Charles Laight & Co. (aka C. Laight & Sons): History

The Company

According to the 1873[1] advertisement below, Charles Laight & Co was founded in 1849, presumably by the Charles Laight who was listed in the 1851[2] census as a needle maker employing 3 men, 2 girls and 5 boys that year. However, the company was not listed in any city or trade directories until 1861[3] when Charles Laight was listed as a needle manufacturer on Edward Street in Redditch. Then in 1865[4] the company was recorded as Charles Laight & Sons, a needle manufacturer on Edward Street. During the years 1865[5], 1870[6] and 1871[7] and later, only on two occasions, one in 1876[8] and another in 1882[9], the firm continued to be listed as “Charles Laight & Sons”. Yet by 1873[10] and thereafter, except as noted in the previous sentence, it was listed as Charles Laight & Co. It is unknown why the firm’s name was recorded with slightly different endings at different times. Perhaps Charles Laight’s sons assisted him in the business at some point for a few years and then moved on to other careers. Both company names are never listed at the same time which indicates there was only one Charles Laight needle business, especially since only one man with that name was listed as a needle manufacturer in census records at that time. In 1870[11] the factory was named Bromsgrove Road and Edward Street Works, however by 1879[12] it became Cable Works on Edward Street. It seems most likely that the factory was consistently located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Bromsgrove Road and Edward Street in Redditch.

In 1871 Laight worked with Joseph Welch, a watch maker also from Redditch, and registered patent #1287[13]. Part of page one of the patent is pictured here. This patent included at least seven different metal needle case designs, although only two were known to have been produced: La Facile and the Ladies Needle Album. In 1882 Laight registered another design, #380394[14], this time for an earthenware needle wrapper. The firm continued to be in business until at least 1912[15] on George Street & Edward Street. Today the factory building known as Gate Works no longer exists and the area where it originally stood is an open space likely to be redeveloped in the near future.

In its early years the Laight company ventured beyond the UK in a joint effort with Samuel Allcock[16], another needle and fish hook manufacturer from the Redditch area. Evidently sometime around 1854 the two companies formed the partnership known as Allcock & Laight in Toronto, Canada where they sold Allcock’s fishing tackle along with Laight’s needles and small wares as shown in the 1869[17] Canadian advertisement seen here. In 1868 Mr. Benjamin Westwood was sent from Redditch to manage the firm in Toronto and later in 1885 he purchased Charles Laight’s share of the business renaming it Allcock, Laight & Westwood until 1898 when it became a limited liability company.

The Owners

Charles Laight was born c1819 in the town of Church Lench in Worcestershire, which is located about 14 miles south of Redditch. His father was David Laight a carpenter. His mother may have been the woman listed as Esther/Hester Laight[18], a letter carrier also born in Church Lench, who was living in Alcester in 1841 and 1851. His father presumably died before 1841 and Esther/Hester passed away in 1854 in Redditch. Charles appears to have had at least one brother, possible three, who were all born in Church Lench: Brandon[19], Levi (who died within days of birth) and David. His older brother Brandon married in the Ipsley area and then moved to Long Crendon where he lived for about ten years from at least 1851 to 1859 and worked there as a needle stamper. Long Crendon is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Redditch and has a long history of needle making, being one of the first towns in the UK where needles were made. However, many needle makers from that area eventually moved to the Redditch district and Brandon was one of them. By 1861 Brandon and his family were living on Edward Street in Redditch where they remained until Brandon’s death in 1898. For most of his life Brandon was listed as a needle maker or needle tool maker and may have been working at his brother Charles’s factory which was also on Edward Street.

Charles married Mary Ann Hutton in 1841 at St. Bartholomew in Tardebigg and they had three children: Mary Ann, John and Charles. In 1841 the family was living in Headless Cross/Ipsley where Charles worked as a needle maker. By 1851 they had moved to Studley where he continued as a needle maker. Mary Ann passed away in late 1858 and Charles married his second wife, Sarah Ann Blackford, less than six months later. His brother Brandon was listed as a witness on the wedding certificate. Charles had at least three additional children with Sarah: Sarah, Elizabeth and Emma. From 1861 until his death Charles was listed as a needle manufacturer and sometimes also a fishing tackle manufacturer living either on Edward Street or Bromsgrove Road, presumably near his factory. He died in 1886 at age 67 and left his business and estate to his wife, his son Charles who was a manager at the factory and his son-in-law William Bloxham. Charles was buried at the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch on January 6, 1886. Sarah continued to live in the family home near the factory and was listed as a needle manufacturer employer in 1891, 1901 and 1911. She died in 1919 at age 90.

