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Benjamin Morgan's Pearl Works or Morgan's Buildings, MacDonald Street

O

Okkie

Brummie babby
I'm new here so please forgive me if I have posted this in the wrong place.
My family (Ingram) were pearl workers, living in a court off MacDonald Street in the 1850/60's. I found a newspaper article (1858) linking one of them to an accident at "the pearl ornament works of Mr. Benjamim I. Morgan, Macdonald Street" & wondered if anyone knew anything more about the establishment or location.
 
1868 Kelly's directory has this for Macdonald Street. The bit that intrigues me is the section listed together as "Morgan's Mill"
1616951413516.png
also
1616951527539.png
 
I don't think it is that one. No longer exists and I can't find it on a map. It mentions Summer Lane on the directory.
 
My Ingram family were at 12 Ct 9H Lower Tower St in the 1851 census & at a court (no number) off MacDonald St in 1861. (I'm given to understand that Lower Tower St would have been closer to Summer Lane than MacDonald St - please excuse me not having a clue). Perhaps Mr Morgan had two "pearl ornament works"?
The newspaper report I'm referring to:
28th September 1858 Birmingham Daily Post:
“Last night an inquest was held at the Grand Turk Inn, Ludgate Hill, on the body of a youth twelve years of age, named Robert Ballinger. It seems that deceased, who lived with his friends in Lower Hospital Street, was employed at the pearl ornament works of Mr. Benjamim I. Morgan, Macdonald Street. On Friday morning last he went to his work as usual, and according to the evidence of an intelligent lad, named John Ingram met with the following accident Deceased got upon a wall, about 5 ft. high, near the engine-house, and just as he had climbed up and got on to a shed, he overbalanced himself, and fell down the steps of the fire-hole, a depth of some feet. When taken up he was found to be insensible and had a severe wound on his head. He was conveyed to the General Hospital where Mr. W. P. Goodall attended to the case most carefully. But deceased never rallied and died from the effects of the injury on Saturday last. The Jury returned a verdict of "accidental death."

The other street I'm struggling to find is Well Street, my gt-gt grandparents were recorded as living there when they married at St Matthias Parish Church in 1872.
 
Here are maps showing Macdonald st c1889 and c1851. As you can see it was relatively open in 1851

map c1889 Macdonald st.jpgmap c1851 se corner Birmingham.jpg
 
Okkie said:
My Ingram family were at 12 Ct 9H Lower Tower St in the 1851 census & at a court (no number) off MacDonald St in 1861. (I'm given to understand that Lower Tower St would have been closer to Summer Lane than MacDonald St - please excuse me not having a clue). Perhaps Mr Morgan had two "pearl ornament works"?
The newspaper report I'm referring to:
28th September 1858 Birmingham Daily Post:
“Last night an inquest was held at the Grand Turk Inn, Ludgate Hill, on the body of a youth twelve years of age, named Robert Ballinger. It seems that deceased, who lived with his friends in Lower Hospital Street, was employed at the pearl ornament works of Mr. Benjamim I. Morgan, Macdonald Street. On Friday morning last he went to his work as usual, and according to the evidence of an intelligent lad, named John Ingram met with the following accident Deceased got upon a wall, about 5 ft. high, near the engine-house, and just as he had climbed up and got on to a shed, he overbalanced himself, and fell down the steps of the fire-hole, a depth of some feet. When taken up he was found to be insensible and had a severe wound on his head. He was conveyed to the General Hospital where Mr. W. P. Goodall attended to the case most carefully. But deceased never rallied and died from the effects of the injury on Saturday last. The Jury returned a verdict of "accidental death."

The other street I'm struggling to find is Well Street, my gt-gt grandparents were recorded as living there when they married at St Matthias Parish Church in 1872.
Click to expand...
if you gt gt grandparents married at st matthias church i would think they lived in wells st newtown not well st as the church was only a couple of mins away..part of wells st still exists although all of the old houses have long since gone

lyn
 
Just realised there were two Macdonald streets, one near Sherlock st and one off Summer Lane. Looking at directories it looks like it was off Summer Lane at no 250. therefore it must be an early name for Frankfort St. Probably changed because of two streets with the same name
 
mikejee said:
Just realised there were two Macdonald streets, one near Sherlock st and one off Summer Lane. Looking at directories it looks like it was off Summer Lane at no 250. therefore it must be an early name for Frankfort St. Probably changed because of two streets with the same name
Click to expand...
well i never knew that frankfort st was previously called mcdonald st mike....as i keep saying we never stop learning..thanks for clearing that one up

lyn
 
Thank you so much all of you for your help. The maps are fantastic. Also thanks for clearing up the Well Street puzzle. I'm going to take some time to digest things ... but will no doubt be back again with more daft questions.
 
