The
Company
It
seems most likely that this firm was founded by Richard Newhall of Astwood Bank
sometime during the late 1850’s or early to mid-1860’s[1]. Mr. Newhall patented two needle case designs,
#122 and #2225, in 1867[2] and was described in the
patent documents as a needle case manufacturer from Astwood Bank. Parts of these patents 
are
shown here. However, the company 
Richard
Newhall & Sons was not listed in city and trade directories until 1871[3] when the firm was recorded
as a needle manufacturer at Poplar Works in Astwood Bank. A year later in 1872[4] Newhall registered another
needle case design, this time in conjunction with John Anthony Croft of
neighboring Hunt End. From 1873 until
1878 the firm was listed consistently as being in Astwood Bank, however the
name varied slightly, as did the description, from one directory to
another. These differences could have
been errors or oversites by the companies who produced these directories or, perhaps
Newhall’s sons worked for and then did not work for the company at one
point. One directory in 1873[5] listed the firm as Richard
Newhall & Son, a needle case manufacturer whereas a Redditch trade almanack
from that same year[6]
listed the business as Richard Newhall & Son, a fancy needle case
manufacturer. Then in 1875[7] the company was listed
again as Richard Newhall & Sons, a needle case manufacturer. From 1876[8] through 1878[9], the firm was listed in
area almanacks as R. Newhall, a fancy needle case manufacturer. Also, in 1877[10] it was listed in a
shipping directory as Richard Newhall & Sons, again as a needle case
manufacturer.
The
firm apparently went out of business shortly thereafter as it was no longer
listed after 1878[11]. Unfortunately, to date, no information has
been uncovered regarding where the Poplar Works[12] factory was originally
located in Astwood Bank.
The
Owners
Richard
Newhall was born c1829 in Kidderminster, a town approximately seventeen miles
northwest of Redditch, the son of John and Ann Newhall. Both of his parents were originally born and
married in the Caynham, Shropshire area which is
twenty-two miles west of Kidderminster.
Sometime between 1826[13] and 1829 Richard’s family
moved to Kidderminster where the father was employed as an agricultural
laborer. Why the family moved is unknown, although it seems most likely that it
had to do with job opportunities. Richard
had five siblings: Jane, John, Joseph, Catherina and
Thomas. His mother died in Kidderminster
in 1866 and his father died there six years later in 1872.
Sometime
in the early 1850’s Richard married Sarah Morris who was born in Astwood
Bank. Presumably by then Richard had
moved to the Astwood Bank area where he became a needle maker. In 1853 the young couple decided to possibly
immigrate to Australia and they traveled to Liverpool
where they sailed to Melbourne and then on to Sydney. Within a year their first child, Joseph, was
born there in 1854. The family did not
remain in Australia for long, having returned to Droitwich, a town twelve miles
south of Kidderminster, where their next child, Amelia was born in 1856. Sometime between 1856 and 1860[14] the family moved to
Astwood Bank where Sarah was listed as a fancy needle box maker in 1861. Apparently, Richard was accidently omitted
from the census that year and his occupation was assigned to his wife. Richard was officially known as a needle case
manufacturer, an occupation he held for more than ten years from at least 1867
until 1878[15]. Richard and Sarah had six additional children
during their years in Astwood Bank: Agnes, Victor, Clotilda, Frederick/William,
James and Sydney.
The family returned to Kidderminster sometime between 1878 and 1881
where Richard was listed as a dyconic laborer. A few years later they moved again, this time
twenty-two miles northeast to Aston, a suburb of Birmingham. Richard died there in 1883 at age 53 and was
listed as a fancy needle case manufacturer on his death record. His wife Sarah remained in Aston for at least
eight years, then relocated to Chesterfield in Derbyshire where she spent her
last years with her son Joseph, who was born in Sydney, Australia, and his
family. She died in Chesterfield in 1881
at age 70.
Richard Newhall & Sons: Genealogy
Generation 1: John Newhall (c1793-1872) and Ann Hatton
(c1793-1866)
· Birth: c1793,
c1796 (S4).
