The Marklew Family History 1791 to 1971

 

  
 Click for details Charles Lea(1791-1873) and Ann  
  Charles married Ann James in about 1810 (based on the age of their children) Charles was born in Birmingham and Christened 29/8/1791 at Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England.

Ann James was born in Bath, Somerset in 1793 according to the census return  ( christened in Birmingham in St Martins 30/11/1793). Together they had eight children including David James.

At age 59 Charles is listed in the 1851 census as a Corkscrew maker and Ann a paper box maker. They lived with their youngest daughter Fanny then aged 17 in 29 Garrison Lane,Aston, Warks. His daughter married Charles Blakeman in 1856 in Solihull. Later they show in the 1881 census as living in Theodore St Aston.

In 1861 Charles and Ann was still living at 29 Garrison Lane. Charles then 69 was still a corkscrew maker employing one man and a boy. His daughter Sarah was recorded as living with there, with 3 year old son Charles Turner, as was the 4 year old daughter of Fanny, Elizabeth ( Blakeman).

By 1871 Ann was dead and Charles was living as a lodger still in  Garrison Lane near his son David James.

 

St Martins, The Bull Ring
Click for details David James (1825-~1885) and Sophia  
  Both were born in Aston. David was Christened at St Martins Birmingham 26/7/1825. David married Sophia Baggot 22/12/1850 in St Phillips Cathedral Birmingham. After their wedding they lived in lodgings in Deritend Aston. David was a pearl button maker and Sophia a capsule maker. They had seven children.

David reputedly emigrated to USA returning to start the pearl button business. However, I cannot confirm this. By 1871 they had a moved to 25 Garrison Lane.

In 1861 he employed 14 men and one boy in the pearl button business and lived with four children at 32 Garrison Lane. Living with them were a domestic servant Sarah James, presumably a relative of Ann James, Charles' wife, and his Aunt Elizabeth Tandy ( Sohpia's sister).

In 1881 David and Sophia were living in 63 Clement St also the location of the button factory with the 5 younger children. His eldest son Charles was living in 61 Clement St with his wife Mary Ann and his two children. His son Edward was married to Emma and employed as a pearl button maker. Charles and Mary were still running the pearl button business in 1891 located at 62/63 Clement St.

In 1891 David and his family had moved to 21 Wordsworth Rd and  by 1901 David was dead and Sophia was living with youngest daughter  Caroline at 59 Wordsworth Road Bordsley Birmingham.  David was killed by a run away horse.

 

Clement St (Today)

59 Wordsworth Rd (today)
Click for details Edward (1854-1908 ) and Emma
  Edward, the second eldest of David was born in 1854 and in first qtr 1876 married Emma Cotton of Coleshill. Their first child Edward was born Dec 1876 while living at Havelock Rd In 1881 they were recorded as living at the Havelock Inn Saltley. Edward is listed as a pearl button maker, ( he worked for his brother Charles). Maybe his wife who was 10 years his senior was the publican. At that time they had the two eldest children Anne and David, the first child having died. The first three children were baptised at St saviours

By 1891 they were living in New Spring St ( Hockley) Birmingham. From the place of birth of the children they must have moved there around 1885. Edward was still a pearl button maker at the time. As both Alice and Edwin ( my grandfather) have recollections of the Havelock Inn, although neither were born there, I assume Emma continued to keep the pub.

In 1901 Edward and Emma were still at New Spring St with all of their Children. Annie, Alice and Edwin were all employed as jewellery case makers. His brother Charles was no longer in the button business which was dying out by this time and was living in Yardley with six of his children.

Edward died aged 53 in 1908.

 

The Havelock Tavern (today)
Click for details Edwin Charles(1884 -1971) and Florence  
  Edwin was born at Clement St in 1884, his grandfathers home of the time. He married Florence Meredith in 1916 and they lived with his sister Alice, then Married ( Bint) , at 27 Limetree Rd, Washwood Heath, Birmingham. They had three children and lived until their death at Gowan Rd, Alum Rock.

 

  

 

The Birmingham Pearl Button Trade

  
  The button trade employed many people, particularly in the factories where a division of labour was necessary to cover the various processes. However, there was one type of button which could not be produced in this way and that was the pearl button. Parliament had banned the import of pearl buttons at around the end of the 18th century and Birmingham had become an ideal place for pearl button manufacture. The material, which was generally obtained from mother-of-pearl, Abalone, and good Mollusc shells, was very fragile and so it had to be carefully worked by hand. For this reason the more robust 'Yellow-lip' Oyster shell from the west coast of Australia was greatly preferred whenever it was available. Because of the fragile disposition of the material the pearl button industry was only to be found in small workshops and these were manned by highly skilled workshop craftsmen and were run by small masters.

'A History of Birmingham' by Chris Upton

'Birmingham, The Great Working City' by Carl Chinn

'Birmingham Yesterday' by Victor J.Price

'The Making Of Victorian Birmingham' by Victor J.Price

 

Button Carding