Henry
Walker: History
(Note:
to date the only reference to this company name being stamped on an Avery style
needle case is found in the book entitled Victorian Brass Needlecases
by Estelle Horowitz and Ruth Mann, published in 1990. On page 47 it is listed as W. Walker 4
Gresham St London needle manufacturer and on page 121 it is listed as being
stamped on the Bower Needle Case as W. Walker 47 Gresham London. A thorough search of all individuals with the
Walker surname and the W. initial forename was done in London city directors
and in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 censuses.
Only one individual was found with the occupation of needle
manufacturer, and it was Henry Walker whose business address was 47 Gresham
Street in London. As a result, it seems
most likely that Horowitz and Mann received their information about this
company from someone who perhaps, because of wear and tear on the actual needle
case, misinterpreted the H. as a W.
Also, limited information has been found regarding Henry Walker’s
parents, siblings and wife because the surname is very
common in the UK. The only reason
information about Henry was found is because he had an unusual occupation for
someone living in London and was born in a unique place outside of London).
The
Company
The
London needle manufacturer known as Henry Walker was established sometime
between 1830[1] and 1833
by Henry Walker as it was first listed in the following newspaper article.
Public
Ledger and Daily Advertiser newspaper dated December 7, 1833[2],
page 1, column 4
“H.
WALKER’S SILVER POLISHED NEEDLES. – These Needles are the result of a long
series of expensive and laborious experiments, conducted by practical men,
under the direction of the inventor; the peculiarity of their composition,
which enables the manufacturer to communicate a much greater degree of hardness
without imparting that brittleness to which all others are liable, permits of
their points being more beautifully tapered to facilitate their entrance; their
eyes and gutters are finished by an improved method, whereby those sharp edges
and corners are removed which create so great an annoyance by continually
cutting or breaking the thread; and by a process known only to the inventor, a
brilliant SILVER POLISH is affixed to them, which not only makes them almost
impervious to rust, but enables then to pass through any material upon which
they may be required to work, whilst their mechanical toughness renders then so
little liable to break, that they would be most economical to the consumer,
even if purchased at four times the price of the old steel needles.
In
a few weeks these Needles will be sold in every town in the United Kingdom, as
their low price will place them within the reach of the most
humble individual.
Sold
(wholesale and for export) by the Inventor and only Manufacturer, Henry Walker,
106, Wood street, Cheapside. – Country orders executed
through the Wholesale Houses.”
The company was first recorded in an 1835[3]
London city directory as Hen. Walker, needle manufacturer at 20 Maiden Lane,
Wood Street and continued to be listed at that address in 1840[4]
as hook and eye makers and needle and fish hook
makers. Then in 1845[5]
it was recorded as Henry Walker, manufacturer to the Queen, of needles, fish hooks, steel pens, hooks & eyes, &c, 1, late
20, Maiden Lane, Wood Street. At some
point during 1845[6] Maiden
Lane, where the Walker business was located, was widened
and amalgamated with Cateaton Street, St. Anne’s Lane
and Lad Lane to form a new street which became known as Gresham Street, named
after the English merchant and financier Thomas Gresham. The Henry Walker business was listed as at 1
Gresham Street west in 1850[7]. This company registered a design for a
crochet needle in 1848 and in 1858 patented an improved way to produce needles
which was also registered in the USA that year.
From the firm’s beginning in 1833 until mid-1858 it was consistently
listed only in London which seems to imply that they actually
manufactured their needles and other related products at their London
business. The 1859 newspaper article
below provides detailed information about their latest invention.
Sheffield
Daily News newspaper dated July 25, 1859[8],
page 2, column 4
“IMPROVEMENT
IN NEEDLES. – MR. WALKER’S PATENT.
“Difficult
as it may appear to entirely change the structure of so small an article, this
patent shows what may be done even with the eye of a Needle. A ridge or slightly raised part is made
before the eye and a groove beyond it, into which the thread falls when sewing;
the usual pressure of the thimble drives the Needle with its thread at once
through the cloth, affording relief of no ordinary character to the tailor or
sempstress, and saving much of their time,
We have submitted these Needles to a good judge of such articles, who
has declared them superior to all others, not only as above stated, but
particularly also with relation to facility of threading.” The Engineer.”
In
1860[9]
the firm was recorded as Henry Walker, maker of the Queen’s own needles,
patentee of the ridged eyed needles & Penelope crochets, manufacturer of
fishhooks, hooks & eyes, thimbles & embroidery patterns &c. 47
Gresham st. City EC, & at Alcester. This implies that shortly before 1860, Mr.