·
Baptized: not found.
· Marriage: February
17, 1816 Caynham, Shropshire
(S1m). Listed as John Newell and Ann
Hatton.
· 1841 Census: Fair Street, Kidderminster (S4). Listed as John Newall age 45 an ag lab not
born in the county with Ann age 45 not born in the county and 5 children: John,
Joseph, Richard, Catherine and Thomas.
· 1851 Census: 82
Fair Street, Kidderminster (S4). Listed
as John Newell age 58 an agg labourer
born in Caynham, Shropshire with wife Ann age 58 born
in Caynham, Shropshire and 2 children: Thomas and
Catherine.
· 1861 Census: 54
George Street, Kidderminster (S4).
Listed as John Newall age 68 an agricultural labourer
born in Canan, Shropshire with wife Ann age 67 born
in Canon, Shropshire.
· Wife’s Death: 2nd
QTR 1866 Kidderminster at age 73 (S5d).
Listed as Ann Newall.
· 1871 Census: 63
George Street, Kidderminster (S4).
Listed as John Newall father-in-law age 77
widow laborour in coal yard born in Clee Hill, Shropshire living with the Samuel and Jane
Weston family and their 2 children. (Note:
According to a current map of the area, Cleehill
is located only a couple miles from Caynham in
Shropshire).
· Death: 4th QTR
1872 at age 79 Kidderminster (S5d).
Listed as John Newhall.
·
Probate: not found.
· Children:
1.
Jane
Newall (1820-after 1871). Born July 6, 1820 and baptized July 16, 1820 Clee
Hill Caynham, Shropshire (S1c). Listed as Jane Newall
with parents John and Ann Newall.
Marriage: March 8, 1840 Old Swinford,
Worcestershire (S1m). Listed as Jane
Newall to John Westton. 1871 Census: 63 George
Street, Kidderminster (S4). Listed as
Jane Weston age 50 born in Berford, Worcestershire
with husband, 2 children and father.
2.
John
Newhall (c1826-??) not born in the county (S4).
3.
Joseph
Newhall (c1829-??) not born in the county (S4).
4.
Richard
Newhall (c1829-1883) - see generation 2.
5.
Catherine
Newhall (c1832/33-??) born in Kidderminster (S4).
6.
Thomas
Newhall (c1836/ 37-??) born in Kidderminster (S4).
Generation 2: Richard Newhall (c1829-1883) and Sarah Morris
(c1830-1901)
· Born: c1829/30 Kidderminster (S4).
· Baptized: July 20, 1829 St.
George’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (S1c).
Listed as Richard Newell with parents listed as John and Ann Newell.
· 1841 Census: with parents (S4). Listed as Richard Newall age 10 born in the
county.
·
1851 Census: not found.
· Marriage: not found.
Listed
as Sarah Morris (S2=rootsweb.com).
· October 1853:
Sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne Australia then to Sydney (S=ancestry.com
Victoria Australia Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839-1923 and
Victoria, Australia Outward Passenger Index, 1852-1915). Listed as Richard Newall age 23 a needle
maker and Sarah Newall age 23.
· 1861 Census: 175
Astwood, Feckenham (S4). Listed as Sarah
Newhall wife age 31 fancy needle box maker born in
Feckenham with 3 children: Joseph Rich.,
Amelia and Agnis. (Note: This census contains an error and is missing
the head of household which would have been Richard Newhall).
· 1871 Census: 10
Astwood, Feckenham (S4). Listed as
Richard Newhall age 41 fancy box manufacturer born in Kidderminster with wife
Sarah age 41 born in Feckenham and 7 children: Joseph, Amelia, Victor, Clotildia, Frederick, James and
Sydney. The son Joseph was born in
Sydney, Australia.
· 1881 Census: 15
Chadwick Sq., Kidderminster (S4). Listed
as Richard Newhall age 52 dyconic (carpets?) labourer born in Kidderminster with wife Sarah age 52 born
in Astwood Bank and 3 children: Wm, James and Sidney.
