Elijah Atkins: History
The
Company
According
to an 1884-85[1]
commercial directory, Elijah Atkins and Co. (earlier known simply as Elijah
Atkins) was recorded as being founded in 1857[2].
Elijah Atkins first appeared in
Birmingham city directories as a commercial enterprise in 1858[3]
as a glass button maker at 173 New 
John Street West. Four years later in 1861[4]
the company was listed as a black ornament maker at 15 Spencer Street. A black ornament maker[5]
was someone who worked with jet, a black colored 
gemstone, or vulcanite, a less
expensive man-made alternative to jet. During
the Victorian Era mourning jewelry was usually worn after someone in a family
died and dark colored brooches, bracelets, lockets, earrings, like the ones
shown here[6],
were very popular. In 1861[7]
Elijah Atkins was recorded in the census as a 25-year-old black ornament maker
employing 1 man, 5 boys and 1 girl who lived with his family on Wheeler Street
in Aston. At the time Mr. Atkins was
renting the house on Wheeler Street. In
June 1862[8]
Elijah was forced to move out of his residence and by September[9]
was declared bankrupt. Fortunately, in
December[10]
that year he received an order of discharge which released him from any
personal liability. At the time of the
bankruptcy, he was listed as a manufacturer of black jewelry, a dealer and
chapman. In 19th century
Britain a chapman[11] was a
peddler or hawker.
Within
two years, in 1864[12],
Elijah Atkins had reestablished his business at its old address, 173 New John
Street. That year the firm was robbed by
one of its employees who stole some of Atkin’s sleeve link springs as well as
other items. And what was a sleeve link[13]? Today they are more commonly known as cuff
links. Because the 1864[14]
robbery was recorded in local newspapers it brought to the attention of others
the fact that the Atkins firm was also making sleeve links. By 1866[15]
the business was listed as a black ornament and patent sleeve link manufacturer
at 173 New John Street West. Also, in
January of 1866[16], an
injunction was issued against the firm because they were manufacturing and
vending sleeve links, brooches, etc. that were being made in accordance with
another company’s patent. As a result,
Elijah Atkins again went bankrupt by May 1866[17]
and received an order of discharge in July[18]
of that year again releasing him from any personal liability. Notices regarding the injunction appeared in
dozens of newspapers throughout the Birmingham area from November 1866[19]
through March 1867 which surely gave much unwanted publicity to the company
most likely hurting their reputation.
Elijah
Atkins must have been an interesting character with a strong desire to succeed
because he established another business as a gilt ornament maker with the
Elijah Atkins name sometime before 1868[20]
at 48 Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter. By 1871[21]
it became known as both 
a gilt jeweler as well as a black
ornament maker as seen on this label[22].
The firm did not always abide by the
laws of the times, as witnessed earlier regarding the sleeve links, because
they were fined in 1873[23]
for employing two females after nine o’clock at night. Evidently during this time period laws were
in place to protect woman from having to work long hours or work after
dark. Aside from this, the new Atkins
business venture seemed to be doing quite well as the firm registered 25
designs at their Great Hampton Street address between 1868 and 1879[24]. Most of these designs were for glass or
jewelry items. Twelve were registered in
the three years from 1877-1879 including three for Avery style needle cases,
the Hector, the Locket and the Needle and Cotton Bag. In 1871/1872[25],
in addition to continuing his jewelry business at Great Hampton Street, Elijah
Atkins co-partnered with his brother George to form another company known as
Atkins Brothers. Atkins Brothers was a
chandelier making enterprise located at 171/172 Hockley Hill in the Jewellery
Quarter which George started in 1870[26]. Both businesses seemed to enjoy success as
they continued to be listed in commercial directories for a number of
years. In 1879[27]
the gilt jewelry business was expanded to include facilities at 7 Court Street
as well as on Great Hampton Street and by 1881[28]
the chandler business employed 11 men, 9 boys and 2 girls. Things must have been going pretty well
because in 1882[29] the
firm even registered a design for fastenings for bracelets and scarf-rings in
the United States.
