G. H. Johnstone & Co.: History
The
Company
G.
H. Johnstone & Co. was established in 1869[1]
at 38 Northampton Street by the Freemason jeweler George Hope Johnstone when he
was 28 years old. By 1871[2]
the firm employed 10 men, 15 boys and 5 girls.
Under Mr. Johnstone’s direction, this firm became one of the most
successful jewelers in the Birmingham area.
When they came of age, his two sons George Henry and Stanley joined
their father in the family business which was also listed at times as a
manufacturing goldsmith.
After
Mr. Johnstone’s death in 1909, his two sons took over the firm and became
directors until the 1930’s. At some
point between 1916[3] and 1932[4]
the firm was converted to a limited liability company. George Hope Johnstone’s grandson, Stanley
Hope George Johnstone, presumably became the director of the company after his
father Stanley’s death in 1936 and around the time his uncle, George Henry
Johnstone, retired. In 1939[5]
the firm advertised for help in the Situations Vacant section of the local
newspaper:
“GIRL. [14-15] for
jewellers’ warehouse; light, clean, interesting and varied work, under modern conditions;
permanent and progressive; pension scheme; hour and hall for dinner; hours 9
till 6; staff conditions; ability at figures useful. - G. H. Johnstone and Co.
Ltd, 38 Northampton St, Birmingham,18.”
The
firm went through some difficult times shortly thereafter and was involved in a
voluntary liquidation where the company’s machinery, tools and office equipment
were sold at auction. The sale was listed in a 1941[6]
Birmingham newspaper as follows:
By
direction of Messrs. G. H. Johnstone and Co., Ltd. [In Voluntary Liquidation.]
On THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY NEXT, August 14 and 15, at Eleven o’clock Each Day
SALE BY
AUCTION AT No. 38 NORTHAMPTON STREET, HOCKLEY
JEWELLERS
MACHINERY AND OFFICE FITTINGS,
Comprising
–
14 D.C. ELECTONRIC
MOTORS, Electronic Washing Machine, Air Blower, Exhaust Plant, Gilding Plant,
2s POWER PRESS, 12 Fly Presses Drop Stamps.
GAS AND
ELECTRIC FURNACES
Shaking Barrels, Polishing Spindles, 4 Power
Breaking-down ROLLS, 10 ENGINE TURNING MACHINES, Shafting, SCALES, Time
Recorder.
11 FIREPROOF SAFES [by Whitfield Cottrell, &c.],
6 Typewriters, 2 Comptometers, Multigraph
Machine, Steel Cupboards, Desks and Office
Equipment.
FLEETWOOD, DEAKIN,
HENDRIKS & Co. will Sell by Auction
ON VIEW WEDNESDAY NEXT, August 13,
from Ten a.m. to Four p.m.
Catalogues from Auctioneer’s Offices,
29
Newhall Street, 3 [Tel: Central 5347
& 5348]
THE PREMISES ARE TO LET
G. H. Johnstone and Co. created many
beautiful items during its 72-year history, with men’s cuff links and dress
studs, like the ones pictured in this 1932[7]
advertisement, being some of their most popular items. Some believe the Avery style needle case,
known as the Lady Mayoress of London[8],
was their most beautiful creation.
Although the basic mechanical design of this needle case is exactly like
Avery’s Quadruple patent[9],
it has many unique features: 1) it is hallmarked and made of 9 carat gold, 2)
it contains the name of the person for whom it was made, 3) the exterior is
covered with beautiful hand engraved designs, and 4) it has a special elaborate
box in which it is displayed.
This
needle case is one of only six Averys[10]
ever seen with a hallmark. Most Avery
style needle cases have the patent or design registration diamond mark stamped on
them which some people confuse with hallmarks, but actual hallmarks are quite
different. During the Victorian period
in the UK, most items made of silver or gold had to have a hallmark stamped on
them. These hallmarks usually consisted
of four parts[11]: 
1) the Standard Mark to indicate the
purity of the metal, 2) the City Mark to indicate where the 
item was made, 3) the Date Letter to
indicate when it was made, and 4) the Maker’s Mark to indicate who made
it. The hallmark on The Lady Mayoress of
London, seen here, consists of the numbers 9 375 followed by an anchor and then
the letter X. Directly above these marks
is a small shield with the letter G placed over the letter J. When translated these mean the needle case
was made of 9 carat gold, was registered in Birmingham
and was made in 1897 by G. H. Johnstone & Co.[12] To the best of our knowledge, this is the
only Avery style needle case ever made in gold. Although there are five other Quadruple needle
cases made in silver, all of the other Avery style
needle cases were made of brass, which was usually gilded to give the
appearance of gold, or they were made of nickel-silver or plated with
nickel-silver. Nickel-silver is a metal
created to give the appearance of silver but is much less expensive because it
is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, and is does
not tarnish like silver does.
