Queen Mother in 2002. They also made fine quality funeral clothes in which one would have been ‘quite happy to be seen dead in’ (Simon’s quote). To keep up with trends in later years they made Birmingham City and Aston Villa football strips for ardent fans to be laid out in.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 1^st November. There will be a presentation by Sandy Cale entitled ‘Elegant Georgian Worcester’. Sandy has been a Worcester Walks Green Badge Guide since 2000. She will give us a pictorial guided walk through Worcester in Georgian times, dressed in period costume.

Visitors are most welcome at all our events – see home page for details and contacts.