The Company
The
firm known as Arthur James first appears in local city and trade directories in
1855 on Brockhill Road[1] in Redditch. Since the company was not listed in the 1850[2] directory for the area,
one assumes the business was established sometime between 1850 and 1855 by
Arthur James, a 
Redditch needle manufacturer. Since Mr. James’s father was a grocer and
ironmonger it seems most likely that Arthur learned the details of the needle
trade while in the employ of W. Bartleet & Son, a major Redditch needle
manufacturer[3]. Within 15 years, c1870, Arthur had a large
needle factory known as Excelsior Works[4] near the corner of Clive
Road and Birmingham Road only a few blocks from Bartleet’s
Abbey Mills factory. The impressive
three-story building was made of red brick articulated with plain pilasters and
rounded arched windows including a cart entrance on the street side. In 1871 the factory employed 160[5] people which by 1881 had
increased to 234[6]. It was a very large
operation with 54 men, 30 boys, 70 women and 80 girls[7] presumably performing all
of the tasks necessary to make fine quality needles. By 1881 the James family was living on
Birmingham Road next to the factory in Brunswick House, a stuccoed
structure presumably built around the same time as the factory[8]. Parts of both Excelsior Works and Brunswick
House exist today, the factory being listed as a historic building that has
survived with little alteration[9]. Based on the drawing of the factory on the
Victorian Era company trading card[10] shown here, the original
building appears to be several times larger than what we see today but the
street side view is almost identical to the drawing. After Arthur James, the firm’s founder, died
in 1888, the business was continued by his son-in-law, William Edwin Compton
until at least 1912[11].
The Owners
Arthur James has an interesting
background. His father was William Henry
James a grocer who married Catherine Tommas in
December 1825. Arthur was the oldest son
who was born nine and a half months after his parents were married in
Redditch. Arthur had eight brothers and
sisters: Harriett, Selina, John, Epsoma, Fredrick,
Kate, Ann and William.
His mother died in 1850 and nine years later in 1859, his father
remarried Elizabeth Woodfield, a widow from Northampton. On the father’s marriage bands, Arthur’s
grandfather was listed as Henry James, a school master. From at least 1841 until his death in 1866,
William James and his family lived on the east side of the Church Green in
Redditch, presumably with a grocery shop on the ground floor of their residence
similar to the buildings in that area of the town
today.
Arthur
James was born in 1826. He was already
considered a needle manufacturer in 1849 when he traveled to Birmingham to
marry his wife Sarah Colesby, who was born in
Birmingham. Arthur and Sarah had four
children: Anna, Emily, Sarah and Mary. At first they lived in several different places within the
Redditch area but between 1871 and 1881 settled down at Brunswick House which
was built next to his needle factory. In
addition to always being listed as a needle manufacturer, Arthur was a creative
man who registered at least ten patented designs between 1852 and 1874[12], nine which are listed on
the trading card seen here. By 1886
Arthur had achieved the status of Esquire[13]. Two years later Arthur died in 1888 at age
62. William Avery and several other
needle manufacturers from the area attended his funeral procession[14] when Arthur was buried at
the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch. Mr.
James left an extremely large estate for the time of £33,732, which is
equivalent to roughly £4.6 million today, to his wife, his brother
Frederick William James, to John Stack a school master from Edgbaston and to
his son-in-law William Edwin Compton a needle manufacturer. His wife Sarah died a year later. Additional information about Arthur’s life
can be found in his obituaries, parts of which are listed below.
REDDITCH
FUNERAL OF MR. A. JAMES.[15] - “The funeral of Mr.
Arthur James, needle and fish-hook manufacturer, who died at his residence,
Brunswick House, on the 29th took place on Monday.”
