Bridgnorth coopers

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bristolloggerheads
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I am looking for records (inventories, wills, court records, etc) relating to coopers in the town pre 1760. Any suggestions for names I could follow up would be welcome.

Peter

SFHS WebMaster
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Just to clarify your requirements for any readers, are you after folk with the surname COOPER, or folk whose occupation was coopering, from Bridgnorth? I would asume that you are after folk with the occupation, but hey ho.indecision

Gwynne Chadwick
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Hi,

One suggestion would be to check all the occupations in the 'Freemen of Bridgnorth' book.
I'll offer to check for you but the huge number of entries would make it a task taking several hours.
Before I start, please advise if you've already checked this resource.

As a trial, I've checked the names starting with the letter 'B'. These Freemen had the occupation of cooper;

BRIDGEN Solomon of Bridgnorth, made 1690.
BROADFIELD Thomas of Bridgnorth, made 1678.
BROADFIELD William of Bridgnorth, made 1679.
BROWN James of Pattingham, made 1784.

p.s. Do you still want any pipe makers from the same source?

Gwynne 

 

 

bristolloggerheads
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Yes, I would like details of coopers not Coopers. Gwynne, I would very much like any details of pipemakers from the same source. I am trying to ascertain whether there were any familial links between the two occupations given that C17th pipes were often transhipped on the Severn in hogsheads and I don't think they would have been packed that way at Broseley given that they would have been carried overland by packhorse to the river at Bridgnorth. Given that there is only one cooper known in the Gorge (that I know of) and by all accounts, a considerable number in Bridgnorth, it would seem logical that pipes may have been packed in the town. It would be nice to find a possible link.

To confirm, I haven't checked this source, but sounds like I may need to!

Peter

 

Gwynne Chadwick
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Hi,
As promised, here are the coopers and pipe makers listed in the Freemen of Bridgnorth book.

For those interested, there is a thirteen page article about the qualification rights and duties of Freemen of Bridgnorth on a web page.
http://www.rafbridgnorth.org.uk/familyhistory/variousfolder/freemen.html 

Those that were coopers by trade;

BRIDGEN Solomon of Bridgnorth made 29 Sept 1690.
BROADFIELD Thomas of Bridgnorth made 3 Feb 1678.
BROADFIELD William of Bridgnorth made 18 Apr 1679.
BROWN James of Pattingham made 9 Apr 1784.
BROWN John of Salop made 14 June 1826.
EARLEY Daniel of Nordley. ? Apprentice to Thomas NOCK of Bridgnorth, a cooper. Made 25 May 1818.
GREGORY Thomas Sen'r. of Bridgnorth. Made 23 Oct 1672.
GWYNN Edwin John of Bridgnorth. Made 6 April 1829.
HEAD John of Bridgnorth. Son of Rowland. Made 23 Feb 1740.
HOWELL James of Bridgnorth. Made 1 July 1679.
HOWELL James, Son of above. Made 7 June 1725.
JEHU Joseph of Bridgnorth. Made 8 June 1741.
NOCK Thomas 'The Young' of Bridgnorth. Made 2 Jan 1788.
SHORT Benjamin of Ludlow. Made 8 Feb 1675.
SMITH William of Bewdley. Made 17 July 1727.
THOMASON John of Bridgnorth. Made 7 March 1820.
WELLINGS John of Kidderminster. Another Son of Thomas, a glover. Made 21 Sept 1765.
WELLINGS William of Stourbridge. Son of John made 1765. Made 12 June 1826.
WELLS Edmund. Another Son of Moses. Made 9 Feb 1740.
WILMOTT William of Bridgnorth. Made 16 June 1710.
YATES Nathaniel of Bridgnorth. Made 14 May 1723.

Those that were pipe makers by trade;

COPE Richard of Wolverhampton. Son of William. Made 16 Jan 1732.
HUGHES Thomas of Broseley. Made 31 May 1709.
JEWKES Richard of Astley. Made 14 Feb 1757.
PINNER Samuel of Broseley. Son of Samuel made 1784. Made 13 June 1826.
SOUTHERN Thomas of Bridgnorth. Made 14 Sept 1815.

