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  1. #1
    thecapt
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    Default Nail making in Sidemoor, Bromsgrove

    Hi all,

    I'm after information regarding the nail making industry in Sidemoor, Bromsgrove. I am especially interested in the area around Broad Street and Melbourne Road. I volunteer at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings and we have the nailshop from Sidemoor there. My current assignment is to research life in this area and I was wondering if anybody had any links there. Broad Street was known as 'The Common' and I believe that Melbourne Road didn't exist before the 1901 census (I can find no mention of it on the 1891 or 1881 censuses). My specific target is to find out what it would have been like at Christmas time in that nail making community. I know that they were most probabley Primitive Methodists (the Ebenezer Methodist Chapel is still there - rebuilt in 1933). Does anybody have relatives who lived in the area? Can anyobdy pinpoint any books that may be of interest (I have read the Bill Kings book, Glory Gone - very good).

    Thanks,

    thecapt

  2. #2
    Andrewb
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    thecapt

    Check out the book from which this was extracted. I got my copy from Droitwich library but I'd be amazed if Bromsgrove library doesn't have a copy.

    Andrew

    Nailmaking
    There was among the nailmakers a deep discontent with their lot, which found expression in a long period of strikes organised to secure better pay. A great strike on November 8th, 1828, led the way to even greater strikes between 1842 and 1869. The latter date introduced a ten weeks’ strike against what was known as the ‘Starvation List’. In that year one man working his hardest twelve hours a day made 7/- per week, and this man had seven children to keep. If a wife worked, as she was often compelled, in spite of continuous child bearing, she might add another 3/- to the household income…It was probably the greatest strike of all in 1877 known as the ‘Twenty Weeks Strike’ that hastened the end of the nail trade in Bromsgrove, combined with other economic factors, as emigration and seeking other employment in the manufacturing towns.
    Extracted from ‘The story of Bromsgrove’ by W G Leadbetter

  3. #3
    thecapt
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    Andrew, thanks for the info - I picked up a copy of that book this weekend just gone. It's quite an old book, however it has some interesting points. I'm currently reading "A capful O' Nails" as well, which is a story about nailmaking in the black country at the turn of the century - it's based on fact.

    I just need to find some reference, however small, to Christmas in a book somewhere. I know we were celebrating it from approx 1837 in Britain - I just wonder what it would have been like in a poor community.

    Thanks again,

    Thecapt

  4. #4
    Valued member of Brit-Gen
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    It doesn't seem to mention christmas (at a quick re-glance), but does seem to give an idea of conditions. If you go to google and then to the website of the "birmingham historian", there is articles on "nailmakers of birmingham" and "nailmakers of harborne" which you can download by clicking on "the historian" link at the side. this gives a number of other references.

  5. #5
    Philip Crawford
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    Default Nailmaking connections in Sidemoor Bromsgrove

    Almost all of my ancestors (Troth's and Crawford's) were nailmakers, many from the Sidemoor area in Broad Street, Melbourne Road and York Road. I've nothing specific on Christmas activities there, but I do have the following as a result of my research in the last couple of years. If you would like copies of any or all of them I'm happy to email them to you. Just send me a private email with your contact email and I will forward them.

    - list of names from the stones laid at the Methodist Chapel 1933
    - 1911 photo from Bromsgrove Messenger of E R Troth, nailmaker at Sidemoor
    - my own street plan of Broad Street Sidemoor
    - article Bromsgrove's Last Nailmaker ' by Peter Lammas, B. Messenger
    - Nailmaking Facts & Notes Bromsgrove 1884 14-page pdf file
    - White Slaves of England Robert Sherard 1896 7-page pdf

    Regards

    Philip

  6. #6
    Shelton
    Guest

    Default Sidemoor Nailmakers

    QUOTE=Philip Crawford;346040]Almost all of my ancestors (Troth's and Crawford's) were nailmakers, many from the Sidemoor area in Broad Street, Melbourne Road and York Road. I've nothing specific on Christmas activities there, but I do have the following as a result of my research in the last couple of years. If you would like copies of any or all of them I'm happy to email them to you. Just send me a private email with your contact email and I will forward them.

    - list of names from the stones laid at the Methodist Chapel 1933
    - 1911 photo from Bromsgrove Messenger of E R Troth, nailmaker at Sidemoor
    - my own street plan of Broad Street Sidemoor
    - article Bromsgrove's Last Nailmaker ' by Peter Lammas, B. Messenger
    - Nailmaking Facts & Notes Bromsgrove 1884 14-page pdf file
    - White Slaves of England Robert Sherard 1896 7-page pdf

    Regards

    Philip[/QUOTE]


    I am also trying to trace my ancestors (Crawford and webb to name a few) mostly from Sidemoor, Catshill and Belbroughton areas. The information you list may be of help to me, is it possible to forward. We may be related?

    Thanks
    Shelton

  7. #7
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Welcome to Brit-Gen Shelton.

    The members who started this thread haven't actually been on the forums for a couple of years, however if they do have the same email addresses they may receive notification of your posting.

    If you wish to try contacting any of them privately you can click on their user name and choose private message from the drop down menu. This method also relies on their email addresses still being valid.

    Now you are a member why not stay and take a look around? Who knows, our very knowledgeable and helpful members may be able to help you with your problem ancestors.

    Christanel

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