Barnby's

[Alparrott75]

I am searching for any information on a Thomas Barnby and family who had a general toy and fancy goods shop in Birmingham around the 1880's

 

[ColinB]

In Kelly's Directory
1883.
Barnby & Co. foreign agents & manufacturers of camp & folding furniture,
4,5,39,40,41 & 47 Gt Western Arcade & 60 Bull Street
1895
Barnby & Co. stationers, toy & fancy good dealers, foreign agents & manufacturers of camp and folding furniture
4,5,39,41,45,46,47,79 & 80 Gt. Western Arcade & 60 (back of ) Bull Street.
1900
Barnbys Limited
As above & 82, Slaney Street

Colin

 

[ladylinda]

Hi there, not sure if you have the census info etc?
1851
Thomas Barnby,Head aged 38 born 1813 Maidstone,Kent,Confectioner
Isabella Barnby,Wife aged 37 born 1814 Bisley,Gloucestershire,Wife Of Confectioner
Thomas Barnby,Son aged 9 born 1842 Monmouthshire
Isabella Barnby,Daughter aged 2 born 1849 Monmouthshire
Sarah Close,Visitor aged 16 born 1835 Birmingham,Warwickshire,Assisting In The Buisiness
Mary Harper,aged 18 born 1833 Gloucestershire,General Servt
Address: Agincourt Square, Monmouth

Marriages Dec 1866
Thomas Barnby Cheltenham 6a 883
Marianne Bendall Cheltenham 6a 883
Births Jun 1867
Ernest Marquois Barnby King's N. 6c 481
Births Sep 1868
Frank Archibald Barnby Birmingham 6d 96
Births Jun 1872
Frederick Mills Barnby King's N. 6c 439
Births Mar 1878
Lilian Mary Barnby Aston 6d 444

1881
Thomas Barnby, Head aged 39 born 1842 Monmouth,Monmouthshire,General Toy & Fancy Dealer
Marianne Barnby,Wife aged 40 born 1841 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire
Ernest Marquois Barnby,Son aged 14 born 1867 Bham,Warwickshire
Frank Archibald Barnby,Son aged 12 born 1869 Balsall Heath,Worcestershire
Frederick Mills Barnby,Son aged 8 born 1873 Balsall Heath,Worcestershire
Lilian Mary Barnby,Daughter aged 3 born 1878 Aston,Staffordshire
Isabella Barnby,Mother Widow aged 65 born 1816 Gloucestershire,Housekeeper
Ellen Powell, Boarder aged 38 born 1843 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,Shop Assistant To Above (Toy)
Elizabeth Hall, Boarder aged 25 born 1856 Yorkshire,Shop Assistant To Above (Toy)
Margaret Pebles, Boarder aged 24 born 1857 Scotland,Shop Assistant To Above (Toy)
Harriet Philips,Servant aged 27 born 1854 Malvern,Worcestershire,Domestic Servant
Hannah Woodward, Servant aged 18 born 1863 Bewdley,Staffordshire,Domestic Servant
Ernest Pottinger, Visitor aged 19 born 1862 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,Commercial Clerk
Address: 13, Key Hill Drive, Birmingham

Deaths Mar 1887
Thomas Barnby 45 King's N. 6c 297

1891
Mary A Barnby,Head Widow aged 50 born 1841 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,Shop Keeper
Isabella Barnby,Mother In Law, Widow aged 76 born 1815 Gloucestershire,Living On Her Own Means
Ernest M Barnby,Son aged 24 born 1867 Birmingham,Staffordshire,Toy Dealers Manager
Frederick M Barnby, Son aged 18 born 1873 Balsall Heath,Birmingham,Apprentice
Lilian M Barnby, Daughter aged 13 born 1878 Birmingham Aston,Warwickshire
Agnes E Bendall, Niece aged 19 born 1872 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,Milliners Shopwoman
Susan Daft, Niece aged 17 born 1874 Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,Toy Dealers Apprentice
Elizabeth Gardham, Servant aged 19 born 1872 Droitwich,Worcestershire,Housemaid Domestic
Jannet Stafford, Servant aged 23 born 1868 Walton,Warwickshire,Cook
Address: Meadow Hill, Meadow Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Deaths Mar 1896
Isabella Barnby 82 King's N. 6c 275

 

[Vivienne14]

This should bring back fond memories for some. The shop on Colmore Row by the Great Western Arcade in 1983. Viv.