Based on evidence uncovered to date,
only four Avery needle cases were made for specific individuals. Three of these are Quadruples made in
silver with someone’s initials engraved in a center shield. The fourth is The Lady Mayoress of London,
which has its name as well as the year 1896-1897 engraved on its lid. The front of this needle case has the
Faudel-Phillips coat of arms[13]
engraved in the center, which means it was created for Helen Faudel-Phillips. Helen, pictured here[14],
the wife of Sir George
Faudel-Phillips who was Lord Mayor of London in 1896[15]
and served in that role for a year until 1897. Mr. Faudel-Phillips was
the second Jewish Lord Mayor of London as his father held the same position 31
years earlier in 1865-66.
What
makes this needle case unique is the beautifully engraved exterior. Most Avery style needle cases have the design stamped onto the metal which limits the degree of
complexity. With engraving, a much more
intricate design can be placed on a piece of metal such as detailed scenes, scrollwork or geometric patterns. To date only four Avery needle cases have
been discovered with elaborate engraving like that
found on The Lady Mayoress of London. All
four of these were Quadruples created by two companies in Birmingham, UK, both
jewelers: two by G. H. Johnstone and Co. and two by G. C. Haseler & Co.
(aka George Carter Haseler). The back of Johnstone’s The Lady Mayoress of
London has an elegant scroll pattern whereas the front contains a shield with
the Faudel-Phillips coat of arms, which includes tiny squirrels, peacocks, and
other symbols, surrounded by the same scroll pattern. This needle case has the feel of an elegant
piece of Victorian jewelry.
Another thing that makes The
Lady Mayoress of London needle case so 
special is the
presentation box within which it resides.
This 2.5 by 4 inch container is covered on the
outside with a beautiful dark purple velvet with two flaps that open in the
center with an elaborate clasp. Once
opened, you can see the interior of the flaps covered with white silk while the
base of the box contains a platform, with a perfect indentation in which the
needle case fits, also covered with the same dark purple velvet fabric. It is obvious The Lady Mayoress of London
needle case, in its elaborate container, was most likely commissioned by a
family friend or colleague of the mayor of London. It was a gift for his wife when Sir George
Faudel-Phillips served as mayor in 1897.
G. H. Johnstone & Co. was presumably selected to create it because
of their reputation as excellent goldsmiths and jewelers.
The Owners
George Hope Johnstone’s parents were
Francis Johnstone and Emma Faraday. His
father was born in London c1786 and moved to Birmingham sometime around the mid
1810’s. In 1816, when Francis was about
30 years old, he married his second wife Emma Faraday, who was only 15 years
old, in Clifton, Gloucestershire, 
near Bristol. Presumably, their marriage was arranged,
perhaps by her father who was a minister, as Clifton was approximately 118
miles west of London and 88 miles south of Birmingham where Emma was born. By 1817 Francis and Emma had settled in
Handsworth where their first child was born. Initially Francis worked as a
dancing master or teacher of dancing, however by 1851 he was blind and
thereafter assisted his wife who was listed that year as a grocer. All ten of their children were born in
Handsworth: Julianna, Catherine, Eliza,
Sarah Maria, William Faraday, Francis Russell, Anna Elizabeth, Samuel
Frederick, George Hope and Ellen. Emma’s
mother, Ann Faraday, also lived with the Johnstone family from at least 1841
until she passed away in 1846. Francis
died in 1868 at age 82 and ten years later Emma died in 1878 at age 77. Both were buried at the Key Hill Cemetery in
Birmingham which is located in the Jewellery
Quarter. The gravestone[16]
shown here lists Emma, wife of Francis Johnstone, and their eldest son William
Faraday Johnstone. Although no probate
records related to Francis have been found, he was listed once in the
Birmingham Police Court section of a local newspaper in 1856[17]
which reads as follows:
“John Dingley, age
14, residing in Brearley-street, was accused of stealing two pounds of butter,
belonging to Francis Johnston, of Hockley-hill.
It appeared that the youth entered the prosecutor’s shop on the night
previous, took the butter, and was walking away, when he was observed by Mrs.
