J. Jeffs and Co. - seeking information

[denisg]

Hi all - I'm looking for any information on J. Jeffs and Co. of Birmingham, presumably later 19th century in date.

The name appears on the back of a clay tobacco pipe bowl found in a Melbourne, Australia archaeological dig, styled 'J.JEFFS & Co / BIRMINGHAM'. Dating is second half of 19th century, and that type of bowl stamp is usually associated with advertisers rather than makers, so likely to have been a promotional give-away with whatever it was they made or did.

I've had no luck with the trade registers and directories I've been able to access, but this has not been a systematic trawl. Very interested in any info at all about Jeffs and Co.

with thanks in advance

denisg

 

[Astoness]

hi and welcome...nice find and i am sure some of our members will be happy to check directories/newspaper archives for you..is there any chance you could post us a photograph of the bowl please..it would be interesting to see it..thanks

lyn

 

[denisg]

Thanks. Unfortunately I'm doing this third-hand from old reports, but I'll try to get my hands on a pic and will post it here when I can.

d

 

[mikejee]

In 1868 there was a John Jeffs, shopkeeper at 124 Heath Mill Lane
In 1888 there was Jeffs Joseph, watch & clock maker. 43 Ryland st. & 111Cregoe st
1895-1908 James Henry Jeffs & Co, leather merchants ,54 Great Lister St
Jeffs John William, leather & grindery dealer, 30 Spring Hill & 429 Bearwood Road, Smethwick

None of these seem associated particularly with smoking, and the only one which is described as a company is the leather merchant. Could it be a trade gift or protional item?

 

[denisg]

Thanks Mikejee - yes, almost certainly a promotional / advertising item, although as you say none of them seems a compelling suspect.

Most of the advertising pipes we have are tobacco firms, which is no surprise, but there are a few other trades, general merchants and importers. The only other Birmingham pipe found in Australia is from 'H.N. & Co.', which is the import-export merchants Henry Nathan, who were based there but had close family ties to Australia and were likely middle-men and agents for a lot of your local manufactures that ended up on the other side of the planet.

 

[Astoness]

i know this may sound silly but are you certain its from birmingham in england as i do know there is also a birmingham in alabama

lyn

 

[denisg]

i know this may sound silly but are you certain its from birmingham in england as i do know there is also a birmingham in alabama

lyn

A very fair point. As someone who enjoys stories of people buying their own plane tickets and ending up in Sydney, Nova Scotia in mid-December when they were dressed for Sydney, Australia, place-names should not be taken for granted. In this case, we have close to no pipes from anywhere in North America being exported to Australian colonies, and the back stamping was pretty much a British specialty that was not practiced in the US. Plus they mainly smoked different types of pipes rather than trad. clays, so I'm comfortable that it was one of your lot.

One thing to consider is that advertising pipes are most likely to be ordered when a business is starting up and being launched. Since lots of businesses fold within the first year, Mr Jeffs may have had high hopes and ordered pipes and bunting and told all his mates, but customers never came and had to close up before that year's directory was put together.

 

[denisg]

Here's a pic of the pipe - 'J.JEFFS & Co / BIRMINGHAM' within a circle, and the arms of Birmingham.

 

[Astoness]

thanks for the photo... the coat of arms quite crude but i would says it is birminghams coat ...quite old as well..people are still digging up clay pipes in their gardens even now but i think this one could be unusual as it has a name on it...i think a bit more research is needed on this so dont give up just yet...i found this info interesting about dating the stems of clay pipes also a link to clay pipe makers birmingham so far no mention of jeffs ..as suggested the pipe could be promotional so maybe jeffs bought a few from a clay pipe maker and put their name on it but im not sure as that would have been allowed even back then

Google Search

Clay Pipe Stems – Brick Store Museum

www.brickstoremuseum.org

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