Discover more about death in the Jewellery Quarter with two special tours, a picnic and a ‘Death over Drinks’ discussion!
We’re marking Dying Matters Awareness Week in the Jewellery Quarter with a series of events, including the exclusive ‘Campo Santo’.
This event starts with an interactive audio tour of the dead at rest in Warstone Lane Cemetery led by ITZATNA Arts, by comparing and contrasting the Victorian and 20th-century customs around death, burials and memorials, shared between Mexico and the UK.
It will end with a cemetery picnic, a tradition practised in both Victorian Birmingham and contemporary Mexico, and with food created by Birmingham-based Chef and Visual Artist Alfredo Hau of ITZATNA Arts.
The picnic will be followed by an informal conversation over cake and hot drinks facilitated by BrumYODO, a community interest company founded to promote open and honest discussion around death and dying.
The last stop for the day will be The Coffin Works Museum, which preserves the contents of the former Newman Brothers’ Coffin Fittings Manufactory. This old Jewellery Quarter firm made a living out of dying, producing some of the finest coffin furniture, used on the coffins of kings, queens and prime ministers. The visit includes a short tour of the historic Stamp Shop, with a machinery demonstration of the original Victorian drop stamps.
Meeting Point: The meeting point for this event is outside the Rose Villa Tavern: 172 Warstone Ln, Birmingham B18 6JW.
Please ensure that you arrive on time, as the audio tour experience will start promptly and is timed, so any late arrival will impair your experience.
This event includes two tours and a 15-minute walk between venues. While we will stick to the paths in the cemetery where possible, there are some uneven surfaces. Please wear sturdy shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. There is a wet-weather plan for the picnic and discussion portion of this event. If you have any mobility or access needs or questions, please get in touch with the event organiser on 0121 233 4790.
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements, by contacting Coffin Works via newmanbrothers@coffinworks.org by Wednesday 10th May.