Johnston. Ordered to be kept to hard labour for three months.”
Because
George Hope Johnstone was the youngest son and the ninth of ten children, a
review of his siblings is necessary in order to better
understand his level of success compared to theirs. There were six sisters. His oldest sister Juliana was born in 1817
and married the jeweler George Carter Haseler in 1844. Mr. Haseler came from a family of jewelers
and is the only other jeweler known to have engraved Avery needle cases. When Haseler died in 1895 his estate was
valued at £14,536. The second sister Catherine, born in 1819,
married another jeweler named Thomas Bragg in 1847. When Mr. Bragg died in 1879 his estate was
valued at around £6,000. The middle sister Eliza, born in 1822,
married James Betts in 1845 a gun engraver and later a railroad clerk who died
in 1903. The fourth sister named Sarah
Maria who was born in 1826, married yet another jeweler John Bush Haseler in
1851. When John died in 1875 his estate
was valued at approximately £7,000. The second youngest sister Ann Elizabeth was
born in 1833 and married the jeweler Charles Haseler in 1860. Three of the Johnstone sisters married three
of the Haseler brothers. Charles Haseler
died in 1920, however his probate record has not been found. Unfortunately, not much is known about
George’s youngest sister Ellen.
George
Hope Johnstone had three brothers. His
oldest brother was William Faraday Johnstone who was born in 1829. William also pursued a career as a jeweler,
and he died in 1901 at age 72 with an estate valued at £403. The second brother Francis Russell Johnstone
was born in 1831. Francis worked as an
engine fitter and nut and boot tool maker and died when he was 59 years old in
1896. Samuel Frederick Johnstone, the
youngest brother, was born in 1836 and he too became a jeweler. When Samuel died in 1898 at age 61 his estate
was valued at £1,674. As discussed in the next few paragraphs,
George Hope Johnstone was much more successful than his sister’s husbands or
his own brothers. This is highly usual
for the youngest son in a family of ten children. During the time period
in which they lived, the older sons usually inherited their father’s wealth,
received the most attention and schooling which usually resulted in many more
opportunities coming their way. It seems
most likely that George obtained essential information from his two brothers
and his four brother’s-in-law who were in the jewelry trade which he was able
to use to his advantage later as a businessman.
George
Hope Johnstone[18] was
born in 1841, the youngest son of Francis and Emma Johnstone. In 1861 he was living with his parents and
working as a commercial clerk. Two years
later he was initiated as a Freemason jeweler in 1863 and six years after that,
in 1869, was able to establish his company known
as G. H. Johnstone & Co. George married Emily Wilkinson in Birmingham
in 1867 and they had four children: George Henry (1868), Florence Elise (1870),
Lilian (1871) and Stanley (1873). Not only was Mr. Johnstone a successful
businessman but he served for a number of years as a
Justice of the Peace for the county of Staffordshire, a part of the Birmingham
area. He took an active interest in the
local schools, hospitals and the arts and held many positions in organizations
related to these. He had a strong
passion for music as well and was heavily involved with many of the musical
institutions and events in the Birmingham area during his lifetime. When his two sons, George Henry (1868-1952)
and Stanley (1873-1936) came of age, they joined their father in the family’s jewelry
and goldsmith business, which gave their father even more time to engage in
public affairs. His wife Emma died at
age 53 in 1897 and two years later in 1899 he married his second wife,
Catherine Maas in London. Catherine was
the widow of the talented singer Joseph Maas who had visited the Johnstone
family with his wife, and were in fact staying with them, in 1881, probably
because of some musical event organized by Johnstone. George Hope Johnstone’s degree of success was
confirmed in 1909 when he died at age 68 and left an estate valued at £52,879, which is equivalent
to approximately £4,133,668[19]
today. He left most of his estate to his two sons
and two sons-in-law, who presumably worked in his jeweler/goldsmith business at
the time of his death. Mr. Johnstone’s
philanthropy is witnessed in his will as he provided £100[20]
(£7,817 today[21])
donations to each of the following organizations: The Birmingham General
Hospital, The Birmingham and Midland Homeopathic Hospital and Dispensary, The
Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital, The Birmingham and Midland Hospital for
Women, The Birmingham and Midland Free Hospital for Sick Children, General
Hospital for the Blind, The Dental Hospital, Birmingham and Midland Institute
and The Wrethram-road Swedenborgian Chapel. In addition, he provided £30 for his coachman and £25
for each of his servants.
