Historic Birmingham churchyard with links to Aston Villa targeted by vandals MINDLESS thugs have vandalised gravestones at a Birmingham church where the remains of Aston Villa’s founders have been lain to rest and memorials to the city’s most historic figures have been erected.
Almost a dozen gravestones at St Mary’s Church, in Hamstead Road, Handsworth, were knocked over and smashed by louts over the weekend.
Graffiti was also daubed over the church building.
The Very Rev Brian Hall said he was “saddened” by the incident, which police chiefs described as “despicable”.
The churchyard is home to two key figures in the history of football, William McGregor, Director of Aston Villa FC, who organised the founding meeting of the Football League on March 22 1888 and George Ramsay, whose headstone reads ‘Founder of Aston Villa’.
There are also memorials to Birmingham’s founding fathers James Watt, Matthew Boulton and William Murdock at the Hamstead Road Cemetery.
Its oldest grave dates back to 1670.
But Rev Hall said none of the historic graves had been damaged.
He said: “I am saddened by this. Someone has been trying to push over the headstones. Some of them have been smashed.
“We don’t get a lot of vandalism and this is the first real trouble we have had for a couple of years. It needs to be stopped.”
Specialist forensic experts have combed the site for clues and officers have increased patrols.
Insp Danielle Corfield, said: “This was a despicable act which strikes at the heart of the Handsworth community.
“Many people from the area, including those who have loved-ones interred at the graveyard, will be very upset by this incident.
“I would like to assure them we are doing everything we can to find those responsible and would ask for the support of people in bringing them to justice.”
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