H. Milward & Sons (aka Henry Milward & Sons)

H. Milward & Sons was a needle manufacturer from the Redditch, UK area during the Victorian period. This company’s full history can be found in the book entitled Histories of the Redditch Area Manufacturers Associated with Avery Needle Cases written by Terry Meinke in 2020. Only a brief history of the company is included here because the focus of this chapter is the places in Paris, France where the Milward company appears to have had offices or shops between 1867 and 1900. To date the H. Milward & Sons company name has only been found twice in a directory with a Paris address, however, Beatrice style Avery needle cases stamped with their company name have been found with three different Paris addresses engraved on them. This seems to imply that this company possibly also had shops in Paris for a period of time.

Company History[1]

According to several articles published in the late 19^thand early 20^th centuries, Henry Milward & Sons was not only one of the oldest but also one of the largest and best-known needle manufacturers in Great Britain. From its inception until the early 20^th century, this firm was owned and directed by six generations of the Milward family[2] who had needle mills or factories at two locations in the Redditch area. This seems most appropriate since the Milward surname means “keeper of the mill”. For purposes of clarity, the first three generations of family members with the forename Henry will be listed as Henry I, Henry II and Henry III.

The firm was established in 1730[3] by Symon Milward who was 40 years old when he registered the business in his son Henry I’s name during the first year of the son’s birth. Very little is known about the company during its early years other than it was passed down from generation to generation. When Symon died at age 80 in 1770, the business was taken over by his son Henry I who was 40-years-old that year, which meant Symon was in charge of the firm for about 40 years. Then when Henry I died in 1798 at age 68 it passed to his son, also named Henry II, who was 28-years-old, meaning Henry I managed the firm for approximately 28 years. Henry II died at age 58 in 1828 and the company passed to his son, again also named Henry III, who was 26 years old, indicating Henry II managed the company for around 30 years. Henry III was the head of the firm for almost 50 years and his sons, John Frederic Milward and Victor Milward, joined him in the business and took it over when their father retired in 1877[4]. John and Victor became full partners in the business after the death of their father, Henry III, in 1878 and in turn passed it to their eldest sons, Charles Fredric Milward and Henry Tomson Milward, in 1901 and 1916 respectively. Although it is unclear exactly what the status of the Milward family was in the early years, Henry III and his descendants not only reached the status of Esquire but several were listed as members of the British aristocracy which certainly helped their business efforts.

In 1871[5] the firm employed 456 hands. Part of the company’s success was due to their ability to increase needle production which was accomplished by the invention of machinery that allowed their workers to produce more needles. In 1853 Milward registered patent number 2947 for “machinery for the manufacture of needles and fish hooks”[6]. Between 1867 and 1876[7] they registered five more patents, one for a fan needle case, two for needle wrappers and two for machinery for polishing needles. Also, in 1872[8] they registered three additional needle case designs. These inventions not only increased production but also improved quality. By the 1880’s the number of employees grew to 700-800 who made between eight and nine million needles and two million fish hooks each week[9].

Another reason for the company’s success was not only the quality of their needles but also the fact that they sold their products to a global market. Not only did Milward have an office in Paris at the Boulevard de Sebastopol[10], and agents on Gresham Street in London[11], on Jointer Street in Manchester[12] and at Fourth Avenue in New York[13], but according to one article they shipped packets of needles to “Australia, New York, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, New Zealand, and indeed all parts of the world.”[14] Their global market is further confirmed by their participation in international exhibitions where they received no less than 30 first class awards since 1853[15]. These included: New York 1853[16]; Paris 1855[17], 1867[18], 1875[19], 1878[20], 1889[21], 1900[22]; London 1862[23], 1883[24]; Lyon 1872[25]; Vienna 1873[26]; Philadelphia 1876[27]; Sydney 1880[28]; Melbourne 1881[29]; Calcutta 1884[30]; Chicago 1893[31]; Brussels 1897[32], 1910[33]; Turin 1911[34] and Rio, Brazil in 1922[35]. The five awards they received at the Melbourne exhibition were listed in an 1881[36] company announcement. At the Paris Exhibition in 1900[37] Milward partnered with W. Bartleet & Sons, John James & Sons and Kirby, Beard & Co. to create a collective exhibit of needles and fish hooks. It was named the “Redditch Joint Exhibit” and won two gold medals that year. Of all the needle manufacturers in the Redditch area, H. Milward & Sons appears to have participated in not only the most exhibitions but they distributed their needles and fish hooks to at least five of the world’s seven continents.