It is unclear if the sons of Charles carried on the needle manufacturing business because there were a number of people in the Redditch area with the names John and Charles Laight with similar birth years and no easy way to distinguish between them. However, the son John was involved in some scandalous activity in the 1860’s and 1870’s[20]. John Laight was born in Ipsley in 1847. When he was 20 years old in 1867, he married Clara Fourt in Redditch, however by 1871 they were living separately. That year John was living near his father’s factory on Edward Street where he worked as a book keeper whereas his wife Clara was living in her step-father’s household at the Red Lion Inn in Redditch where she was employed as a barmaid. Their marriage deteriorated quickly after their wedding and in 1875 Clara filed for divorce, an unusual action for a woman during the Victorian Era. The divorce was granted because the evidence and witnesses proved John was not only violent, threatening and abusive starting within months of their marriage, but he was adulterous as well, having infected Clara with venereal disease in 1868! Later in 1870 on Cemetery Road in Redditch John again committed adultery with a woman named Jane Walton.

Charles Laight & Co. (aka C. Laight & Sons): Images

Drawing of the C. Laight & Co. Cable Works needle, fish hook & tackle factory on Edward Street in Redditch (from Raymond McLaren).

Another drawing of the Cable Works needle factory (from the Forge Mill Needle Museum archives).

Northwest corner of Edward Street and Bromsgrove Road, 2018.

East side of Edward Street near Bromsgrove Road from the west, 2019.

East side of Edward Street near Bromsgrove Road from the east, 2019.

Northeast corner of Bromsgrove Road near Edward Street where the C. Laight & Co’s factory was originally located, 2018.

Parking lot on the northeast corner of Edward Street and Bromsgrove Road, 2019.

View of the parking lot on the northeast corner of Edward Street and Bromsgrove Road, 2019.

The old Ashleich Works factory on the corner of Bromsgrove Road and Britten Street, near the original location of the Cable Works factory, 2019.

The building on the northwest corner of Bromsgrove Road and Edward Street, across the street from where the original Cable Works factory was located, 2019.

Front of the La Facile Needle Case.

Back of the La Facile Needle Case

Front of the Ladies Needle Album needle case.

Back of the Ladies Needle Album needle case.

Charles Laight & Co. (aka C. Laight & Sons): Genealogy

Generation 1: David Laight (unknown-before 1841) and Esther (c1794-1854)

· Born: not found.

· Baptized: not found.

· Marriage: not found.

· Possible Wife born: c1796 Church Lench (S4)

· Death: not found.

· Probate: not found.

· (Possible Mother of Charles Laight) 1841 Census: Malt Hill Lane, Alcester (S4). Listed as Esther Lait, age 45 a letter carrier who was not born in the country, with son David age 15, a needle maker also not born in the county. (Note: the surname is misspelled Lail in the Census index but appears to be Lait on the actual Census).

· (Possible Mother or Charles Laight) 1851 Census: 5 Butler Street, Alcester (S4). Listed as Hester Laight, age 59 a widow and letter carrier born in Church Lench, Worcestershire with nephew Charles Laight age 8 (1843) born in Redditch.

· Possible Mother of Charles Laight) Wife Esther Laight’s death: October. 2, 1854 Tardebigg (S8d). Listed as Esther Laight age 60 widow of Charles Laight labourer, died in Redditch with Jane Harrod in attendance. (Note a discrepancy between the husband’s name on her death record).

· Children:

1. Brandon Laight (c1817-1898) - see generation 2.

2. Charles Laight (c1819-1886) - see generation 2.

3. (Possible Brother of Charles Laight) Levi Laight (1821-1821) baptized May 9, 1821 Church Lench, Worcester (S1c). Parents are listed as David and Hester Laight. May 13, 1821 buried at Church Lench (S1d).

4. (Possible Brother of Charles Laight) David Laight (c1825-??) baptized September 2, 1825 Church Lench, Worcester (S1c). Parents are listed as David and Esther Laight.

Generation 2: Brandon Laight (c1817-1898) and Ellen Robbins (c1824-??)

· Born: c1817 Church Lench, Worcester.

· Baptized: not found.

