Appeal to trace relatives of Irishman who died in Birmingham last month

It has been more than a month since Irishman John Joseph Gill died in Birmingham but no family member has come forward to claim his remains.

Mr Gill died on November 25th, aged 86. His last known address was Whitehouse Common Road in Sutton Coldfield. Ten days after his death Birmingham City Council issued a public appeal for information, but it has been unsuccessful in tracing any family.

Birmingham City Council say Mr Gill was born on August 31st, 1936 and is originally from Co Roscommon.

He was one of nine siblings and had four children of his own, say the council. Despite, presumably, having many living relatives, a public appeal in the UK and Ireland has received no response.

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Genealogist Frank McGovern said he has helped reunite missing people with relatives for the last 30 years but this case has left him “stumped”.

“If he had eight brothers and sisters and four children it makes it very strange indeed not to find some clue,” he said.

He said he has been unable to find a John Joseph Gill who was born on the given date. However, he has found a John Joseph Gill who was born in 1937 in Kilronan, but not the village of that name in Co Roscommon.

The John Joseph Gill born in 1937 in Kilronan was from Inishmore in the Aran Islands, as are all his siblings.

The funeral will not take place until relatives can be traced.

Anybody with information should contact Birmingham City Council at FPP@birmingham.gov.uk.