Gwynne 

bristolloggerheads
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Gwynne,

Many , many thanks - I appreciate that this wasn't a 5 minute job! I'll let you know how I get on.

Peter

 

bristolloggerheads
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Gwynne,

PINNER Samuel of Broseley. Son of Samuel made 1784. Made 13 June 1826

Does this mean that Samuel snr, although a Burgess, wasn't a pipemaker? Can you advise what trade he was in when he was made in 1784?

thanks

Peter

 

 

Gwynne Chadwick
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Hi Peter,

who said;

"Does this mean that Samuel snr, although a Burgess, wasn't a pipemaker? Can you advise what trade he was in when he was made in 1784?"

PINNER Samuel, a collier of Broseley. Made 8 April 1784.

Gwynne 

bristolloggerheads
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Is Astley likely to be Astley Abbots or is the one near Shrewsbury a possibility?

 

 

Gwynne Chadwick
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Peter,

Nothing else in the Freeman book helps to identify which Astley it is.

I can only suggest you look on the IGI or such, for the Richard JEWKES.

Gwynne

 

Ginny
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Hi Peter. My 7x gt grandfather was Thomas GREGORY who is mentioned in Gwynne's list of Bridgnorth coopers. He was also a miller at Pendleton Mills. Unfortunately I know nothing else which could help you, but was wondering whether you have anything which could help me. Ginny

bristolloggerheads
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I know his son Thomas was apprenticed as a shoemaker in 1701 and the bond survives which says that he was to be paid 7d for every pair of shoes he makes for Thomas Cheese for seven years and then to be made free on paying the admission fee. Let me know if you don't know this already and I'll pass on the references.

 

Ginny
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Thanks Peter. I have copies of Thomas jnr.'s bond and indenture. Do you have any specific information about barrel making in Bridgnorth? I can use my common sense from what I know about the history of Bridgnorth and the trade of the River Severn, but would appreciate anything specific.

bristolloggerheads
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Gwynne,

Thank you for the list of pipemakers. I'm told that these were also pipemakers who were burgesses:

Francis Deacon 1727

Thomas Southorn 1815

Thomas Southorn 1854

Can you confirm the dates and whether they were resident in Bridgnorth or somewhere else, Broseley perhaps?

Many thanks,

Peter

Gwynne Chadwick
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Hi Peter,

Francis DEACON, Pipe maker of Wolverhampton, another son of John, made 17 July 1727.

Thomas SOUTHORN, made 1815, was on my original list.

Thomas SOUTHORN, detailed below, wasn't included on my original list because it doesn't actually give an occupation for him, although his Father was a Pipe maker. However, we know from other sources that both Thomas Snr. and Thomas Jnr. were Pipe makers. Another son John was also a Pipe maker.

Thomas SOUTHORN, of Pound St. Son of Thomas Southern, Pipe maker of Pound St made 14 Sept 1815. Made 28 July 1854.

Are you aware that the site of the former SOUTHORN pipe works in Pound St, Bridgnorth is now being redeveloped. Earlier this year an archaeological dig took place and the remains of a kiln was found.

Gwynne

bristolloggerheads
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Hi Gwynne,

Thanks for this. The results of the dig are being written up as I type and as part of the story I'm helping to find every documented reference to a pipemaker that has a connection with Bridgnorth. We're almost up to 30 names so far. Anything you can add would be most welcome.

Peter

Gwynne Chadwick
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Hi Peter,

Last year my wife and two friends researched and compiled a brief history of Bridgnorth pipe makers as part of the annual Bridgnorth History week exhibition.

Her photograph of the old building on the left (not the breeze block structure on the right) shows what was the only remaining wall of the pipe works factory on the Pound Street site, all since demolished.
Amongst other research, they also compiled a list of pipe makers found in various Trade Directories.

If you are ever passing through Bridgnorth, she would be pleased to show you their file.

Gwynne

pound_st_pipe_maker_edit_ann.jpg

pound_st_pipe_maker_list_ann.jpg

 

bristolloggerheads
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Thank you Gwynne. I've been meaning to come up to SA for some time now and next year I've promised to write up all the Shrewsbury makers - so perhaps then.

Peter