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61-64 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham

R

relicsoftheregion

Guest
Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could kindly supply some information regarding the group of derelict and abandoned buildings between 61 and 64 Ludgate Hill, near the BT Tower?

In doing some research of my own, I've discovered that they are grade two listed, and in the early 20th century, were all acquired by the owners of 61 Ludgate Hill, a Wadsworth Electrical Manufacturing Company.

I can't find out anything about this company, but wondered if anyone here could shed a bit more light on them.

I'm eyeing them up as a se of building we could cover in our special video series coming soon: 'Relics of the Region'.

Any help would be most gratefully appreciated.

Thank you,
Michael.
 
I’m not certain, but the inscription over the door of the left hand building , presumably 63-64, looks like a date 193 ? , only all mixed up as these things are sometimes. In that case this wouldn’t be the building of earlier times. However , here are the occupants as listed in the directories:

1900 and for a few years before. Around 1890 they were small individual businesses.
None of the buildings listed. It was presumably after this that the present buildings were built, though note comment above for 63-64
1903-4
(probably 61-62 but not numbered) Andrews J. Son & Co, portmanteau manufacturers

1905
(probably 61-62 but not numbered) Andrews J. Son & Co, portmanteau manufacturers
63 & 64 Cox (Arthur) Illustrating Co. Limited
1908
(probably 61-62 but not numbered) Wandsworth Electrical Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
electrical fittings manfrs . Telegraph address “Current” . Tel. no 5211
Also: Belcher (Standley)&Mason Ltd. scientific apparatus manufacturers
63 & 64 Cox (Arthur) Illustrating Co. Limited
1912 -1915
(probably 61-62 but not numbered) Wadsworth Electrical Fittings Manuf. Co
63-64 Cox Arthur Illustrating Co. Limited, photo engravers
1921
Seems to be all Wadsworth Man. Co
1932
61 & 62 Metallic (The) Seamless Tube Co. Ltd. Steel tube mfrs
63 & 64 Harris Philip & Co.(1913) Ltd. Scientific instrument mkrs

63_64_Ludgate_hill.JPG
 
In the 1936 directory more or less chossen at random there are for Ludgate Hill from the Kellys Directory

61 and 63 Metallic (the ) Seamless Tuibe Co Ltd
63 and 64 Harris Philip and Co scientific instrument mkrs

I have a number kellys (sadly not every year) I did go back to 1870 and those numbers no not appear in that directory

in the 1912 directory there are a firms at number 55 and 63 and 64 but not at 61

If you ever get to go arround the former MCM (Common Lane ) factory where a bus was built and you need some to carry the camera I would like to volunter please




relicsoftheregion said:
Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could kindly supply some information regarding the group of derelict and abandoned buildings between 61 and 64 Ludgate Hill, near the BT Tower?

In doing some research of my own, I've discovered that they are grade two listed, and in the early 20th century, were all acquired by the owners of 61 Ludgate Hill, a Wadsworth Electrical Manufacturing Company.

I can't find out anything about this company, but wondered if anyone here could shed a bit more light on them.

I'm eyeing them up as a se of building we could cover in our special video series coming soon: 'Relics of the Region'.

Any help would be most gratefully appreciated.

Thank you,
Michael.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you all for your very generous help - it's very much appreciated.

Best Wishes,
Michael.
 
My first job was as a Lab Technician at the Department of Chemistry, University of Birmingham. On more than one occasion, my boss, the Chief Technician Mr Kenneth Goodfellow, despatched me to Philip Harris Ltd to collect an order, usually for custom-made laboratory glassware. I didn't mind, as it got me out of the labs for an hour or two, and I always made time for a quick coffee at The Kardomah. Philip Harris Ltd moved out of Ludgate Hill to (I think) Minworth, and were last heard of at a premises in Shenstone, near Lichfield, but no longer there. Their former (and possibly last) Chief Executive was Mr Robert Jordan, who was previously chairman in the 1970's and 1980's of Foseco Ltd, where I also worked.

Big Gee
 
 
Hi Michael, I am the current Sales Director of The Wandsworth Group Limited (formerly Wandsworth Electrical Limited). We are now based in Woking, Surrey but company history tells us that we started life off in the Jewellery Quarter area of Birmingham. Our history is something we are very interested in researching because we have very scant information of our past. I realise that your post was some time ago, but I would be interested in anything further you found out about the buildings and likewise if you need any further information about Wandsworth please do not hesitate to contact me

Regards,

Gary
 
Hi Gary
I did find your post on the interesting . The name Wandsworth Electrical does not appear in the 1904 directory, but in 1905 it is at 27 Mary St.(off Caroline St , there is another Mary St in Birmingham). There is nothing listed for the address in 1904, and in 1903 it was a firm of metal spinners. Did the firm change its name between 1904-5 ? – Wandsworth electrical doesn’t sound like a very Brummie name.