THE
LATE MR. ARTHUR JAMES.[16] - “The deceased, who was
in his sixty-second year, was, in every sense of the word, a self-made
man. He began life in the employment of
Messrs. W. Bartleet and Sons, and early proved that he possessed an inventive
genius of no mean order. Among his inventions
may be mentioned the “Needle Quiver” case, which at once obtained a marked
success; an ingenious needle-counting machine, a patent wrapper, and the
finishing machine. Mr. James for many
years had a large French trade, but on this becoming depressed he turned his
attention to America, where he did a large business. Towns grow by increase of manufacturer, and
this in its turn is increased by doing a large trade at a fair profit. In this Mr. James very largely assisted, and brought into the town a trade which would
probably have gone to Germany. He was a
member of the Wesleyan body, and contributed the sum of £250 towards the recent enlargement of the
chapel on Bates Hill. In politics he was
a Conservative, and for some time previous to his
death was president of the Redditch Conservative Association. He was also a large shareholder and a
director of the Redditch Town and District Gas Company.”
It
appears that Arthur’s son-in-law took over the Excelsior Works needle business
after Arthur’s death. In 1875 Arthur’s
daughter Emily, who was born in Redditch in 1852, married William Edwin Compton
in Redditch. Mr. Compton was originally
from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. He
was listed as a clerk in 1881 but became a needle manufacturer by the time of
Arthur’s death[17]
and a needle and fish hook manufacturer employer by
1891. After living on Bromsgrove Road in
Redditch for many years in the 1880s and 1890s, the Compton family moved to
Clive Road near Excelsior Works by 1901 and in 1911 they were living in the old
Arthur James family home known as Brunswick House. Emily and William had two children: Ethel and
Muriel. William died in 1925 in Upper
Norgrove near Redditch where the family was living at the time and Emily died
there in 1944.
In
1883 Arthur’s youngest daughter, Mary, married Henry Thomas in Redditch. Mr. Thomas was the son of their neighbor
Samuel Thomas, another Redditch area needle manufacturer. For more information about the Thomas family
see Chapter 19.
Arthur James: Genealogy
Generation 1: William Henry James (c1805-1866) and Catharine
Tommas (c1806-1850) and Elizabeth Woodfield nee
Sturges (c1815-??)
· Born: c1805/6 (S4).
Father Henry James, a school master (S3).
· Baptized: not found
· Marriage #1: Dec.
27, 1825 Redditch (S1m). Listed as William Henry James and Catharine Tommas.
· Pigot’s Directory of
1835, page 651. Listed under Grocers,
Drapers and Dealers of Sundries as William Henry James.
· 1841 Census: Chapel
Green East, Redditch (S4). Listed as Wm
James age 35 a grocer born in the county with wife Catherine age 35 also born
in the county and 8 children: Arther, Henrietta, Sellma, Epsoma, Roba, Ann, John and Fredrick.
(Note: Henrietta is incorrectly listed in the index as Harriett).
· Wife #1’s Death: 3rd
QTR 1850 Bromsgrove (S5d). Listed as
Catherine James.
· 1851 Census: 78
Chapel Green East, Redditch (S4). Listed
as William Hy James a widow age 46 a grocer born in
Redditch with 5 children: Selina, Epsama, Kate
Elizabeth, Ann Eliza and William Henry James.
· Marriage #2: Aug.
2, 1859 St. Sepulchre, Northhampton (S3).
Listed as William Henry James a widow and grocer from Redditch and
Elizabeth Woodfield a widow from Northhampton.
William’s father was listed Henry James school master and Elizabeth’s father
was listed as William Sturges a shoemaker.
· 1861 Census: 110
Church Green East, Redditch (S4). Listed
as William H. James age 55 a grocer born in Redditch with wife Elizabeth age 46
born in Wooton, Northhampton
and 3 children: Kate E., Ann E, and William H.
· Death: Jan. 31, 1866
Redditch (S6).
· Probate: April 6, 1866 Worcester (S6). Listed as William Henry James late of
Redditch grocer and ironmonger. Proved
by David Ball of Redditch commercial clerk and James Smallwood of Redditch boot
and shoe manufacturer executors.
Personal effects: under £450.
·
Wife #2’s Death: not found
· Children:
1.