By 1884[30] the jewelry businesses became known as Elijah Atkins and Co. and was recorded as jet manufacturers and brass founders at 48 Great Hampton Street. Also, that year the partnership between the brothers was dissolved and Elijah carried on as the owner of both firms[31]. Shortly thereafter things began to change as the firm had significant financial difficulties over the next two years. In January 1886[32] an attempt was made by Elijah to form a new partnership with his son, presumably Edward Elijah Atkins, which was to be named Atkins & Son. Unfortunately, because of their financial situation, the creditors would not approve this change which resulted in both companies becoming bankrupt in August 1886[33] for the third time in 25 years. At the time of the bankruptcy the firm had a total of £6,000 in liabilities with only £998 in assets leaving a deficit of £5,002 which is equivalent to £410,411 today[34]. However, this time was different because no order of discharge was issued which meant both businesses were required to sell all of their assets in order to repay their creditors. As a result, in 1886[35] all of the company’s products and machinery were sold.
Below are a few newspapers articles regarding the major events involving the Elijah Atkins business. These will provide readers with some ideas of what life was like during the Victorian Period for this business.
June
7, 1862[36]
“DESIRABLE
LEASEHOLD PROPERTIES
WHEELER
STREET
Lot
3. – All that compact and well-erected DWELLING HOUSE, called ATTWOOD PLACE, in
Wheeler Street, with SHOPPING and Outbuildings at back, in the occupation of
Elijah Atkins, at the annual rental of £25.”
September
17, 1862[37]
“THE
BANKRUCY ACT, 1861.
IN
THE COUNTY COURT OF WARWICKSHIRE, HOLDEN AT BIRMINGHAM.
ELIJAH
ATKINS, now and for one week residing in Lodgings, at the house of Thomas Lees,
Saint Matthias’s Place, Farm Street, Hockley, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, late of Attwood Place, Wheeler Street, Birmingham aforesaid,
Manufacturers of Black Jewellery, dealer and chapman, having been adjudged
Bankrupt under a Petition for Adjudication of Bankruptcy, filed in the County
Court of Warwickshire at Birmingham, on the 15th day of September, 1862, the
said Elijah Atkins is hereby required to surrender himself to JOHN GUEST, Esq.,
the Registrar of the said Court, at the first meeting of Creditors, to be held
before the said Registrar, on the 20th day of October, 1862, at Ten o’clock in
the forenoon precisely, at the Court House, Waterloo Street, Birmingham. The Registrar of the said Court is the
Official Assignee and Mr. Alfred B. East, of No. 45, Ann Street, Birmingham, is
the Solicitor acting in the Bankruptcy.
A Public Sitting will be appointed by the Court for the said Bankrupt to
pass his Last Examination of which due notice will be given in the London
Gazette. At the said First Meeting
of the Creditors the Registrar will receive Proofs of the Debts of the
Creditors and the Creditors may CHOOSE an ASSIGNEE of the Bankrupt’s Estate and
Effects. At the Public Sitting Proofs
of Debts of Creditors will also be received, and the said Bankrupt will be
required to submit himself to be examined, and to make a full disclosure and
discovery of all his Estate and Effects, and to FINISH his EXAMINATION, Notice
is also herby given, to all Persons indebted to the said Bankrupt, or that
have any of his Effects, not to deliver the same but to the Official Assignee,
and give notice to ALFRED B. EAST, No. 45, Ann Street, Birmingham. The solicitor acting in the Bankruptcy.”
December
13, 1862[38]
“THE
BANKRUCY ACT, 1861.
IN
THE COUNTY COURT OF WARWICKSHIRE,
HOLDEN
AT BIRMINGHAM.
In
the Matter of ELIJAH ATKINS, now and for one week residing in Lodgings, at the
house of Thomas Lees, Saint Matthias’s Place, Farm Street, Hockley, Birmingham,
in the county of Warwick, late of Attwood Place, Wheeler Street, Birmingham
aforesaid, Manufacturers of Black Jewellery, dealer and chapman, a Bankrupt.
- Whereas, at a Public Sitting of the Court,
held this day, the Court granted an Order of Discharge to the said
Bankrupt. Notice is hereby given,
that an ORDER of DISCHARGE will be delivered to the Bankrupt after the
expiration of thirty days from this date, unless in the meantime an appeal be
duly entered against the Judgement of the said Court – Dated this 9th day of
December, 1862. ALFRED B. EAST, No. 45,
Ann Street, Birmingham. The solicitor acting in the Bankruptcy.”