His
second wife Catherine died nine years later in 1918. George Hope Johnstone’s life story is best
summed up in an article written about him in 1896[22]
in the Handsworth Magazine and in his 1909[23]
obituary.
“No.
29. – Councillor G. H. Johnstone, J.P.
Councillor
G H Johnstone occupies a worthy place amongst the men who have given
ungrudgingly of their time and talents for the good of the community and it is
therefore, with no little pleasure that we include him in our picture gallery
of local celebrities. He was born in
1841, in a picturesque old cottage, which lay back from the high road, in what
was then called Frederick Place. All
around were the green fields and fruitful gardens of Handsworth in the days of
its rural beauties. The scene has
changed. Frederick Place has long since
been “improved” off the face of the earth and upon its ashes stands Thornhill
Road.
Mr
Johnstone commenced his business career with the old established firm of
Hammond, Turner & Sons, button manufacturers. In 1860 he embarked in the jewellery trade and steadily worked his way to the
front. The important firm of G H
Johnstone & Co, Northampton Street, of which he is the head dates back to about 1870 and has ever
been increasingly successful. Of late
years he has derived much assistance in his business pursuits from his two sons
and this has enabled him to devote considerable time to the public life of the
city and neighbourhood.
He
is Justice of the Peace for the county of Stafford and represents St Paul’s
Ward upon the City Council. It speaks
volumes for his urbanity and popularity that, although a Liberal in politics,
he was nominated for the City Council by the three political associations –
Liberal, Conservative and Liberal Unionist.
The confidence of the electorate has been justified. His work upon the
Council has been nothing if not thorough and last year he was returned
unopposed. He is Chairman of the Art
Gallery Purchase Committee, Chairman of two Finance Sub-Committees and Chairman
of the Stable Sub-Committee, member of the Museum and School of Art Committee and also of the Health Committee. He is regular in his attendances, is always
to be found on the side of progress and has proved himself worthy alike of the
confidence of his constituents and of a seat in that distinguished assembly
which is credited with having made Birmingham “the best governed City in the
World”.
But
his public work extends far beyond the confines of the Council House. For fourteen years he has been closely
identified with the Birmingham and Midland Institute, holding the office for
three years in succession of senior vice-president and for one year as junior
vice-president. He is a member of the
Committee of the General Hospital, a guardian of the Assay Office and in
business circles, director of the Electric Supply Company and chairman of
Newbury’s Limited.
To
come nearer home, it is interesting to note that for twenty years he has been
on the Handsworth Bridge Trust and has acted as vice-chairman of the Handsworth
School Board since its formation some four years ago.
With
so many duties to attend to Mr Johnstone’s time is pretty fully taken up, but he nevertheless devotes many
hours to music, which is at once his hobby and delight. He has taken an active interest in the
musical life of the city for very many years and is at the present time chairman
of the Midland Institute School of Music and president of the Amateur
Orchestral Society in connection with the same.
Music is with him the passion of a lifetime and he is never happier than
when arranging some triumph for the Birmingham Musical Festival – with which he
has been actively connected since 1879, serving upon the Orchestral Committee –
seeking to enhance the high reputation of the choir of Wretham
Road New Church, where he and his family have been life-long members and of
which he has been Treasurer and a Trustee for very many years.
This choir is undoubtedly one of the best in Birmingham – that is to say, in the Midland Counties, for Birmingham is a music-loving city and is held in high repute throughout the entire kingdom. For thirty-five years Mr Johnstone has had practically sole charge of the music at this place of worship and years before – from when, as a boy of ten, he entered the choir up to manhood – he laboured hard in the best interests of this phase of the life of the church. He is on terms of personal friendship with some of the most distinguished musicians of our times, counting amongst his friends Sir John Stainer, Professor Bridge, of Westminster Abbey, and other great men, whose names are hardly less familiar; and hence it has happened that on many occasions distinguished players have presided at the organ of the church in Wretham Road during Divine Service.
In
bringing up the standard of the music at Wretham Road
to so high a pitch, in which work he has had the entire sympathy of the pastor
of the Church, the Rev. R R. Rodgers, who has been
minister of the Church for upwards of thirty years. Mr Johnstone has had a capital co-worker in Mr
C W. Perkins who from his sixteenth year, had been connected
with the church and until quite recently officiated as organist there. Mr Perkins is a
brilliant player and his services are in such demand
for the re-opening of organs, special services and the like, that he has been
compelled to resign his position at Wretham
Road. The present organist is Mr J H Reynolds, a pupil of Mr
Perkins and himself a very clever musician.