· Married: December 9, 1844 Ipsley (S1m). Listed as Brandon Laight and Ellen Robbins with Brandon’s father listed as David Laight.

· 1851 Census: 250 Buch Lane, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire (S4). Listed as Brandon Laight age 34 needle stamper born in Church Lench with wife Ellen age 26 born in Alcester and 3 children: Elizabeth, Ellen and Brandon. (Note: Laight is incorrectly listed as Leight and Brandon is incorrectly listed as age 36 in the census index).

· 1861 Census: 115 Edward Street, Redditch (S4). Listed as Brandon Laight age 44 a needle tool maker born in Church Lench with wife Ellen age 37 born in Alcester and 8 children: Elizabeth, Ellenora, Brandon, Charles, David, Joseph, Sarah and William H. (Note: Brandon is incorrectly listed with the surname Leight in the census index, additional Brandon has a son named Charles, born in 1852 in Long Crendon, listed with him in this census).

· 1871 Census: 115 Edward Street, Redditch (S4). Listed as Brandon Laight age 54 a needle tool maker and provisional dealer born in Church Lench with wife Ellen age 47 born in Alcester and 4 children: David, Joseph, Sarah and William H.

· 1881 Census: 104 Edward Street, Redditch (S4). Listed as Brandon Laight age 65 a needle maker born in Lenches with wife Ellen age 59 born in Alcester and 2 children: Harry and George.

· 1891 Census: 112 Edward Street, Redditch (S4). Listed as Brandon Laight age 74 living on own means born in Church Lench. He is listed next to Brandon Laight age 41 a needle pointer born in Studley and his family, the younger Brandon appears to be his son.

· Death: 1^st QTR 1898 Bromsgrove at age 80 (S5d). January 16, 1898 Redditch (S6). Listed as Brandon Laight.

· Death Notice: January 22, 1898 in the Redditch Indicator newspaper (S=microfilm at the Redditch Library). Listed as Brandon Laight age 80 who died January 16, 1898 at Edward Street in Redditch.

· Probate: July 2, 1898 London (S6). Listed as Brandon Laight of Redditch needle maker to Charles Laight needle tool maker. Effects: £707.

· Children:

1. Elizbeth Laight (c1846-??). Born in Ipsley/Redditch (S4).

2. Ellenora Laight (c1848-??). Born in Headless Cross/Ipsley (S4).

3. Brandon Laight (c1850-??). Born in Studley (S4). Married Emma Powell July 5, 1870 Alcester (S3). Brandon’s father is listed as Brandon Laight, needle maker.

4. Charles Laight (c1852-1909). Born in Long Crendon Buckinghamshire (S4). Married Agnes Jefferies Dec. 4, 1870 Birmingham (S3). Charles’s father is listed as Brandon Laight a provision dealer. In the 1901 census listed as Charles Laight age 49 a needle tool maker born in Redditch with wife Agnes age 49 born in Redditch and sister-in-law Celina Jefferies living on 23 Millaboro Road in Ipsley, Redditch (S4). Died April 3, 1909 Redditch (S6). Probate London April 19, 1909 (S6) where he is listed as Charles Laight of Millsborough Road, Redditch with effects of £94 to Agnes Laight widow.

5. David Laight (c1854-??). Born in Long Crendon Buckinghamshire (S4).

6. Joseph Laight (c1855-??). Born in Long Crendon Buckinghamshire (S4).

7. Sarah Laight (c1859-??). Born in Long Crendon Buckinghamshire (S4).

8. William Harry Laight (c1861-??). Born in Redditch (S4).

9. George Laight (1863-??). Born in Redditch (S4).

Generation 2: Charles Laight (c1819-1886) and Mary Ann Hutton (c1819-1858) and Sarah Ann Blackford (c1828-1919)

· Born: c1819 Church Lench, Worcestershire (S4).

· Baptized: not found.

· Marriage #1: Mary Ann Hutton Oct. 11, 1841 St. Bartholomew, Tardebigg (S8m). Listed as Charles Leight, a Redditch needle maker, whose father was listed as David Leight, a carpenter.

· 1841 Census: Headless Cross, Ipsley (S4). Listed as Charles Laight age 20 a needle maker not born in the county and Mary age 20 also not born in the county. (Note: the census index incorrectly lists the surname as Leight).