August
19, 1864[39]
“THEFT BY A WORKMAN - George Marshall,
working jeweller, Gilford, Street, was charged with stealing thirteen pairs of
patent sleeve-link springs and boxes, the property of his employer, Elijah
Atkins, 173 New John Street West; and Joseph Marshall, master jeweller,
residing in Macdonald Street, and having a shop in Marshall Street, brother of
the prisoner, was charged with receiving the same knowing them to be
stolen. Mr. Powell appeared for the
prosecution, and Mr. Francis for the prisoner Joseph. The stolen sleeve links are only manufactured
by the prosecutor, under a patent obtained six months ago, and have only been
supplied to one house in London. His
surprise may therefore be imagined on discovering some weeks ago that they were
being sold in several jeweller’s shops in the town. Before this, he had occasion to suspect that
they were being stolen from his promises.
The case was put in the hands of Detective-sergeant Mountford, who
succeeded in discovering that the prisoner George (who had left the
prosecutor’s a month before) was finishing and purveying the articles in
question. He visited his brother’s house
as well, and found several pairs of the finished goods, and also several in his
shop, where he also found the prisoner George engaged in finishing them. The prisoner George at once admitted having
stolen the materials, but declared that his brother knew nothing about it. The brother also declared that he was
ignorant they were stolen, and that, in fact he was unaware that they were
being used in his shop at all. The Bench
thought the suspicion against Joseph was strong, but gave him the benefit of
the doubt, and discharged him. The
prisoner George was sentenced to six months imprisonment.”
April
28, 1866[40]
“BANKRUPTCY
COURT
(In
the County)
Elijah
Atkins, Birmingham, black ornament manufacturer, May 11.”
July
28, 1866[41]
“BANKRUPTCY
COURT
In
re Elijah Atkins, of Birmingham, black ornament maker
– Adjourned meeting for last examination and discharge, attended by Mr. Fitter
for the assignee, and Mr. Griffin for the bankrupt, who was briefly examined
upon his accounts; after which the Commissioner said he did not appear to have
done anything which brought him within the Act, and therefore he must have his
order of discharge.”
November
8, 1866[42]
“CAUTION. READINGS’S PATENT SPRING SLEEVE LINKS.
Reading’s
v. Atkins. – The Vice-Chancellor, Sir William Page Wood, on the 23rd day of
January, 1866 decreed that the injunction granted against the defendant, Elijah
Atkins, restraining him from Manufacturing or Vending SLEEVE LINKS, BROOCHES,
&c, made according to the Plaintiff’s Patent, should be Perpetual.”
April
10, 1873[43]
“PROSECUTIONS
UNDER THE WORKSHOPS ACT. – Mr. Elijah Atkins, 48, Great Hampton Street, gilt
jeweller, was summoned by Mr. Hoare, one of the Factor Act inspectors, for
employing two females after nine o’clock at night, on the 4th
instant. Mr. Buller, who appeared for
the defendant, said the women worked an hour longer on Friday night in order
that they might leave an hour earlier on Saturday. The defendant was fined 10s and costs in each
case.”
August
19, 1886[44]
“FAILURE
OF A JEWELLER AND CHANDELIER MANUFACTURER.
A
meeting of the creditors of Elijah Atkins, carrying on the business of
chandelier manufacturer at 171, Hockley Hill, Birmingham, formerly in
co-partnership with George Atkins, trading under the style of “Atkins
Brothers,” and a black ornament maker and jeweller at 48 and back of 46, Great Hampton
Street, Birmingham, and residing at 48, Great Hampton Street, was held
yesterday afternoon, at the office of the Official Receiver (Mr. L. J. Sharp),
Colmore Row. Mr. M. A. Fitter appeared
for the debtor, and there was a large attendance of creditors, others being
represented by Messrs. Clements (Beale and Co.), Parish (Sanders, Smith, and
Parish), John Lewis (Lewis and Attlee), and Randle (Randle and Fisher). The statement of affairs showed the
liabilities to be to creditors unsecured £3,626. 12s. 5d., creditors partly
secured £5,374. 7s. 9d.;
estimated value of securities £3,000,; estimated to rank for
dividend, £2,374. 7s. 9d.;
total liabilities, £6,000. 0s.