If you didn’t know, the site at 27 Mary St is part of a listed building (27-32 Mary st). Nos 27-28 were built in 1818 as a house with workshops to the rear.( photographs of nos 27-32 and of no 27 are attached). As I understand it, the buildings were built for multi-occupancy (like a modern factory centre) are the earliest remaining buildings of this type left in the Jewellery quarter. The information directly above and photos are from”The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter” by J Cattell et al, English Heritage 2002
Best wishes
Mike
image.jpeg

image.jpeg
 
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Hello Gary as an electrician I remember installing Wandsworth equipment mainly sockets and switches back in the 50s-60s and maybe the early 70s it was of good quality and was of mainly a bronze finish.Fitted in Banks,Libraries,in fact most buildings with a high quality finish. I enjoyed fitting it although it could be complicated to install and thus expensive to supply.Dek
 
Thanks for your replies. I believe Wandsworth Electrical was always the name of the company and it was named afetr the birthplace of one of the 3 founders - hence "Wandsworth"! The articles of the company suggest that it was probably registered in 1905 in Birmingham and the story goes that we were 'bombed out' of the Jewellery Quarter at the end of the 2nd WW and relocated to Woking in one of the Greater London enterprise initiatives. I would really love to find some info on if/when/how we were moved out of Birmingham (especially as I am a Brummie and still live up here!) and some real confirmation of where we 'lived' when we were in Birmingham.

Thanks for the websites Shirley - I will take a look through.

Cheers,

Gary
 
One other thing - I believe Wandsworth Electrical was born out of a company called JH Tucker and another person who left that company started Crabtree Electrical!
 
Garry
J.H. Tucker were listed :
No J.H. Tucker in 1892 (J.H. stood for John Henry)
1895 Tucker, J.H. & Co electrical accessories manufacturer, 10 Ryland St.
1896-1900 Tucker, J.H. & Co electrical accessories manufacturer, 16 Oozells St
1903-5 Tucker, J.H. & Co, electrical accessories manuf.,Sampson Road North
In 1908 they have disappeared, which agrees with them splitting when Wandsworth were formed.

After they left Ludgate Hill :
1932 -40 The Wandsworth Electrical Manuf. Co.Ltd, electrical accessories manufacturer 50 Kenyon St , Telegraph Address “Current, Birmingham”
1943-50 The Wandsworth Electrical Manuf. Co.Ltd, electrical accessories manufacturer 32 Frederick St , Telegraph Address “Current, Birmingham”
1955. They have gone from Birmingham
So it is probable that the firm was bombed out of the building in the war, but relocated in Frederick St, and then moved away between 1950 and 1955
 
There was a John H Tucker aged 29 in 1901 living at 1 Gordon Place, High St, Aston. Manager of works electrical fittings and born in Dawlish he was married to 27yr old Caroline who had been born at Camberwell, Surrey. Their son John B Tucker was born in Tottenham. They had a servant living with them.
 
There was also a John H Tucker, aged 39, who in 1901 was an electrical fittings manufacturer living at "St Marys Church Brentwood Ascott Rd Kings Norton". Well thats what it says!
 
Hi Mike, so following the thread from the beginning it looks like Wandsworth Electrical occupied the buildings in Ludgate Hill from 1908 - 1932, then moved to Kenyon St until 1940 when they moved to Frederick St and then moved to Surrey between 1950 - 1955.

Any idea who owns the Ludgate Hill buildings now?

I would like to be able to trace former employee's relations etc. to see if any photo's exist of the factory/factories and the working conditions etc. any idea's??

Gary
 
I managed to track down a Paul Tucker who is the grandson of the original founder of JH Tucker - he is now a Director of Cronexrabo in Gloucestershire - I am meeting up with him in the near future - he has lots of photo's of Tuckers factory etc.
View attachment 65522
 
I’m afraid nothing comes to mind as to tracking relatives, but you never know, someone on the forum might be a relative.
Just one point. Iu have no directories for 1922-31, so they could have moved from Ludgate hill anytime in that period.
Mike
 

I can now provide the missing year. The telephone books on Ancestry show that the firm moved from Ludgate hill to Kenyon St between the 1928 and 1929 editions
Mike
 
Big Gee said:
My first job was as a Lab Technician at the Department of Chemistry, University of Birmingham. On more than one occasion, my boss, the Chief Technician Mr Kenneth Goodfellow, despatched me to Philip Harris Ltd to collect an order, usually for custom-made laboratory glassware. I didn't mind, as it got me out of the labs for an hour or two, and I always made time for a quick coffee at The Kardomah. Philip Harris Ltd moved out of Ludgate Hill to (I think) Minworth, and were last heard of at a premises in Shenstone, near Lichfield, but no longer there. Their former (and possibly last) Chief Executive was Mr Robert Jordan, who was previously chairman in the 1970's and 1980's of Foseco Ltd, where I also worked.