Walker expanded his business to include operations in Alcester, a town 99 miles
northwest of London and only a few miles south of the town of Redditch where the majority of needles were made during the Victorian
period. Perhaps Henry decided to focus
his manufacturing business in Alcester and use London
as more of a warehouse and distribution center.
The firm continued operations at these addresses and was listed the same
way in 1865[10] and
1870[11],
and in 1875[12] sewing
machines were added to its product line.
Apparently after Henry Walker’s death in 1876[13]
some changes were made to the business and by 1880[14]
the address changed to 53 Gresham Street and at Redditch was listed rather than
at Alcester, possible because Redditch was better known for its needles. It continued to be listed that way in 1885[15]. Then sometime between 1885 and 1890 the
business was sold to William Bartleet & Sons as they were listed as at 53
Gresham Street and at Redditch in 1890[16]
with all of the same products Henry Walker had
earlier. Also, Henry Walker was listed
in 1890[17]
as Henry Walker, needle manufacturer see William
Bartleet & Sons, further evidence that his business was taken over by
William Bartleet & Sons, major needle manufacturers from Redditch.
The only Avery needle style case with the
Henry Walker 47 Gresham London name is the Bower Needle 
Case, pictured here although it is
missing the center figure. This design
was registered in 1877 by the Birmingham die-sinker,
stamper and piecer James May of Handsworth.
Only two other companies had their names stamped on this needle case and
both were needle manufacturers from the Redditch area.
The
Walker Owners
Henry
Walker, the son of Joseph Walker and Mary Allies. was born in 1807 at St.
Johns, Worcestershire,[18]
113 miles northwest of London and 19 miles west of Alcester. At some point prior to 1833 he moved to
London and established his needle manufacturing business there. Henry married Sarah Friend in 1845 in Erith,
Kent, 15 miles east of central London, and was listed as a warehouseman on his
marriage record. By 1851 they were
living in the Camberwell section of south London where Henry was listed as a
needle manufacturer with his 10-year-old niece, Sarah Ann Shepperd, living with
them. At some point in the late 1850’s
Henry established another business in Alcester and he
also had a residence there where he was living in 1861 with his wife and niece,
and working as a needle maker. Henry and
Sarah had no children, and it appears as though they adopted his niece as she
lived with them during most of her childhood.
After returning to London, in 1871 Henry was living as a visitor in Cripplegate not far from his business where he was working
as a manufacturer. He died there at the
Castle and Falcon Hotel on Aldersgate Street at age 69 in 1876. His estate, valued at under £5,000 (approximately £330,924 today[19]),
passed to his niece Sarah Ann Harvey, who earlier married William Mascot
Harvey, and was living in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, 12 miles northeast of
London. His death notice and probate
details were mentioned in the two newspaper articles transcribed below.
Alcester
Chronicle newspaper dated November 25, 1876[20]
page 8 column 3
“DEATH
OF MR. HENRY WALKER. - It is with
great regret that we this week record the death o Mr.
Henry Walker, needle manufacturer, of Alcester and London, which took place at
his London residence on the 17th inst.
As a local manufacturer he was directly and indirectly, a large employer
of labour, and such was his generous and kindly
consideration for those in his service as to win their highest esteem and
regard, and to leave behind him among them a deep sense of loss and a sincere
and affectionate respect for his memory.
It is understood that he would have retired from business some time ago
had there not in his doing so been a probability of the positions of his
workpeople being injured, and should the business not be continued in Alcester
- a contingency which we do not like to contemplate – the result both to the
workpeople and to the town will be a serious loss, Mr. Walker will be much missed by the
inhabitants of Alcester generally. In
the sanitary projects of the town he has taken a great
interest, and we know that he was looked up to by a large section of the
ratepayers as their champion in the cause of economy. He has ever been a friend to the town, a
patron of anything that had for its object its welfare, and he will long be
remembered as one who aways had, in whatever he did, the good of the town at
heart.”
Cumberland
& Westmoreland Herald newspaper dated January 13, 1877[21],
page 2 column 5
“The
will of Mr. Henry Walker, late of Alcester, Warwickshire, and of 47,
Gresham-street, needle manufacturer, who died on November 17th last, was proved
on the 22nd ult. by Mrs. Sarah Ann Harvey, the sole executrix, the personal
estate being sworn under £5,000. The testator leaves legacies to his nephew
and nieces, an annuity to his sister, and the residue to his niece, the said
Mrs. Harvey.”