· 1851 Census: 62 Ipsley Green, Studley, Alcester (S4). Listed as Charles Laight, age 32 born in Ipsley a needle maker employing 3 men, 5 boys and 2 girls, with wife Mary Ann, age 32 born in Henley on Avon, and 2 children: Mary Ann and John. (Note: the census index incorrectly lists the surname as Linght).

· Wife #1 Mary Ann Laight’s Death: November 21, 1858 Tardebigg, Bromsgrove (S8d). Listed as Mary Ann Laight age 40 who died in Redditch, the wife of Charles Laight needle maker.

· Marriage #2: Sarah Ann Blackford, April 24 1859 Redditch (S8m). Listed as Charles Laight a widow and Redditch needle manufacturer whose father was listed as David Laight a carpenter, witness Brandon Laight.

· 1861 Census: 124 Edward Street, Redditch (S4). Listed as Charles Laight, age 42 born in Church Lench, Worcestershire a needle manufacturer, with wife Sarah A., age 33 a needle paperer born in Redditch, and 4 children: Mary A., John, Henry, Sarah A. (Note: the Census index incorrectly lists the surname as Leight).

· 1871 Census: 220 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Charles Laight, age 52 born in Church Lench, Worcestershire a needle manufacturer, with wife Sarah A., age 43 born in Redditch, and 4 children: Henry, Sarah A., Elizabeth and Emma.

· 1881 Census: 210 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Charles Laight, age 62 born in Church Lench, Worcestershire a needle manufacturer, with wife Sarah A., age 52 born in Redditch, and 3 children: Sarah Ann., Elizabeth and Emily.

· Death: January 2, 1886 Tardebigg (S8d). Listed as Charles Laight age 67 a needle and fishing tackle manufacturer who died at 8 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch with Charles Laight son present at death. June 2, 1886 Redditch (S6). Note the discrepancy between the death date on the death certificate and on the probate index which indicates the probate transcript is in error).

· Buried: Plymouth Road Cemetery, Redditch. Listed as Charles Laight, age 67, needle master, who died on Edward Street and was buried January 6, 1886. Interment number 4400, grave number 995. (S=Redditch Crematorium Records researched in August 2019 by Raymond McLaren).

· Probate: June 24, 1886 Worcester (S6). Listed as Charles Laight late of Cable Works Edward Street and of Bromsgrove Road, Redditch, fish hook and fishing tackle manufacturer. Personal Estate: £4,541 proved by Sarah Ann Laight of 8 Bromsgrove Road, widow, the relict Charles Laight of 28 Upper Grove Street Redditch manufacturer’s manager the son, and William James Bloxham of Bath Villa Park Road, Banbury, in the county of Oxford, builder’s manager.

· Death Notice: January 9, 1886 Redditch Indicator newspaper (S=microfilm at the Redditch Library). Listed as Charles Laight needle manufacturer who died January 2, 1886 age 67, interned at the Redditch Cemetery January 6, 1886.

· 1891 Census: 202 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Sarah Ann Laight age 62, a widow born in Redditch a needle manufacturer employer, with 3 children: Sarah Bloxham age 31, Elizabeth Laight and Emily Laight and a son-in-law William J. Bloxham, a builder born in Canada, and granddaughter Emily Mary (Note: Sarah Ann Bloxham is incorrectly listed with the surname Laight in the census index).

· 1901 Census: 196 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Sarah A. Laight, widow age 72 born in Redditch needle manufacturer employer, with 2 children: Elizabeth and Emily.

· 1911 Census: Edward Street, 12 Bromsgrove Road, Redditch (S4). Listed as Sarah Ann Laight, widow age 82 born in Redditch needle manufacturer employer, with 2 children: Elizabeth and Emily. Indicates she had a total of 4 children of which 3 are still alive.

· Wife #2 Sarah A. Laight’s Death: September 1919 Bromsgrove at age 90 (S5d).

· Children:

1. Mary Ann Laight (c1846-??) born in Ipsley/ Redditch (S4).

2. John Laight (c1847/48-??) born in Ipsley/Redditch (S4). Baptized October 10, 1847 Ipsley (S1c). Parents listed as Charles and Mary Ann Laight. 4^th QTR 1867 Bromsgrove (S5m) John Laight married Clara Fourt. October 24, 1867 Redditch (S1m) John Laight married Clara Fourt, John’s father is listed as Charles Laight. 1871 Census: 161 Edward Street, Redditch (S4), listed as John Laight age 23 a married bookkeeper and lodger born in Redditch. 1871 Census: Red Lion Inn, Redditch (S4), listed as Clara Laight age 23 married a barmaid born in Alcester living with her step-father and his family. February 24, 1875 Divorcee Decree (S=ancestry.com) listed as Clara Laight vs John Laight. John is listed as violent, abusive and threatening and having infected her with venereal disease.