2d. The assets were £1,285. 3s. 3d.; but from this amount £286. 14s. 9. had to be deducted for
rent rates and taxes, leaving the net assets £998. 8s. 6d., a deficiency of £5,002. 11s. 6d. The Official Receiver’s report stated that
the debtor said he had been in business since 1857. He commenced in Snape Street as a glass toy
manufacturer, with a capitol of £100.
In 1871, whilst trading as a jeweller, at 48, Great Hampton Street,
under the style of E. Atkins, he entered into partnership with his brother
George, as chandelier manufacturers, at 171, Hockley Hill, Birmingham. The partnership was only in connection with
the chandelier business, which was carried on under the style of Atkins Brothers. His brother had nothing to do with the
jewellery business, which the debtor continued by himself. In December 1884, it was arranged for the
partnership to be dissolved, and the debtor gave his brother four bills
amounting to £100., as his share
of the capital, and agreed to discharge the whole of the liabilities, which
with the exception of the bank, he had done.
A balance-sheet in connection with the partnership business was prepared
in the October previous. Since the
dissolution the debtor had continued both businesses. About the date of the dissolution he gave up
the private house he then occupied, and removed to the works. The principal portion of the furniture was
sold, and realized about £600., which was placed in the
concern. When questioned as to the time
he first became aware of his insolvent position, he said that, looking at the
large deficiency of £5,000., he was of
opinion that if at the date of the dissolution a balance-sheet had been
prepared in connection with both of the trades he would have found himself
insolvent. He estimated that in October,
1885, he sustained a loss of £1,350., by the sale of two house in Handsworth
Wood. Up to January last the debtor
appeared to have signed cheques as “Atkins Bros.” and “E. Atkins,” but in that
month he arranged with his bankers to sign as “Atkins and Son.”. The reason of that was that it was proposed
that his son should join the concern, and a deed was drawn up to that effect,
but it did not appear to have been signed.
The son stated that he had never acted as a partner, nor had the
creditors been notified of any change in the firm. Shortly before the petition a private meeting
of the debtor’s creditors was held, and an offer of 6s. in the pound submitted;
but the debtor could not find sufficient security, and the present proceedings
were instituted. In 1866 the debtor
failed, but the assets were insufficient to pay a dividend. He stated however, that he subsequently paid
the creditors in full. - Mr. Fitter said
he had no offer of composition to make on behalf of the debtor, all efforts in
that direction having been exhausted at the previous meeting. That, however led him to remark that the
reason the proposal to pay 6s. in the pound fell through was not that the
debtor could not find sufficient security.
It was because one or two creditors did not approve of the deed under
which he was to carry on his business.
The debtor proposed to pay 6s. in the pound, and to give security for
the whole of the composition payments by means of a deed inspection. That was to be supplemented by a loan from
some of his friends for £300., and that was to be supplemented
again by a number of the creditors deferring the payment of their dividends
until the other creditors had received theirs.
At first the proposal was received with general satisfaction, but
afterwards some of the creditors objected to the lenders of the £300. having a priority over the old
creditors. The lenders of the £300. very naturally were unwilling to
advance the £300. to carry on
the business if the creditors could come down on the estate and take that
amount with the other assets, without the lenders having a prior claim over the
old creditors. – Mr. Parish said that what he understood was that the creditors
wanted the £300. to be lent for a certain specific time, so
that it could not be called in before the debtor had had a reasonable time in
which to repay it. – Mr. Fitter said that the gentleman who were to have found
the £300. were quite prepared to lend it for
two years. – Mr. Clements proposed that the debtor should be adjudged a
bankrupt, and that the Official Receiver should apply to the Court to make the
adjudication. - Mr. Warrilow seconded
the resolution which was carried. – Mr. John Lewis (Messrs. Lewis and Attlee)
was appointed trustee; and Messrs. S. Lyons, S. Embley, and W. R. Martin a
committee of inspection.”