Big Gee
Click to expand...
As an aside to this thread, Phillip Harris supplied all Birmingham schools with their science glassware (I broke a lot of it in Sutton schools) and also I used it in the lab at Edgar Vaughan, Specialist Oil Makers.
One of our chemistry teachers was their best customer as a more ham fisted individual you couldn't meet. That man could break concrete and the expensive ground glass micro sets we had lasted about a week in his care. It wouild have been cheaper to pay him to stay at home!
A nice man (not), his favorite trick was to put his face in yours and wisper"were you talking,boy?", "no sir" got his clenched fist complete with large stoned ring to the side of your head, "Thats for lying" he would then repeat the question and the reply "yes sir" would then get the same thump with the words "thats for talking". He invented catch 22.
 
My first job (£2 18s 6d) way back in 1959 was at Phillip Harris as a scientific instrument maker the factory was in Highgate Square back of Moseley Road fire station . Despatch depot was in Ludgate Hill later they open a factory in Weston Super Mare. Best job ever.

Dave.
 
I worked for Philip Harris in 1953-4 in their Edmund Street premises. I was responsible for dealing with the orders placed by chemists and doctors. Many chemists and doctors made their own cough mixtures and medicines at that time - no so much overpriced packaged goods then. People did not have money for frivolities by and large.

I was delighted to see the pictures of Ludgate Hill. It is some sixty years ago so my memory does not recall which doorway I entered to go into Philip Harris' shop and warehouse. I used to leave their Edmund Street premises via the rear door and walk down to the Ludgate Hill premises. The reason was that some orders called for chemicals, such as Calcium Carbide ( a pungent favourite often used for Carbide Lamps), which were not kept in the pharmaceutical departments. The upper floor on which I worked looked out on the , unmettled, car park (former bomb site most likely) which is now where that tall BT tower is. In fact they were in the process of excavating for the foundations when I left to move to Devon. I loved that job and was sorry to leave. There was no similar work in this area. But I suppose with National Service looming in a couple of years I would have had to leave anyway. As it was I avoided National Service by signing on in the RAF at 171/2. :biggrin: In the street at the rear of Edmund Street there was a house, owned by a lady called Dolly Hunt. She had a small cafe in her front room. Good food I can tell you. Nest door to Dolly H's place and the back door to Philip Harris lived an old lady in her 90's. I often stopped to talk with her when making my trips down to Ludgate Hill. The boss, a kindly man, often asked where I had been. I always told him the truth and that was that. He never made any further comment.
 
Hi there, I am researching my family tree and it appears that my 2nd great grandmother is listed as living at 61 Ludgate Hill in the 1861 census. Is this the same building? tanyabirm
 
It would not have been the same building in 1861, though would have been on the same site. The 1862-68 directories of the time show a James Lowell , locksmith at that address. It should be noted that directories then could be a couple of years out of date , as compared to the publication date
 
Hi all,

I am super super interested in these buildings and have found all your information really useful, so thank you.

I would love to know who owns the buildings currently and a way of contacting them - I'm interested in doing a heritage project and hopefully even potentially in the long term restoring them.

The only leads I have is the listing on English Heritage, another forum site explaining BCC plans for the area and a design journal for a student's final project. I can't seem to find any current contact information so if someone could help me then that would be great.

Many thanks,

SW
 
pipmk said:
As an aside to this thread, Phillip Harris supplied all Birmingham schools with their science glassware (I broke a lot of it in Sutton schools) and also I used it in the lab at Edgar Vaughan, Specialist Oil Makers.
One of our chemistry teachers was their best customer as a more ham fisted individual you couldn't meet. That man could break concrete and the expensive ground glass micro sets we had lasted about a week in his care. It wouild have been cheaper to pay him to stay at home!
A nice man (not), his favorite trick was to put his face in yours and wisper"were you talking,boy?", "no sir" got his clenched fist complete with large stoned ring to the side of your head, "Thats for lying" he would then repeat the question and the reply "yes sir" would then get the same thump with the words "thats for talking". He invented catch 22.
Click to expand...

I worked at Philip Harris c.1962 and I remember purchasing a dead rat from them so that my friend could practice dissecting it for her biology 'A' level!
 
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Interesting to see the pictures, i presume Phillip Harris bought out Standley Belcher, scientific instrument makers at some point.....Standley Belcher was my Grandfathers brother, the last document relating to Standley i have is in 1918.... nothing to do with the buildings. Nice to see where his business was 100 years ago!
 
When I worked here, it never crossed my mind to ask! I know Philip Harris did a line in scientific instruments, and they used to display surgical trusses in one of their windows. I worked in the Export Department, which provided laboratory equipment to schools around the world, as well as rats for dissection... I was 16 or 17 at the time and didn't like being stuck in an office all day. The Export Manager was Mr. Edwards, and I worked as his shorthand-typist. Couldn't wait to get out to run for the bus which left from the front of Rackham's. The traffic from Birmingham to Banners Gate was very very slow - it was before underpasses and overpasses were constructed. I remember the bungalow in College Road which had its front garden concreted over: it had a gigantic collection of gnomes. This was c.1964.
 
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