During the last decade of the 19^th century the needle industry in Redditch began to decline and small and medium sized businesses were no longer as viable as they once were. As a result, in the first two decades of the 20th century the needle industry in Redditch went through a dramatic change. Many of the individual needle manufacturers merged in order to form larger organizations who could better compete with foreign companies. Milward became one of two major needle manufacturers in the area, the other being W. Hall & Co. from Studley. Around 1901, W. Avery & Son was sold to John English & Son who in turn sold their business to Milward a few years later[38]. Many other local needle makers merged with either Milward or Hall. Then in 1930 Milward joined Hall to form Amalgamated Needles and Fish Hooks which in 1932 became a separate manufacturing organization named ENTACO (English Needle and Fishing Tackle Co. Ltd.)[39]. In 1946 it was renamed Needle Industries and was purchased by Coats Patons Ltd. in 1973.

H. Milward & Sons, 65 Boulevard de Sebastopol, Paris, France

H. Milward & Son participated in six international exhibitions in Paris between 1855 and 1900 and according to the firm’s advertisement, seen on the previous page, received awards in at least four of these exhibitions: 1855, 1867, 1875 and 1878. The 1878[40] exhibition catalogue listed the firm as follows.

The company was listed again in 1897[41] with this same Paris address in the France section of Kelly’s Directory of Merchants, Manufacturers and Shippers of the United Kingdom. This indicates that from at least 1878 until at least 1897 the Milward company had some type of business at this address in Paris, possibly a shop or warehouse where they sold or stored products to be distributed to other areas. This building was located on the corner of Boulevard de Sebastopol and Rue Etienne Marcel, just a few blocks northeast of the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection Museum and the Saint-Eustache Church.

Beatrice Needle Case Design

The Beatrice needle case was the very first Avery style needle case which was patented and manufactured in the city of Birmingham, UK, located only 15 miles north of Redditch. Throughout the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham’s[42] focus was on creativity. Many individuals worked in self-owned workshops making unique items displaying a high level of creativity. During the core years of the Industrial Revolution 1760-1850, Birmingham residents registered over three times more patents than any other city in the UK. Metal items such as pen nibs and fancy jewelry became very popular during this period and one section of the city became known as the Jewellery Quarter because of the large number of workers in that trade. During the Victorian Period Birmingham’s population doubled making it second largest city in the UK, a position it holds to this day.

The Beatrice needle case was patented in the UK on March 4, 1867[43] by James William Lewis, a die-sinker from Birmingham and George Archbold, a rouge manufacturer from Handsworth, a suburb of Birmingham. Both Lewis and Archbold were located in the city’s Jewellery Quarter and because they had skilled workers in the metal trade, they actually manufactured the items they patented. There are two basic versions of Beatrice needle case, one where the exterior folds open to display four interior sections to hold needle packets and another with six interior sections. Below is a drawing of the six-section interior from the original patent whereas the full patent design drawing can be found in the Images section of this chapter. Obviously after creating this patent, Lewis and Archbold made arrangements with other companies which determined exactly what the exterior and interior detailed decoration would be like. To date only four company names have been found stamped on this needle case although there are a few with no names: H. Milward & Sons and Arthur James, two needle manufacturers from Redditch, Albert Sharpe a dressing case manufacturer from London, and Perry & Co. a pen nib manufacturer from Birmingham who had an office in London. The front and back exterior design stamped on most of these needle cases is a hexagon shaped center filled with flowers laying on a woven background, pictured on the left. This exterior pattern was the same for all of these companies except the Albert Sharpe version which contained a customized design with the Sharpe name. Most of the exterior sides either consisted of an engraved floral design with the words Patent on one end and the name Beatrice on the other end as seen in the photograph above on the right. However, the Perry version sides were a bit different with the words The Gem on one side and Patent Perry & Co London on the other. Most of the interior decoration on the needle packet sections of the needle case were either engraved with long-stemmed bouquets or with an acorn/pineapple decoration. However, both the Milward and James interiors contained their company names with their business addresses. For example, the one displayed above on the right includes the words “H. MILWARD & SONS PATENTLY WRAPPED NEEDLES REDDITCH”.