Arthur
James (1826-1888) - see generation 2.
2.
Harriett
James (c1828-??) born in Worcestershire (S4).
3.
Sellma/Selina James
(c1830-??) born in Redditch (S4).
4.
John
James (c1832-??) born in Worcestershire (S4).
5.
Epsoma/Epsama James (c1835-??) born in Redditch (S4).
6.
Fredrick
James (c1837-??) born in Worcestershire (S4).
7.
Roba/Kate Elizabeth James (c1838/39-??)
born in Redditch (S4).
8.
Ann
Eliza James (c1841-??) born in Redditch (S4).
9.
William
Henry James (c1846-??) born in Redditch (S4).
Listed as an apprentice needle making in the 1861 census.
Generation 2: Arthur James (1826-1888) and Sarah Colesby (c1822-1889)
· Born: 1826/27 (S4) and October 15, 1826
(S=gravestone per Raymond McLaren).
· Baptized: Oct. 22, 1826, Redditch (S1c). Parents are listed as William and Catharine
James.
· 1841 census: with parents (S4). Listed as Arther
James age 14 born in the county.
· Marriage: 4th
QTR 1849 Birmingham (S5m) and December 4, 1849 St.
George, Birmingham (S3). Listed as
Arthur James needle manufacturer from Tardebigg parish and Sarah Colesby. Arthur’s father was listed as William Henry James,
a grocer.
· 1851 Census: 50 Littlewith, Redditch (S4).
Listed as Arthur James age 24 a needle manufacturer born in Redditch
with wife Sarah age 26 born in Birm, Warwick and 1
child: Ann Cathe.
· 1861 Census: 5
needle factory, Beoley, St. Leonard, Kings Norton (S4). Listed as Arthur James age 34 a needle
manufacturer born in Redditch with wife Sarah age 40 born in Birmingham and 4
children: Ann Catherine, Emily, Sarah Jane and Mary.
· 1871 Census: 72
Station Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as
Arthur James age 43 a needle manufacturer with 160 hands born in Redditch with
wife Sarah age 44 born in Birmingham and 2 children: Anne C. and Emily.
· 1881 Census:
Brunswick House, 18 Birmingham Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Arthur James age 54 a needle
manufacturer employing 54 men, 30 boys, 70 women and 80 girls born in Redditch
with wife Sarah age 59 born in Birmingham and 1 child: Mary.
· The London Gazette
July 2, 1886. Lists Arthur James as
Esquire of Clive Road, Redditch
· Death: 1st QTR 1888 Bromsgrove
(S5d). Feburary
29, 1888 Redditch (S6).
· Probate: May 11, 1888 Worcester (S6).
Listed as Arthur James late of Redditch a needle manufacturer who died
at Redditch. Proved by Sarah James widow the relict and Frederick William James
confectioner the brother both of Redditch, John Slack of Edgbaston in the county
of Warwick school master and William Edwin Compton of Redditch needle
manufacturer the executors. Personal Estate £34,796 resworn May 1890 £33,732.
·
Obituary:
March 10, 1888 Redditch Indicator newspaper
(S=Microfilm at the Redditch Library).
·
Buried:
Plymouth Road Cemetery, Redditch.
Listed as Arthur James, age 61, a manufacturer, who died on Clive Road and
was buried March 5, 1888. Interment
number 4793, grave number 1350.
(S=Redditch Crematorium Records researched in August 2019 by Raymond
McLaren).
· Wife’s death: 1st
QTR 1889 at age 69 Bromsgrove (S5d).
· Children:
1.
Anna
Catherine James (c1851-??) born in Redditch (S4).
2.
Emily
James (1852-1944) - see generation 3.
3.
Sarah
Jane James (c1855-??) born in Redditch (S4).
4.
Mary
James (c1857-??) born in Redditch (S4). Married: February 6, 1883
Bromsgrove (S8m). Listed as Mary James
age 25 of Birmingham Road in Redditch whose father was listed as Arthur James a
manufacturer and Henry Thomas age 32 a bachelor manufacturer from Prospect Hill
in Redditch whose father was listed as Samuel Thomas a manufacturer. The marriage certificate indicates the marriage
took place in the presence of Arthur James and Emily Compton.