In
his home life Mr Johnstone is exceedingly
fortunate. His residence at Hamstead
Hill stands in its own beautiful grounds and everything there betokens the man
of refinement and gentle tastes. It is
of such men that Handsworth is proud and justly so. Without men willing and able to devote money,
time and talent to the public weal, progress in education, commerce
and the social amenities, which tend to make smooth the wheels of life, would
be slow indeed.
We
do not know if Mr Johnstone has ambitions in such a
direction but certainly no gentleman whom we know would fill the office of
chief magistrate of Birmingham with more ability and dignity and with more
credit to himself and the city, than the subject of our present sketch. It is a position which any public man might
laudably strive to reach and one which we hope to see occupied in due time by
this popular Handsworthian.”
“OBITUARY.
MR.
G. H. JOHNSTONE.
We regret to announce the death, which occurred
early on Saturday morning, of Mr. G. H. Johnstone, one of the best-know public
men in Birmingham, Mr. Johnstone had been in indifferent health for a long
time. His condition took a very serious
turn on Friday; he lapsed into unconsciousness, and despite the best of medical
attention, passed away as stated.
Mr. Johnstone’s illness really dated some six years back.
In the summer of 1902 he was unanimously chosen
by the City Council for election as Lord Mayor, and the choice met with
approval from all who knew him and the valuable services he had rendered in a
public capacity. Unfortunately, in
September of that year Mr. Johnstone was a victim of neuritis, which was
supposed to have been the result of a chill contracted at the Coronation
celebration at Westminster Abbey. His
eyes were so affected that his medical advisors informed him that it was
imperative that he should give up all private or pubic work and do nothing involving study. Under these circumstances Mr. Johnstone had
no option but to withdraw his acceptance of the Lord Mayoralty. He subsequently recovered to a certain
extent, and after a long holiday returned to the Council Chamber for a time,
but about four years ago he retired from public life. For the last year or two he had suffered from
a very severe nervous breakdown.
Mr. Johnstone commenced his civic life in
1875, when he entered the Council Chamber as a member for St. Paul’s Ward. A Liberal in politics, he had the distinction
of being supported in his candidature by the members of all three political
parties, and he remained a member for the ward uninterruptedly until his
retirement. He served on the Health and
Museum and School of Art Committees, and was chairman
of the Electric Supply Department. He
was also a guardian of the Assay Office for many years, chairman of the
Handsworth Grammar School, was the first vice-chairman of the Handsworth School
Board, a justice of the peace for the county of Stafford, had been chairman of
the Board of Management of the General Hospital, and in 1897-8 was chairman of
the Jewellers’ and Silversmiths’ Association.
BUSINESS
AND ART
Mr. Johnstone was a native of Handsworth,
being born in Thornhill-road in 1841.
After leaving school he entered the jewellery
trade and in 1869 established the firm of Messrs. G. H. Johnstone and Co. in
Northampton-street, a business that from its inception
has been a success. Apart from his
business and civic life, Mr. Johnstone took a keen interest in musical matters
of the city. When only a boy of ten he
entered the choir of Wretham-road Church. Latter
in life he practically had control of the musical services for many years, his
untiring energies having the effect of raising the standard to a high pitch of
excellence. To this church Mr. Johnstone
gave a beautiful carved reredos in memory of his father, and in memory of his
first wife he gave an oak screen. On his
retirement from Wretham-road Church choir after 58
years’ service, Mr. Johnstone was presented with illuminated addresses by the
choir and congregation.
In connection with the triennial musical
festival Mr. Johnstone was one of the most prominent workers. In fact, he had much to do with making these
festivals a success. Passionately fond
of music, and an excellent musician, he threw himself heart and soul into the labours, and did much to raise the status of music in the
city. He was the mainspring of the
musical department of the Midland Institute, chairman of the School of Music,
and president of the Amateur Orchestral Society. At his private residence he had a fine music
room, in which many enjoyable evenings have been spent
by his friends.
Mr. Johnstone’s accomplishments were not,
however, confine to music, for he was, in additional,
a connoisseur of pictures, and the possessor of many valuable works of
art. He was, also, the founder of the
Birmingham Clef Club, a society brought into being with the object of providing
a meeting place for those anxious to enjoy musical and intellectual
intercourse.
The deceased gentleman was twice married,
his first wife being the daughter of the late Mr. Henry Wilkinson of
Birmingham, and who died in 1897.