August
21, 1886[45]
“BANKRUPTS.
(By
telegraph, from last night’s London Gazette)
ADJUDICATIONS
Elijah
Atkins, trading as E. Atkins and Son, Hockley Hill, formerly in co-partnership
with George Atkins, trading as Atkins Brothers, Great Hampton-street, all
Birmingham, chandelier manufacturer, jeweller, &c.”
August
25, 1886[46]
“TO
CHANDELIER MANUFACTURERS AND OTHERS - The Bankruptcy Act, 1883 – re
ELIJAH ATKINS, of 171, Hockley Hill, Birmingham, Chandelier Manufacturer. - For
Sale by Private Treaty, as a going Concern, the GOODWILL of the above Business:
together with the whole of the valuable Finished and Unfinished STOCK, FIXTURES
and FITTINGS, TOOLS, PLANT, and MACHINERY, including a 3-horse power BOILER and
Horizontal ENGINE.
For further particulars, apply to the
Trustee, Mr. John Lewis, Chartered Accountant, 7, Waterloo Street, Birmingham;
or Mr. M. A. Fitter, Solicitor, 5, Bennett’s Hill Birmingham,
Tenders to be sent in on before Tuesday
next, the 31st instant, to the Trustee, at the above address.
TO
BLACK GARNET AND STEEL JEWELLERS, STUD AND SOLITARIE MANUFACTUERES, AND OTHERS.
– The Bankruptcy act, 1883 – Re ELIJAH ATKINS, of 48, Great Hampton
Street, Birmingham, Jeweller.
For Sale by private treaty, as a Going Concern, the GOODWILL of the
above Business, together with the whole of the finished and unfinished Stock,
Fixtures, and Fittings, Tools, Plant, and Machinery, including an excellent
2-1/2 horse power Gas Engine by Tangye.”
For further particulars, apply to the
Trustee, Mr. John Lewis, Chartered Accountant, 7, Waterloo Street, Birmingham;
or Mr. M. A. Fitter, Solicitor, 5, Bennett’s Hill Birmingham,
Tenders to be sent in on before TUEDAY NEXT, the 31st instant, to the
Trustee, at the above address.”
May
20, 1890[47]
“MEYER v. SHERWOOD AND SONS. – In the
Queen’s Bench Division, yesterday – before the Lord Chief Justice and Mr.
Justice Mathew, sitting as a Divisional Court – the case of Meyer v. Sherwood
and Sons, which was partly tried at the last Birmingham Assizes before Mr.
Justice A. L. Smith, came on for further consideration. Mr. Cyril Dood, Q. C., and Mr. A. Young
appeared for the plaintiff; Mr. Jelf, Q. C., and Mr. Wills for the defendants.
– The plaintiffs are Messrs. Henry Meyer and Elijah Atkins, merchants and
manufacturers of gas and other lamp shades and the defendants, Isaac Sherwood
and Sons, are in the same line of business.
The action was brought to recover damages for the infraction of a
patent, and to obtain an injunction to restrain the defendants from further
infringement of the plaintiff’s patents for lamp-shade holders, with a lever
catch and spring; and further to restrain them from making and selling shades
with radial arms, connected with screw collars with central screwed bosses to
the holders, both of which arrangements the plaintiffs alleged were
theirs. The plaintiffs alleged that a
George Atkins, of the firm Atkins Brothers, of Birmingham, was the original
inventor of the arrangements in question, that George Atkins had assigned his
rights in the patents to Elijah Atkins, who mortgaged them to Henry Meyer, but
George Atkins was still the registered proprietor. The defence denied that the alleged
assignment was valid; they admitted that they had in 1882 infringed the first
patent, but said that infringement had been condoned by George Atkins, and as
to the radial arms arrangement it was the same as that used by Isaac Sherwood
in 1879. – Mr. Jelf denounce the claim of the plaintiffs as the most absurd
ever heard from the time of Tubal Cann downwards. (Laughter.). – After hearing
lengthy arguments, his Lordship said he was of opinion that under Section 20 of
the Patents Act of 1883 no damages were recoverable by the plaintiffs, because
he did not think the specifications were prepared with reasonable care, skill,
and knowledge. Further, it must be
obvious to everyone that the radial arms referred to were, long before the
patent, joined to the bosses in the way claimed by the plaintiffs, for their
patent was by soldering and riveting, either combined or separately. His judgement would therefore be for the
defendants, with costs. – Judgement entered for the defendants accordingly.”