· Patents
1.
March
27, 1852 - #3197 needle case
2.
October
19, 1852 - #437 improvement in needle cases or wrappers
3.
January
14, 1853 - #99 improvements in means for enclosing needles
4.
December
9, 1853 - #2860 mechanism and apparatus for numbering, measuring
and weighing needles and for preparing papers to receive them
5.
November
6, 1862 - #4522 needle case
6.
July
30, 1867 - #2206 needle case
7.
October
1867 (S=trading card sold on eBay)
8.
May
8, 1868 - #1514 sewing needles polishing and sharpening
9.
October
20, 1868 - #3284 envelope for needles
10.
April
15, 1874 - #1294 sewing machine needles
11.
July
10, 1874 (May 1874) - 2429 improved machinery for grading and polishing needles
Generation 3:
Emily James (1852-1944) and William Edwin Compton (c1854-1925)
· Born: 1st QTR 1852
Bromsgrove (S5b).
·
Baptized: not found.
· 1861 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as Emily James age
9 born in Redditch.
· 1871 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as Emily James age
18 born in Redditch.
· Marriage: 3rd QTR
1875 Bromsgrove (S5m). Listed as Emily
James and William Edwin Compton.
· 1881 Census: 18
Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Head
listed as William E. Compton age 27 clerk born in Tewksbury with wife Emily age
29 born in Redditch and one child. Ethel Jane
· 1891Census: 29
Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Head
listed as Wm. Compton age 37 needle and fish hook
manufacturer employer born in Tewkesbury with wife Emily age 39 born in
Redditch and two children. Ethel and Muriel.
· 1901 Census: 10
Clive Road, Redditch (S4). Head listed
as William E Compton age 47 needle and fish hook
manufacturer employer born in Tewkesbury with wife Emily age 48 born in
Redditch and one child: Muriel.
· 1911 Census:
Brunswick House, Birmingham Road, Redditch (S4). Head listed as William Edwin Compton age 57
needle and fish hook manufacturer employer born in
Tewkesbury with wife Emily age 59 born in Redditch and one child Muriel. Indicates William and Emily were married 36
years and had two children of which two were still living.
· Husband’s Death:
May 10, 1925 (S6).
· Husbands Probate:
July 23, 1925 London (S6). Listed as William Edwin Compton of Upper
Norgrove near Redditch to Emily Compton widow, Robert
Ernest Compton retired manager, William Frederick Lofthouse Wesleyan Minster,
Bernard Beverly Wills tobacco
manufacturer and Herbert Andrew Pearson bank Manager. Effects £24,444.
· 1939 England and
Wales Register: Upper Norgrove, Webheath (S9).
Listed as Emily Compton born February 8, 1853 a
widow, occupation unpaid domestic duties with daughter Muriel Compton born
October 19, 1881 single, occupation unpaid domestic duties.
· Emily’s Death:
January 18, 1944 (S6).
· Emily’s Probate: May
15, 1944 Llandudno
(S6). Listed as Emily Compton of Upper
Norgrove near Redditch to Muriel Compton spinster,
Evan Thomas Lewis retire bank official, William Frederick Lofthouse Methodist
Minister and Harry Harris manager.
Effects: £21,894.
· Children:
1.
Ethel
James Compton (1876-after 1911) - Born in Hereford (S4).
2.
Muriel
Compton (c1881-??) Born in Redditch (S4).
Needle Related
Patents and/or Design Registration made by Arthur James
· 1852 Useful Design
Registration: #3197 for a needle case dated March 27, 1852 (S=The National
Archives, Kew).
· 1862 Useful Design
Registration: #4522 for a needle case dated November 6, 1862. (S=The National
Archives, Kew).
Avery style needle cases with the James name: Beatrice - 4
Sections and the Butterfly.