 

[Glen C. Phillips]

Thomas Barnby married Marianne Bendall in 1866. Marianne's sister, and one of my great-great-grandmothers, Eliza Louisa Bendall, married William Cutler on Jan. 31, 1869. Here are some Thomas Barnby documents I have found:

1) Thomas Barnby and Marianne Bendall's marriage announcement (Cheltenham Journal, Oct. 13, 1866)
2) (Thomas) Barnby & Co. (William Cutler may have been a partner in this firm) folding chair reference (The Architect, Apr. 29, 1882)
3) Thomas Barnby's death announcement (The London Gazette, Sept. 30, 1887)
4) Barnby's Ltd. prospectus (Leamington Courier, Apr. 23, 1898)

 

[chascox78]

My grandmother Anne Lavender worked at Barnby's immediately before the Great War. According to family folk law, she left the job after receiving unwanted attention from the manager (!). She returned to Wednesbury to help run her brother's shop whilst he was away in the trenches.

 

[sospiri]

Thanks for the information, Chascoc78, and welcome to the Forum.

Maurice

 

[Vivienne14]

As it’s almost that time of year, so here’s a taster of what could be found at Barnby’s. The sewing machine would have definitely been at the top of my list, but I never got a toy one. Had to wait until I was older to use my mum’s machine. Viv.

 

[sospiri]

Viv,

What is interesting is the pricing in shillings rather than £ s & d, although I can remember that this was fairly common practice when I was young. 99/11d - five pounds all bar a penny - makes it sound cheaper, especially in the days of big white five pound notes!

Maurice

 

[Vivienne14]

An interesting point Maurice. Many adverts pre-decimalisation use purely shillings and pence (perhaps less cost in typesetting adverts ?) but many others use a mixture in the same advert with some shillings and pence prices and some £sd prices. Viv.

 

[mw0njm.]

Viv,

What is interesting is the pricing in shillings rather than £ s & d, although I can remember that this was fairly common practice when I was young. 99/11d - five pounds all bar a penny - makes it sound cheaper, especially in the days of big white five pound notes!

Maurice

And some shops charged guineas £1.1s .to get more dosh off you

 

[mw0njm.]

This should bring back fond memories for some. The shop on Colmore Row by the Great Western Arcade in 1983. Viv.

it does thanks. i sure had a big wish list back then

 

[Vivienne14]

#5 is unlikely to be in much demand today, although I would have enjoyed that as a gift: “My Hankies ..... embroidery for the young needlewoman”. That would have happily kept me occupied for a couple of weeks.

Hankies, remember how 9 times out of 10, you’d get these at Christmas?!

Think I’d have been a bit miffed at getting #8 - a duster. But having said that, my young granddaughter LOVES her little mop and broom. However she hasnt quite mastered it yet, the action is more “shake it all about” rather than sweeping and mopping.
Viv.

 

[sospiri]

Yes, handerchieves and/or socks, boring stuff that went straight into the drawer. Now we don't swap presents or cards (other than possibly electronic ones). The costs of sending them, if they even reached the recipient, was getting ridiculous. Book tokens swapped for book tokens didn't even make sense. I know that we are not alone as many other people have moved the same way.

Maurice

 

[mw0njm.]

Yes, handerchieves and/or socks, boring stuff that went straight into the drawer. Now we don't swap presents or cards (other than possibly electronic ones). The costs of sending them, if they even reached the recipient, was getting ridiculous. Book tokens swapped for book tokens didn't even make sense. I know that we are not alone as many other people have moved the same way.

Maurice

dont think me a Humbug.
i dont send paper cards etc. now i give the dosh to the pdsa,