The change seems to have occurred between the Kellys for 1880 and 1882. It became part of Frankfort St, the eastern end. There seems no evidence to say he moved from his original building , and in the 1882 edition Benjamin Morgan, pearl worker is listed as at no 18, which is on the south side close to the est end of the street. Below is a map c 1889 showing the position of nos 26, 28 . Assuming that Benjamin stayed in the same place I am estimating that no 18 (coloured in blue) is on the site of his factiory, though I am not absolutely certain. It is very possible that buildings had been rebuilt since 1851.

map c 1889 east end of Frankfort St.jpg
 
Thank you, so many questions are being answered. Sadly I cannot see any court numbers on the census to show where my Ingram's lived, but its good to have some idea of roughly where they were. I couldn't reconcile MacDonald road being in a completely different part of the city, but the renaming of the street explains it. I've seen photos of Frankfort St elsewhere on the forum, but I presume that the 'old' houses in them would date from the 1880's/90's rather than that early period of building. I'm going to do a bit more digging ... feel sure I'll be back.
 
mikejee said:
Here are maps showing Macdonald st c1889 and c1851. As you can see it was relatively open in 1851

View attachment 155205View attachment 155206
Click to expand...
Just looking at the top map today whilst researching Joseph Cartwright and his 4 sons in the 1871 census living at 87 Macdonald St. Joseph's occupation is leather finisher, sons are tanner, finisher, skinner and stainer. I can see on the map a company called Midland Leather Works next to Carriage Manufacturer at the eastern end. Joseph is recorded earlier as a Moroccan leather worker. Would welcome any info about Midland Leather. Tinpot
 
Tinpot said:
Just looking at the top map today whilst researching Joseph Cartwright and his 4 sons in the 1871 census living at 87 Macdonald St. Joseph's occupation is leather finisher, sons are tanner, finisher, skinner and stainer. I can see on the map a company called Midland Leather Works next to Carriage Manufacturer at the eastern end. Joseph is recorded earlier as a Moroccan leather worker. Would welcome any info about Midland Leather. Tinpot
Click to expand...
In 1896 there was a Midland Leather Works at 55-56 Macdonald st

55-56m.PNG
 
The Midland Leather Works mentioned by Rob at 55-56 Macdonald St is the works which Tinpot was interested in. Charles Mason, whip thong manufacturer appears in the directories at this address in 1872 and continues the business until the 1920s, when , presumably the nees for horsewhips was waning.
That said Tinpot states he is interested in a family at 86 Macdonald st. this is in fact nearer , almost next door in fact to the other leather business in the street. This firm, marked as the Phoenix leather works on the c1889 map at the west end of Macdonald st is listed in the 1884 Kellys as William Baggot, leather dresser, and in the 1880 Kellys as Gates & Baggott, leather dressers. In Whites directory of 1873 (which would have referred to the time or just after the 1871 census) it is occupied by G Ritchie, tanner & leather dresser. The first occupant of the site seems to be Edwin Harford, recorded in the 1855 directory as morocco leather dresser & asses' skin manufacturer, 90 Macdonald St. He is there till at least 1858, but by 1862 the factory is occupied by Frederick Ritchie (Chamois etc leather dressers)., in 1867 described as morocco leather dressers, In 1867 a partnership with William Warrilow was dissolved. By 1873 the firm has become G Ritchie, leather dresser,but in 1876 another partnership with A Gates is dissolved, and , as a result in he 1879 directory, which would probably refer to 1877, the entry for the firm is Gates & Baggott
 
mikejee said:
The Midland Leather Works mentioned by Rob at 55-56 Macdonald St is the works which Tinpot was interested in. Charles Mason, whip thong manufacturer appears in the directories at this address in 1872 and continues the business until the 1920s, when , presumably the nees for horsewhips was waning.
That said Tinpot states he is interested in a family at 86 Macdonald st. this is in fact nearer , almost next door in fact to the other leather business in the street. This firm, marked as the Phoenix leather works on the c1889 map at the west end of Macdonald st is listed in the 1884 Kellys as William Baggot, leather dresser, and in the 1880 Kellys as Gates & Baggott, leather dressers. In Whites directory of 1873 (which would have referred to the time or just after the 1871 census) it is occupied by G Ritchie, tanner & leather dresser. The first occupant of the site seems to be Edwin Harford, recorded in the 1855 directory as morocco leather dresser & asses' skin manufacturer, 90 Macdonald St. He is there till at least 1858, but by 1862 the factory is occupied by Frederick Ritchie (Chamois etc leather dressers)., in 1867 described as morocco leather dressers, In 1867 a partnership with William Warrilow was dissolved. By 1873 the firm has become G Ritchie, leather dresser,but in 1876 another partnership with A Gates is dissolved, and , as a result in he 1879 directory, which would probably refer to 1877, the entry for the firm is Gates & Baggott
Click to expand...
Thanks Mikejee for such detailed information. I think the site you describe at west end sounds more likely for their place of employment. Joseph was also previously described as a fellmonger. Tinpot
 
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