H. Milward & Sons, Au Grand Marche Parisian[44]

The interior sections of the Beatrice needle case pictured here contain the words “H. MILWARD & SONS BREVETE SGDG” on one side (photograph on the left) and “AU GRAND MARCHE PARISIAN” on the other side (photograph on the right). When translated Brevete SGDG means “patented without government guarantees” and Au Grande Marche Parisian means “at the Large Parisian Market” which was a shopping center located at 3 Rue de Turbigo and Rue Francaise, three blocks west of the 65 Boulevard de Sebastopol address and three blocks northeast of the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection Museum and the Saint-Eustache Church. The shopping center’s c1870[45] advertisement seen below contains the words “vastes magasins de noveautes” which when translated means “large novelty stores”. Also, there are two drawings on this advertisement, the “Eglise Saint-Eustache” church on the left and “Les Halles Centrales” (the central Halles) on the right which was most likely what the shopping mall looked like at that time. The reason the church was shown on this advertisement was because the Grand Marche Parisien shopping mall was located about a block from it. It seems most likely that the Milward company either had a shop in this mall or had a close relationship with another company in this mall who sold their needle cases otherwise why would they have their company name with this address engraved on a Beatrice needle case.

Here on the right is an 1868 drawing of the Grand Marche Parisien shopping center (S=La Vie Parisienne Dirigee Par Marcelin on www.books. google.com).

H. Milward & Sons, Au Petit St. Thomas[46]

Another Beatrice needle case with the words “H. MILWARD & SONS BREVETE SGDG” engraved on one side of the interior sections had a different address engraved on the other interior side. As seen in this photograph it was listed as “AU PETIT ST. THOMAS 33 RUE DU BAC PARIS”. Au Petit St. Thomas was another shopping center in Paris. It was located on the south side of the Seine River at the corner of Rue de Bac and Rue de l’Universite, about five blocks south of the Jardin des Tuileries which was next to the Louvre Museum on the north side of the Seine River. One 1897[47] advertisement, seen on the next page on the right, indicates this shopping center was originally built in 1810 and was rebuilt/remodeled in 1897. This advertisement contains the words “La plus ancienne des Grands Maisons de nouveautes de Paris’ which means it was one of “the oldest of the great novelty houses in Paris”. Earlier in 1867[48] the Petit Saint Thomas looked like the drawing here on the right and in another advertisement that year was described as follows. “The Petit Saint-Thomas became the darling of all the ladies of the Parisian aristocracy who loved to stroll and shop there. For everything that is essentially Parisian in its domain of novelty, one should head straight for the most elegant stores, which are those of the Petit Saint-Thomas. Our aristocracy knows no others.”[49] The Rue du Bac became the meeting place for Parisian fashion. Again, it seems most likely that Milward either had a shop in this mall or had a close relationship with another company in this mall who sold their needle cases otherwise why would they have their company name with this address on a Beatrice needle case. The drawing on the previous page from 1867 and the one on the right here from 1897 show how different Petit Saint Thomas looked 30 years later after it was rebuilt/remodeled.

Post card showing the flooding of the Seine River in front of the Petit St Thomas shopping center in 1910 (S=https://www.fortunapost.com/29086/26557.jpg).

H. Milward & Sons, Aux Armes de Russie[50]

Another Beatrice needle case with the words “H. MILWARD & SONS BREVETE SGDG” engraved on one side of the interior sections had another address engraved on the other interior side. As seen in this photograph here it was listed with the name “AUX ARMES DE RUSSIE RUE VIVIENNE 45” which means “To the Arms of Russia” at 45 Rue Vivienne. It was located about six to seven blocks north of the Louvre Museum and roughly two blocks north of the Palais Brongniart, the 19th-century stock exchange which is now a conference venue with both modern & ornate spaces for events. Another Victoria shopping center known as the Galerie Vivienne was a few blocks south of the Aux Armes de Russie. Again, it seems most likely that the Milward company either had a shop in this mall or had a close relationship with another company located here.

