It’s Friday, and that means we identify a new grave to collectively research and see what we can find out about the lives of the people buried in it. This week we are looking at the Shuttleworth grave, the final resting place of Ann, William and Catherine.
In memory of Ann the beloved wife of William Shuttleworth who entered into rest June 15th 1906 in her 71st year. Also William beloved husband of the above who died April 30th 1909 in his 72nd year. Also Catherine beloved daughter of the above died October 8th 1917 aged 60 years.
Run in collaboration with Talk About North Solihull.
William Suttleworth (1837-1909) and Ann French (1835-1906)
William Shuttleworth was the son of George Shuttleworth and Catherine Crofts and born circa 1837 and baptised on 12 March 1837 in Paliton, Monks Kirby in Warwickshire. By the time of the 1851 census he was working as a Servant in the household of Richard Ballard, a farmer of 100 acres.
On 19th August 1856 he married Ann French, the daughter of Samuel French and Elizabeth Brown. They are known to have had at least eleven children of whom two, Catherine and Clara Louisa are, like their parents, buried in Castle Bromwich graveyard.
In 1861 William was working as an agricultural labouerer, although by 1871 he was again working as a domestic servant. By 1881 he has returned to labouring and in particular involved with coaches and carriages until his death in Castle Bromwich on 20th April 1909. His wife, Ann, had predeceased him having died in Castle Bromwich on 16th June 1906.
Catherine Shuttleworth (1857-1917)
Their daughter Catherine never married. She was born in 1857 in Stretton, Warwickshire. The 1861 census shows her with her paternal grandparents, George and Catherine, whilst the 1871 census lists her as a scholar in Yardley. Like her father, she entered domestic service the 1881 census listing her as a servant domestic in Barrow Upon Soar.
The 1901 census shows her as a patient in the John Bright Skin and Urinary Hospital in Birmingham.
Opened in 1888 – following transfer of facilities from Newhall Street which began operating in 1881 – the Birmingham and Midland Hospital for Skin and Urinary Diseases operated from its John Bright Street for nearly 100 years before its work was transferred to George Road Edgbaston and more latterly to the Dudley Road ‘City’ Hospital group.
The hospital concerned itself with all manner of skin and urinary ailments and diseases and had both an in and out-patient department. The hospital was purpose built £5,000.
The entrance for woman and children was via John Bright Street whilst the entrance for male patients was via the rear of the building on Beak Street. This may have been to save them the embarrassment of being seen entering through the main entrance by women and children due to the moral incorrigibility of more ‘urinary’ related issues. The hospital was known locally as the skin and lock hospital, with lock being a euphemism for venereal diseases.
The in-patient ward originally held 21 beds and there were also medicated bathing facilities to be found in the basement of the building.
By 1911 Catherine had retired being listed as a former domestic cook and living with her sister Mary Ann’s family.
Clara Louisa Ravenhall, nee Shuttleworth (1870-1936)
William and Ann’s daughter, Clara Louisa is also buried in Castle Bromwich graveyard. She was born in Stechford on the 19th May 1870. On 2nd April 1888 she married John Joseph Ravenhall at St Saviours Church Saltley.
The couple are known to have had at least four children, one of whom was Sam Chidler Ravenhall who died during WW1 and is commemorated on the Castle Bromwich war memorial and on a plaque in St Mary and St Margaret Church. Clara died in Castle Bromwich during 1936 and is buried in a Ravenhall family grave in Castle Bromwich graveyard.