The
Hector and the Locket Needle Cases
There is only one reason the needle
case known as the Hector has been associated with the Elijah Atkins firm. Although examples of this needle case with
the H. Milward and Son Redditch name were mentioned in a book in 1990[48],
it was not until 2015 that it became known that Elijah Atkins
created it. As a result, readers of this chapter might be
interested in learning how this was determined.
When
the Hector needle case, pictured here, was purchase by the author in 2011, all
that was known was that it was a needle case stamped with the Milward name, one
of the major needle manufacturers from Redditch, UK. One of the first things noticed was the
diamond shaped registration mark stamped on the interior which when translated
gives the date an item was registered. Most Avery style needle cases were registered with
the UK Patent Office in order to provide
copyright protection for the design. The
book entitled Victorian Brass
Needlecases[49]
by Estelle Horowitz and Ruth Mann contains an entire chapter explaining how the
process worked and how to translate these marks. The one on the Hector contains the letter “I”
at the very top with the number “20” just below it, the letter “P” on the right
side and the letter “M” on the lower side.
This means this item was a metal design registered on June 20, 1877[50].
During the Victoria period, there were two parts to the
registration process for ornamental items.
General information about the design was recorded in one book and 5
the design
representation was placed in another. The register (partial page shown
below with the Elijah Atkins design #311093 dated June 20, 1877 listed at the
bottom[51])
was similar to an account book with
each registration
entered on a separate line with about 20-30 items per page. For each item
the register included the registration date, no. of the parcel, number of
designs, the registration number, the name and address of the owner of the
design, and often, but not always, the design subject (e.g.: needle case,
receptacle for needles, pin case, etc.). In contrast, the design
representation consisted of a sketch, detailed drawing or photograph of the
design with the registration number which was pasted into another book with
several other designs per page, frequently arranged in a haphazard manner (see
example on the next page[52]).
All of these original documents bound in oversized books, each with a unique
reference number, are stored in the archives at The National Archives (TNA) in
Kew, UK. Individual records can only be accessed if the design
registration number and the reference book number are known.
Currently only the design registers from 1842-1884 have been digitized
by TNA. Once the diamond registration mark has been translated and the date
is known, a search of the online register can be performed. All registrations recorded on that date under
a specific classification can be reviewed in order to determine if any have a
subject related to needle cases. A search of the TNA website revealed
that only three metal items were registered on June 20, 1877 and none were
listed as needle cases. This meant the
only way to find out if any of these three entries were related to the Hector
needle case was to actually go to TNA facilities in Kew and review their
original records. Four years after purchasing
this item, while on vacation
in London in 2015, a side trip was taken to the archives and the drawings
related to the three designs were examined.
As you can see, the drawing for design #311093, matched with the Hector
and proves this needle case was registered by the Elijah Atkins firm of
Birmingham.
The Locket needle case stamped with the H. Milward & Sons -
Redditch name was also mentioned in Horowitz and Mann’s book in 1990[53],
however, it was not seen until 2019 and the design registration for it was not
located until June 2021. The diamond
registration mark on this needle case translated to August 10, 1877. While searching TNA for other items
registered to Elijah Atkins, a design registration #316886 dated December 7,
1877 was discovered which matched with the Locket needle case as seen in the
photograph on the previous page. Further
research uncovered a design for a dress holder #312875 which was registered by
Atkins on August 10, 1877. Apparently,
Atkins accidentally used the diamond registration mark for the dress holder on
his Locket needle case.