Other French Items Associated with Milward

Further evidence that Milward had strong relationships with companies or people in France was recently discovered. The small advertising card[51] seen here from the Victorian Period was created by someone most likely from the Paris area. It has the words “Aiguilles Milward Elles sont les meilleures! Exiger le nom . . Milward” printed on it with a drawing of a woman showing a young girl how to stitch or thread a needle. Translated the words mean “Milward needles. They are the best. Demand the name Milward”. Obviously Milward must have been well known in France and French speaking areas as one of the world’s best needle manufacturers. In addition, a leather needle case[52], pictured on the next page, with the name “Au Louvre Aiguilles de tons gemres” was recently discovered on the internet which translates to “At the Louvre Needles of gemstone tones”. The inside contains the words “Grands Magasins du Louvre Paris” in one section and “Fabriquees par H. Milward & Sons” proving his needles were also sold at this shopping mall next to the Louvre Museum.

H. Milward & Sons (aka Henry Milward & Sons) Images

Drawing from Mechanical Patent #603 dated March 4, 1867 (S=British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre – London).

Needle Cases Stamped with the Milward name and a Paris Address

Front of the Au Grand Marche Parisian version of the Beatrice needle case (S=eBay).

Beatrice needle case back with the Au Grand Marche Parisian name (S=eBay).

More Needle Cases Stamped with the Milward Name and a Paris Address

Front of the Aux Armes De Russie version of the Beatrice needle case (S=eBay).

Beatrice needle case back with the Aux Armes de Russie name (S=eBay).

Boulevard de Sebastopol, Paris

Views of the building in Paris on the corner of Boulevard de Sebastopol and Rue Etienne Marcel with the entrance to 65 Boulevard de Sebastopol on the left side, 2025. This is where H. Milward & Sons was listed in an 1878 commercial directory.

Rue Turbigo, Paris

View of the building in Paris on the corner of Rue Turbigo and Rue Francaise (building in the center) which is where the Aux Grand Marche Parisian shopping center was originally located, 2025. Below: the 3 Rue Turbigo entrance, just west of the building, which is the address stamped on a needle case with the Milward name, 2025.

Rue de Bac, Paris

View of the building on the corner of Rue de Bac and Rue de Montalembert where the Au Petit St. Thomas shopping center was originally located, 2025.

Close up of the west side of the building along the Rue de Bac, 2025.

Rue de Bac, Paris

The entrance at 33 Rue de Bac which is the address stamped on a needle case with the Milward name, 2025.

Rue Vivienne, Paris

View of the Rue Vivienne half way between Boulevard Montmartre and Rue Saint-Marc where the Aux Armes de Russie shopping mall was originally located at 45 Rue Vivienne. Unfortunately, this building was covered in plastic because it was either being restored or renovated, 2025. This was also an address that was stamped on a needle case with the Milward name. What is most interesting about this area of Paris is that there are three Victorian Era shopping malls within a few blocks and they provide a possible view of what this building on Rue Vivienne was originally like. These include: Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy and Passage Panoramas. Photographs of these shopping centers can be found in the Grands Magasins du Louvre chapter of this book.

The shop at 43 Rue Vivienne just south of 45 Rue Vivienne and the street sign, 2025.

Endnotes

[1] Most of the Milward history comes from the seven sources listed here unless otherwise footnoted. 1: The British Trade Journal. British Industries, dated October 1, 1880, page 497-499 with an article entitled “No. C1. - Messrs. Henry Milward & Son, Needle and Fish-Hook Manufactory, Redditch” (S=books.google.com). 2: Wyman’s Commercial Encyclopedia of Leading Manufacturers of Great Britain, 1888, pages 369-370 with article entitled “Henry Milward & Sons, Needle and Fish Hook Manufacturers, Washford Mills, Redditch” (S=books.google.com). 3: The Victorian History of the Counties of England. The History of Worcestershire Vol II, edited by William Page, pages 273-274 the section entitled “Needles” (S=books.google.com). 4: The Engineer Vol. LXXXV from January to June 1898, page 298-300 article entitled “The Manufacture of Needles” dated April 1, 1898 (S=books.google.com). 5: Redditch and District Illustrated Business Review, 1925, page 16 (S=copy of original obtained from Raymond McLaren). 6: an article entitled Needle and Fish Hook Making. Messrs. Milward & Sons, Washford Mills, Redditch, c1900, page 72-75 (S=available at the Forge Mill Needle Museum archives). 7: Henry Milward & Sons (S=Wikipedia)

