Henry Remembers Erdington

Henry Jeffs was Grace's great-grandfather. Henry was born March 8, 1835, and turned 78 in 1913 (two years after Erdington became part of Birmingham). He would have been age 3 at the time of his earliest memory, Queen Victoria's coronation on June 28, 1838.

Henry signed himself "Old Sarbot." In the Birmingham area, a "sarbot" was an informer. In 1866, Brum, a satire on notable citizens in Birmingham, was signed by Old Sarbot; and in 1896, the Birmingham Daily Mail quoted Old Sarbot's information about city taxes.

Birmingham City Council provides a brief history of Erdington on its website.