· Death: January 16, 1883
Aston (S8d). Listed as Richard Newhall
age 53 a fancy needle case maker who died at 7 London Street, Aston with Victor
Newhall son present at death.
·
Probate: not found
· 1891 Census: 215
Bloomsbury Road, Aston (S4). Listed as
Sarah Newhall widow age 63 born in Astwood Bank and 3
children; Minnie, James and William,
· 1901 census: 541
Signal House, Hasland, Derbyshire (S4). Listed as Sarah Newhall
widow mother age 70 born in Astwood Bank living with son Joseph Newhall age 47
a signalman born in Sydney, Australia with his wife Elizabeth age 43 born in
Birmingham and 2 children: Joseph and Sarah.
· Wife’s Death: 4th
QTR 1901 Chesterfield, Derbyshire (S5d).
Listed as Sarah Newhall.
· Children:
1.
Joseph
Richard Morris Newhall (1854-??). Born
in Sydney, Australia (S4). Born:
December 23, 1853 Sydney and baptized July 16, 1854 in
Alexandria, New South Wales Australia (S=Australia Births and Baptisms
1792-1981 at ancestry.com). Listed as
Joseph Richard Morris Newhall with parents Richard and Sarah Newhall. Married:
December 29, 1889 St. Clements, Birmingham (S3). Listed as Joseph Richard Morris Newhall age 36
signalman with father Richard Newhall decreased who
was a manufacturer to Elizabeth Heath.
2.
Amelia
MQuarrie Sarah Newhall (1856-??). Born in Droitwich
(S4). Born: February 24, 1856 Droitwich (S8b), listed
as Amelia McQuarrie Sarah Newhall who was born in Church Terrace Dodderhill with parents Richard Newhall a marine store
keeper and Sarah Morris.
3.
Agnes
Newland Newhall (1860-1866). Born in
Feckenham (S4). Born: April 1, 1860 Feckenham, Alcester (S8b), listed as Agnes Newland
Newhall who was born in Astwood with parents Richard Newhall a needle
manufacturer and Sarah Morris. Death:
1st QTR 1866 at age 5 Alcester (S5d).
Listed as Agnes N. Newhall.
4.
Victor
Newhall (1864-??). Born in Feckenham
(S4). Born: 2nd QTR 1863 Alcester
(S5b). Listed as George Victor Newhall.
5.
Clotilda
Newhall (1865-??). Born in Feckenham (S4).
Born 4th QTR 1864 Alcester (S5b).
Listed as Clotilda Victoria Newhall.
Marriage: August 1, 1886 St. Clements,
Birmingham (S3). Listed as Clotilda Victoria
Newhall to Thomas Clive with her father listed as Richard Newhall deceased a
needle manufacturer. Death: July 1932 Birmingham South at age 68 (S5d). Listed as Clotilda V. Clive
6.
Frederick/William
Newhall (1866-??). Born in Feckenham/Astwood Bank (S4). Born: 2nd QTR 1866
Alcester (S5b). Listed as Frederick W.
Newhall.
7.
James
Newhall (1867/68-??). Born in Feckenham/Astwood Bank (S4). Born: 2nd QTR 1867
Alcester (S5b). Listed as James Walter E. Newhall.
8.
Sydney
Newhall (1870/71-??). Born in Feckenham/Astwood Bank (S4)
Needle Related Patents
and/or Design Registration made by Newhall
· Letters Patent: January
17, 1867 # 122 for improvements in cases or
receptacles for needles, pins, cards, stamps. photographs, cigars
and other similar articles. Registered
by Richard Newhall of Astwood Bank, needle case manufacturer (S=patent journals
at books.google.com).
· Letters Patent:
August 1, 1867 #2225 for needle and pins cases.
Registered by R. Newhall (S=patent journals at books.google.com).
· Useful Registered
Design: June 27, 1872 #5366 needle case. Registered to John Anthony Croft and Richard
Newhall, Hunt End, Redditch (S=TNA Kew). This needle case later became known as
the Sovereign.
Avery style needle
case patented/registered by Newhall: Sovereign.