[2] The family members and years are listed in The Needle Industry in Redditch A Study Pack Forge Mill Museum, page 24 (S=available at the Redditch Library). Also based on the genealogical information uncovered and detailed in the genealogy section of the Milward chapter in Histories of the Redditch Area Manufacturers Associated with Avery Needle Cases, 2020, by Terry Meinke. Additionally, many dates are confirmed in A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, 1898, page 1036 (S=books.google.com) which lists John Frederick Milward and his lineage back to Henry II.

[3] The established in 1730 date is listed on most of the company’s advertisements and is included in many of the sources in footnote 1 above.

[4] Milward Lease and Agreement of Retirement - Reference #CR3097-119 and #CR3097-175 (S=Warwickshire County Record Office, Warwick, UK).

[5] 1871 UK census for Henry Milward (S4).

[6] English Patents Patent of Inventions, No. 2947 dated December 19, 1853 (S=books.google.com).

[7] Patents for Inventions. Abridgments of Specifications. Class 112, Sewing and Embroidering. Period – A.D. 1867-76, 1904 (S=books.google.com). Patents: 1868-8 page 32, 1870-1178 page 108, 1872-3227 page 221, 1874-3727 page 309 and 310, and 1875-3725 page 363.

[8] Design Registrations: Ornamental designs #260633 and #260634 and Non-ornamental design #5344 (S=The National Archives, Kew).

[9] The British Trade Journal. British Industries, dated October 1, 1880, page 498 and Wyman’s Commercial Encyclopedia of the Leading Manufacturers of Great Britain, 1888, page 369 (see footnote 1 for source information).

[10] Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878 Catalogue of the British Section Part I, page 150 (S=books.google.com).

[11] Listed on numerous 19^th century Milward advertisements.

[12] Listed in an 1886 Milward advertisement.

[13] Listed on a Milward needlebook sold on eBay in 2019 as George A. Clark & Brother.

[14] Listed in an article entitled Needle and Fish Hook Making. Messrs. Milward & Sons, Washford Mills, Redditch, c1900, page 75 (see footnote 1 for more source information).

[15] Listed in an 1899 Milward advertisement and in Redditch and District Illustrated Business Review, 1925, page 16 (see footnote 1 for more source information).

[16] Listed in numerous Milward advertisements.

[17] Paris Universal Exhibition 1855 Catalogue, pages 41 and 98, (S=books.google.com). The firm is listed as H. Millward & Sons, Redditch.

[18] Reports of the Paris Universal Exposition of 1867 Vol. V., 1868, page 95 (S=books.google.com).

[19] Listed in some Milward advertisements and Wyman’s Commercial Encyclopedia of the Leading Manufacturers of Great Britain, 1888, pages 369 (see footnote 1 for source details).

[20] Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878 Catalogue of the British Section Part I, page 150 (S=books.google.com).

[21] Paris Universal Exhibition 1889 – Official Catalogue of the British Section, 1889, page 53 and 157 (S=books.google.com).

[22] Reports from Commissioners, Inspectors, and Others; Twenty-Eight Volumes, Vol. XXX1, 1901, page 276 (S=books.google.com). Also mentioned in the Birmingham Daily Post newspaper dated September 17, 1900 in an article entitled “Local Awards at the Paris Exhibition” (S=britishnewspaperarchives.co.uk).

[23] The International Exhibition 1862 Official Catalogue, pages 27 and 98 (S=books.google.com).

[24] Listed in numerous Milward advertisements.

[25] Listed in numerous Milward advertisements.

[26] Reports on the Vienna Universal Exhibition, 1873, Part 1, page 39 and 58 (S=books.google.com).

