A Census update
It’s been a year since we published our blog on the previously unknown Newman Brothers’ workforce we discovered as a result of the publication of the 1921 census. We were happy with that, but it appears that there’s even more out there and it’s the census that keeps on giving. We’ve found additional names to […]
A family found and a mystery solved (well, nearly)
Newman Brothers was established in 1882 by two brothers, Alfred and Edwin Newman. Edwin, born in 1856, was four years older than Alfred. The brothers entered into partnership as brass founders, making fittings for cabinets, from rented premises. But in 1892 they decided to commission a state-of-the-art manufactory, dedicated solely to the production of coffin […]
Food for Thought – A Special Day of the Dead Celebration
You’re invited to Food for Thought – A Special Day of the Dead Celebration with an exclusively cooked dinner followed by cake and drinks. Take a guided tour of our Stamp Room, discover how the Mexicans honour their ancestors, taste traditional festival foods, enjoy a film exploring the customs behind the annual ceremonies and join […]
Coffin Works wins ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’
The Coffin Works Museum secured the prestigious award for ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’ in the West Midlands Tourism Awards, in partnership with Visit England. The category commends small visitor attraction businesses providing truly memorable visitor experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business. In order to be eligible to apply, the […]
It’s all in a name: finding Jane Saunders
A couple of weeks ago, I published a blog about our recent exciting research findings at Newman Brothers. Thanks to the 1921 census, we now have a host of new stories to explore and relay to our visitors. One of those stories is that of Jane Saunders. We’d never heard of her until the census […]
All the Single Ladies, Well Nearly
For International Women’s Day we’re looking back at our most recent research on the 1921 census and our theme is Working Women. Of the 32 employees at Newman Brothers in 1921, 14 were women. Of those 14, there were 11 women listed as ‘single’ and just 3 married women working. Incidentally there were nine married […]
Coffin Works receives Culture Recovery Continuity Funding!
The Coffin Works to receive £33,750 from third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund! The Coffin Works is among 925 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the Culture Recovery Fund. This will pay for a mixture of staff wages, overheads and essential costs for the next six months. More than […]
The Coffin Works to receive £25,935 grant!
The Coffin Works, among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. The Coffin Works in Birmingham has received a grant of £25,935 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. The Culture Recovery grant will pay […]
The Quarter Workshop is Returning!
2021 marks the Quarterworkshop’s seventh year at the Coffin Works! For Owner and jeweller, Victoria Delaney, this year is extra-special as she is expecting her own precious bundle, and is due next month. We couldn’t resist photographing her in her natural habitat, as she’s glowing! We’re also extremely pleased to share that the Quarterworkshop is […]
International Women’s Day at Newman Brothers
Newman Brothers has a proud history of loyal and highly skilled workers, many of them women, who worked through wars, industrial changes and had to fight to prove they were equally as skilled as their male counterparts. One such is Joyce Green, who began her career aged 18 as a secretary and finished her long […]
Funeral Poverty
Laura Joyce, partner on our Arts Council funded ‘Dead Fashionable’ project, reflects on some of its teachings in the wake of Covid-19. One of the reasons that Sarah and I decided to work together on a project, was because of our shared interest in social justice, the death industry, and poverty. We wanted to […]
We’ve clocked its age at last!
Our clocking-in machine or ‘time recorder’ has been central to welcoming visitors since the Coffin Works opened in 2014. Visitors take their admissions tickets and ‘clock in’ for a tour, just as many Newman Brothers’ staff used to clock in for a shift at the factory. It’s always a topic of conversation, as our front-of-house […]