3. Charles Henry Laight (1851-??). Born May 15, 1851 Ipsley (S8b). Listed as Charles Henry Laight with parents Charles Laight a needle maker and Mary Ann Laight formerly Hutton. Baptized June 22, 1851 Redditch (S1c) with parents listed as Charles and Mary Ann Laight. Listed as Henry Laight in the 1861 and 1871 censuses.

4. Sarah Ann Laight (c1860-??) born in Redditch (S4). 1st QTR 1883 Bromsgrove (S5m) Sarah Ann Laight married William James Bloxham.

5. Elizabeth A. Laight (c1864-??) born in Redditch (S4.)

6. Emma/Emily A. Laight (c1869-??) born in Redditch (S4).

Needle Related Patents and/or Design Registration made by Laight

· 1871 Patent: #1871-290 for needle, pin and like cases dated February 2, 1871 (S=Patent books online). This patent was registered in partnership with Joseph Welch.

· 1871 Patent: #1871-1287 for a case for needles and pins dated May 12, 1871 (S=British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre, London). Also known as the La Facile and the Ladies Needle Album needle cases. This patent was registered in partnership with Joseph Welch.

· 1882 Design Registration: #380394 for an earthenware needle wrapper dated
May 4, 1882 (S=The National Archives.Kew).

Avery style needle cases patented/registered by Laight or with the Laight name: La Facile and the Ladies Needle Album.

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Endnotes

[1] Littlebury’s Redditch Trade Directory, 1873, page 3 and 598. Available at http://books.google.com.

[2] 1851 census.

[3] Corporation General and Trades Directory of Birmingham . . . Redditch . . . and Wolverhampton, 1861 by William Cornish. Pages 863 and 868.

[4] Jones’s Mercantile Directory of the Iron District of South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire, 1865, page 416. Available at http://books.google.com.

[5] Jones’s Mercantile Directory of the Iron District of South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire, 1865, page 416.

[6] The Handbook to the Manufacturers & Exporters of Great Britain, 1870, page 343. Available at http://books.google.com.

[7] La Facile needle case which was patented in 1871 has the C. Laight & Sons name stamped on it.

[8] City of London Livery Companies’ Commission. Report and Appendix. Vol. III, 1884. Page 611 lists gentleman from the Redditch area who attended an exhibition in Redditch in 1876. Available at http://books.google.com.

[9] Design #380394 registered May 4, 1882 (S=The National Archives, Kew).

[10] Littlebury’s Redditch Trade Directory, 1873, page 598. Available at http://books.google.com.

[11] The Handbook to the Manufacturers & Exporters of Great Britain, 1870, page 343. Available at http://books.google.com.

[12] The Trades’ Guide for Midland Counties, and Universal Buyers’ Guide, 1879 page 195. Available at http://books.google.com.

[13] Mechanical Patent: #1871-1287 dated May 12, 1871. Available in patent books at the British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre, London.

[14] Design #380394 registered May 4, 1882 (S=The National Archives, Kew).

[15] Kelly’s Directory of Worcestershire, 1912, page 229. Available at http://books.google.com.

[16] Most of the information on Laight’s Canadian business adventure is from an article entitled Allcock Laight & Westwood by Patrick Daradick published in the Fall 2011 issue of Real Fishing, page 22. Available at https://issuu.com/real-fishing/docs/fall_2011final_version_to_transcon/22.

[17] The Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory, 1869, pages 485 and 512. Listed as Allcocks, S., C. Laight & Co. Available at http://books.google.com.

[18] There is some question regarding whether this is actually his mother because in her death record, she is listed as the widow of Charles Laight a laborer rather than the David Laight a carpenter who was listed as Charles

Laight’s father in his GRO marriage record.

[19] I believe Brandon is a brother because he was born in the same small village as Charles and had the same parents. Also, Brandon was listed as a witness on Charles second marriage record.

[20] Clara Laight’s divorce decree statement dated February 24, 1875.

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