[27] International Exhibition of 1876 Official Catalogue: Part I Main Building and Annexes - United States Centennial Commission.  Philadelphia, 1876, page 151 (S=books.google.com).

[28] Listed in Milward advertisements in 1884 and 1886 and in the British Trade Journal October 1, 1880 (see footnote 1 for source details).

[29] Melbourne International Exhibition 1880-1881 - Official Record Containing Introduction History of Exhibition Description and Exhibition and Exhibits Official Awards of Commissioners and Catalogue of Exhibits, 1882, pages 308, 320, 328 336 and 611 (S=books.google.com).

[30] Listed on Milward advertisement from 1891.

[31] World’s Columbian Exposition 1893 Official Catalogue Part VIII Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building Leather and Shoe Building Department H. Manufacturers, 1893, page 121 (S=books.google.com).

[32] Listed in Milward advertisement from 1899.

[33] Redditch and District Illustrated Business Review, 1925, page 16 (see footnote 1 for source information).

[34] Redditch and District Illustrated Business Review, 1925, page 16 (see footnote 1 for source information).

[35] Redditch and District Illustrated Business Review, 1925, page 16 (see footnote 1 for source information).

[36] Milward Scrap Book, Reference # CR3097-276 (S=Warwickshire County Record Office, Warwick, UK).

[37] Mentioned in the Birmingham Daily Post newspaper dated September 17, 1900 in an article entitled “Local Awards at the Paris Exhibition” (S=britishnewspaperarchives.co.uk). The display seen here can be viewed at the Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch.

[38] W. Avery and J. English & Son documents - Reference # CR 2028 box 59-8 and CR3097-65 (S=Warwickshire County Record Office, Warwick, UK) and Reference #705:414/8189/34iib 1883-1913 and #705:414/8779/11/id/5-11 1861-1914 (S=Worcestershire Record Office at the Hive Archive in Worcester, UK).

[39] Historical information about the amalgamations come from the following four sources. 1: Needlemakers in Alcester, Sambourne and Studley by Richard Churchley, 2014, page 16 (S=copy purchased from Karen Cording, a local historian, a specialist book seller in Redditch and owner of the Nonnykettle book store). 2: Internet history of Henry Milward & Sons (S=Wikipedia). 3: Milward Papers, Deeds & Documents Reference #CR3097-151 and #CR3097-30 (S=Warwickshire County Record Office, Warwick, UK). 4: History and Heritage page at the ENTACO website (S=www.entacolimited.com/history.html).

[40] Paris Universal International Exhibition, 1878 Official Catalogue of the British Section Part 1, 1878, by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, page 150 (S=books.google.com).

[41] Kelly’s Directory of Merchants, Manufacturers and Shippers of the United Kingdom, Eleventh Edition, 1897 by Kelly and CO., Limited, London, in the France section page 693.

[42] Much of the historical information about Birmingham comes from Wikipedia article entitled History of Birmingham.

[43] Mechanical Patent #603 dated March 4, 1867 from the British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre – London.

[44] Photographs from eBay. Brevete SGDG information for Wikipedia. Other translations of French to English from Google Translate. Location based on Google Maps.

[45] From a c1870 advertisement in the Grande Publicite Ancienne Originale (S=www.ebay.com).

[46] Photographs from eBay. Brevete SGDG information for Wikipedia. Other translations of French to English from Google Translate. Location based on Google Maps.

[47] From the Le Figaro newspaper edition of November 21, 1897 found on the website at https://histochronum. com/les-grands-magasins-nes-avec-le-second-empire/. Translated from French to English by Google Translate.

[48] From the 1867 Paris Guide Par Les Principaux Crivains et Artistes de la France, Volume 1, no page numbers, 11th page from the book’s end (S=books.google.com). Translated from French to English by Google Translate.

[49] From the Le Figaro newspaper edition of April 4, 1867 found on the website at https://histochronum.com/les-grands-magasins-nes-avec-le-second-empire. Translated from French to English by Google Translate.

[50] Photographs from eBay. Brevete SGDG information for Wikipedia. Other translations of French to English from Google Translate. Location based on Google Maps.

[51] Drawing from Pin Interest website at https://fr.pinterest.com/pin/628111479293622309/.

[52] Photographs from www.etsy.com.

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