The Owners
Elijah Atkins was the sixth son of Thomas and Ann Atkins. His father Thomas was born c1796 and married Ann Izon, who was born c1800, at St. Bartholomew in Edgbaston in 1816. Thomas and Ann had 12 children between 1816 and 1840 who were baptized at St. Philip’s Cathedral in the city center: William Henry, Thomas Izon, John (who died at age 4), Ann, Keziah, George, John Izon, Sarah, Elijah, Elizabeth, Amelia Letitia and Lillah. From 1826 until at least 1841 the Atkins family lived on Graham Street in the Jewellery Quarter. Thomas spent his entire life working as a gilt toy maker. During the Victorian Period a toy maker meant something different than it does today. “The toy industry in Birmingham (and some other areas) was an economic sector that produced small goods in any material.”[54] “Hinges, buttons, belt buckles and hooks are all examples of goods that were once considered “toys” and could be produced in metal, leather or glass.” [55] Sometimes “toys” included items of jewelry which explains why Thomas was listed as a jeweler on several of his children’s marriage records. Thomas died in 1842 at the General Hospital in Birmingham at the relatively young age of 46 and was buried at St. Mary’s. With 7 children under the age of 18 to support Ann appears to have married Thomas Perkins sometime between 1845 and 1851. Not much is known about the children of Thomas and Ann Atkins because the Atkins surname is quite common. By 1851 two of their three youngest daughters, Elizabeth and Amelia, were not living with their mother possibly because they were working as servants in other households. In 1851 Ann and 3 of her children: George, Sarah and Elijah were living with Mr. Perkins, a farmer, and three of his children: Mirah, Eliza and Emma on Well Street in Birmingham. Both Ann and her husband Thomas Perkins were listed that year as being born in Fownhope, Herefordshire. The Perkins family appears to have moved to King’s Norton sometime between 1851 and 1861 and a grandson of Ann’s, a boy named John Atkins, lived with them for a few years. Ann probably died at some point between 1861 and 1871 and it looks like the Perkins family may have returned to Herefordshire.
Elijah Atkins was born in 1835 in Birmingham and was baptized at St. Philips in 1837. He was seven years old when his father died and when he was 15 in 1851, he was working as a glass blower while living with his mother and stepfather. In 1855 at age 20 he married Sarah Ann Russell at St. Bartholomew in Edgbaston, the same church where his parents were married forty years earlier. It seems most likely that Elijah met his wife while visiting the area from which his mother and step-father originated or when visiting family friends originally from that area. His mother, step-father and wife were all born near Hereford which is about 68 miles south west of Birmingham. Shortly after their marriage they settled on Wheeler Street in Aston where Elijah started working as a black ornament maker. By 1861 he established a business that employed 7 people and by 1871 was listed as a jeweler. Elijah and Ann had 3 children: Anne Hope, Edward Elijah and Walter. In 1871 the family was living in the same building as his business, 48 Great Hampton Street, but by 1881 the family residence moved to Hamstead Road in Handsworth. Over the years Elijah had quite a few difficulties with his work life which were recorded in the newspapers mentioned earlier. The exact details of his later life after these difficulties have not been found although he did patent a holder for lamp shades in the USA in 1890[56]. It looks like he was living with his wife on Hall Street in Handsworth in 1892[57] and working as an electrical fitter manufacturer employer at 158A Hockley Hill. This occupation makes sense because he was involved with chandelier manufacturing at 172 Hockley Hill less than ten years earlier. What happened after 1892 is unknown including when and where he and his wife died.
The children of Elijah and Sarah Atkins remained in the Birmingham area for most of their lives. The daughter, Ann Hope Atkins, was born in 1858 and married a jeweler named Harry Albert Allday in 1883. By 1891 Harry and Ann were living just a few houses from her parents on Hall Street in Handsworth where Harry was working as a gold and silver chain manufacturer. They had three children: Harry R., Neville and Christine M. Sometime between 1901 and 1911 Harry died and Ann moved to Sutton Coldfield. She died in 1935 while living in Brynafor, Merionenshire Wales. The eldest son Edward Elijah Atkins, who was born c1860/61, married Fanny Pedlingham in 1887. By 1891 he was working as a lamp maker and probably worked in his father’s business before it went bankrupt. Edward and Fanny had three children: Enid H., Milward M. ad Winfred M. It is unclear exactly what happed to him but he died sometime before 1911 as his wife Fanny was listed as a widow that year. The youngest son was Walter Atkins. The only information uncovered to date about him is that he was born in 1866 and lived with his parents until at least 1881.