Subsequently, he married the widow of the late Mr. Joseph Maas, the
eminent tenor, who survives him. He also
leaves two sons and two daughters.”
All
four of George Hope Johnstone’s children appear to have been involved with the
jewelry and goldsmithing business he founded.
His eldest son, George Henry Johnstone, was born in 1868, was working
for his father by 1891 and later became a director of the company, a position
he held until his retirement in the 1930’s.
George Henry never married, but he lived in his father’s residence in
Handsworth with his younger brother’s family until he became incapacitate later
in life. He died in 1952 at age 84 while
residing in a nursing home in Birmingham.
George Henry left an estate valued at £83,959
or approximately £2,620,243[24]
today, to his brother-in-law Edward Evershed a solicitor and his
nephews, Stanley Evershed, also a solicitor and Stanley Hope George Johnstone,
a manager.
George
Hope Johnstone’s two daughter’s both married men who were probably associated
with the family business. Florence
Elise, who was born in 1870, married John Skirrow Wright in 1893 who was a
manufacturing jeweler. Mr. Skirrow most
likely worked in the G. H. Johnstone & Co business since he was listed in his father-in-law’s will.
When Florence died in 1954 at age 84, she left her estate valued at £30,479 to her two unmarried daughters. The youngest daughter of George Hope
Johnstone was Lillian. Lillian was born
in 1871, married Edward Evershed a solicitor in 1901
and had three children: Stanley, Walter and Lilian
May. Presumably, Mr. Evershed was the
solicitor for the Johnstone company as he was listed in his father-in-law’s
will as well. When Lillian died in 1944
at age 72, she left an estate valued at £36,184
to her husband, son Stanley and her daughter Lilian May.
The
youngest son of George Hope Johnstone, Stanley Johnstone, was born in 1873. He
married Jessie Braitwaite Smith in 1904 in Handsworth and they had three
children: Lucy (1906), Margery (1908) and Stanley Hope George (1913). The Johnstone
family resided in their father’s residence known as Headingley House on
Hamstead Hill in Handsworth with his brother George Henry. Stanley appears to have inherited his
father’s social skills and desire to be involved with community service because
by 1914[25],
at the age of 41, he was the president of the Birmingham Jewellers’
and Silversmith’s Association. In 1916[26]
Stanley presided over an association meeting where they discussed how they
could help the war effort. At that
meeting the association approved a measure to allow the jewelers to make
munitions for the government as WWI had a huge impact on the British. In 1927 Stanley and his son Stanley Jr., who
was 14 years old that year, sailed to New York from Southampton presumably on a
business trip as many of Johnstone’s jewelry products were popular around the
world. When Stanley died in 1936, he
left his estate valued at £21,680 or approximately
£1,098,365[27]
today, to his wife and son Stanley Jr. who was listed as manufacturing
jeweler in the probate record, presumably working in the Johnstone
business. Stanley Jr. was listed in 1939
as a director manufacturing jeweler whereas his uncle, George Henry, with whom
he was living, was listed as a director retired jewelers. It seems most likely that Stanley Jr. took
over his father’s role in the business at age 23 after his father’s death, and
then when his uncle retired, became the director of G. H. Johnstone & Co.
Ltd around age 25. Managing a firm at
such a young age may have contributed to the company ceasing operations two
years later in 1941.
G. H. Johnstone & Co.: Images
St.
Phillip’s Church, exterior, 2022.
Northampton
Street sign, 2022.
US
Patent drawing for Avery’s Quadruple needle case.
St.
Phillip’s Church, interior, 2022.
38
Northampton Street, 2022.
The
Lady Mayoress of London needle case, front.
The
Lady Mayoress of London needle case, front detail with the Faudel-Phillips coat
of arms.
The
Lady Mayoress of London needle case, back.
The
Lady Mayoress of London needle case, back detail.
The
Sterling Silver - Scroll Pattern needle case, front.
The
Sterling Silver - Scroll Pattern needle case, front detail.
Hallmark
on this sterling silver needle case.
The
Sterling Silver - Scroll Pattern needle case, back.
The
Sterling Silver - Scroll Pattern needle case, back detail.
The hallmark on the Sterling Silver -
Scroll Pattern needle cases consists of a lion
passant, followed by the letter T and then an anchor. Directly next to the anchor is a small shield
with the letter G placed over the letter J.
When translated this means the needle case was made of sterling-silver,
was made in 1893 in Birmingham by G. H. Johnstone & Co.