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Appeal to find descendants of couple after Dudley grave collapses

The Diocese of Worcester is appealing for helping finding descendants of a couple after a grave collapsed.

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The grave of a man believed to have been Isaac Bradley collapsed inwards

The appeal has been put out by the diocese and members of St James the Great Church in Lower Gornal after the grave collapsed on Wednesday, leaving bits of the grave and headstone smashed inside the grave.

The grave is believed to be for Isaac Bradley, who died in November 1929 at 45-years-old, alongside his wife Hannah, who died in 1965 at the age of 84.

Anyone who has any information about descendants of Isaac Bailey should contact Father Gary Hartill or the churchwardens.

If no further information is received by April 28, steps will be taken to close the grave and, in the meantime, barrier tape has been placed around the grave and all are advised to avoid the area.

The area around the grave has been taped off for safety

A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Worcester said: "Unfortunately, a grave has collapsed at the top of the churchyard of St. James the Great Church, Lower Gornal and we are trying to track down any descendants of the people that were buried there.

"The Memorial on the grave appears to be to Isaac Bradley who died on 22 November 1929, aged 45 years, born in 1884.

"The second Memorial is to Hannah Bradley, Isaac’s wife, who died in April 1965, aged 84 years, born in 1881.

"According to official records, the couple had two children, John, who married Doris Whitehouse and died in Torbay in Devon in 1971 and Isaac who died in 1958.

"We also know that as a child, Isaac senior lived with his parents at both the Bulls Head on Himley Road and the Old Bulls Head on Red Hall Road and at the time of his death in 1929, he lived in Merry Hill in Wolverhampton."

Patricia Hyde, Churchwarden at St James’ Church said: “We need to make every effort to trace the family before the grave can be closed and so would be very grateful for any help that anyone can give us.

"Please do get in touch if you recognise these names and can point us in the right direction.”

If anyone has any knowledge of the descendants of Isaac Bradley, call Father Gary Hartill on 01902 881357/07809218558 or the Churchwardens on 07502082300 or 07737600541.