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Black ornament maker

B

Brummie On Exmoor

master brummie
I have a relative, a young woman, described in the 1881 Census, as a Black Ornament Maker. She had previously been a Button Worker. I have Googled this and found an entry on Rootsweb suggesting that it is Blacksmithing. Clearly, it is not! There are also some links to wills, directories etc, making it clear that there was a small trade in this in Victorian Brum. I suspect that it is related to the Jewellery and Button trades, and may have involved making mourning jewellery or trinkets, given the love of black clothing and adornments in mid Victorian England. However, any more definitive explanation would be gratefully received.
Many thanks.
 
From information on the web:

In 1931 classification of occupation for the then census there
is an entry for black ornament maker.
All it gives is the code under which
the census statisticians coded a job. It comes under code 548 and looking
that up shows it comes under Workers in Other materials i.e other than brass,copper,steel etc.- then you go
through a list of materials in various sub orders - eg rubber etc - 548 is
under sub order 3 which is again other materials but in 548 you get a list
of Other Skilled Workers - so this was a skilled trade - the list includes
agate slitter
amber turner
bead and bugle maker
black ornament worker, maker
bladder dresser
brilliandeer
bristle comber, dresser, trimmer
brush examiner
calender man, linoleum
cameo grinder
cameo shell cutter
and a whole long list down to
weasand dresser
wirer and paperer (feathers)
wood collier
 
Thanks Izzy, this does tend to point to the sort of decorative wears that I sort of suspected. I am sure it ties in with the Bhm Jewellery trades.
 
There are several people listed as being black ornament and gilt toy maker (toy meaning ornament or fancy accessory, not the present meaning), so that would fit in
Mike
 
mikejee said:
There are several people listed as being black ornament and gilt toy maker (toy meaning ornament or fancy accessory, not the present meaning), so that would fit in
Mike
Click to expand...

Hi Mike,

Could this perhaps be relating to jewellery made of jet or
possibly hard coal, which was very popular in the Victorian era?

Kind regards

Dave
 
Yes, I wondered about Jet myself. That was one of the most popular forms for Mourning jewellery at that time. Many thanks to those providing ideas.
Best wishes
Jane
 
That's very possible Certainly Brum did produce jet jewellery In 1874Joseph Cox was described as a jet -ornamnet manufacturer at back 10 Frederick st, as was frederick Young in 1871 at Plantagenet buildings, Spencer st
mike
 
Aaron Jennens Davenport my 2nd Great- Grand uncle was the Inventor and Manufacturer of Vulcanite a cheaper man made alternative to Jet,so popular in Victorian times.
In 1849 he manufactured at 148 Charles street as a Black Ornament maker.Sometime between 1858-1861 he went into partership with Samuel Cole In c1860s-1870 they had a large factory ;Davenport & Cole .Patent Jet. Rea Works,Balsall Heath Rd,B'ham. Amongst the list of items manufactured are,Brooches,Ladies belts,Ear rings,Crosses,Beads,Bracelets,Combs,Shawl pins,Chains.Buttons.
Hope this is of interest.




Brummie On Exmoor said:
I have a relative, a young woman, described in the 1881 Census, as a Black Ornament Maker. She had previously been a Button Worker. I have Googled this and found an entry on Rootsweb suggesting that it is Blacksmithing. Clearly, it is not! There are also some links to wills, directories etc, making it clear that there was a small trade in this in Victorian Brum. I suspect that it is related to the Jewellery and Button trades, and may have involved making mourning jewellery or trinkets, given the love of black clothing and adornments in mid Victorian England. However, any more definitive explanation would be gratefully received.
Many thanks.
Click to expand...
 
TThank you davenport. I think that explains things very well. To add to your information, Davenport and Cole were on the north side of Balsall Heath Road between the riverRea and Longmore St, so would have been on the site of, or very close to where the Luxor cinema later was. It seems to have been there from between 1858 and 1862 and left about 1872 . In 1876 the factory was used by willaim Macnamara as a brass foundryhank you davenport. I think that explains things very well. To add to your information, Davenport and Cole were on the north side of Balsall Heath Road between the riverRea and Longmore St, so would have been on the site of, or very close to where the Luxor cinema later was. It seems to have been there from between 1858 and 1862 and left about 1872 . In 1876 the factory was used by Willaim Macnamara as a brass foundry.
mike
 
Hi Davenport and mikejee, I have read both your posts with huge interest. This sounds like the solution to all my questions on the subject, and it is really interesting. I am away from home at present but will be back next week and will check out the locations you describe against the census address of the family member involved, and then will post to say where she was. It will be interesting to see if it all marries up.
Thank you again, very much,
Jane
 
How interesting vulcanite was very popular in Victorian times especially for mourning jewellery a cheaper alternative to jet. It was very fashionable as were flamboyant funerals the Victorians spent more on these than weddings! I have a vulcanite mourning brooch. I will photograph it later and post it.
 
Here are a couple of examples of black mourning jewellery. The first one is Vulcanite and the second is a glass base I am unsure what the ladies head is made of it could be some sort of early plastic or Bakelite.:)
 
Thanks Mikejee for the site details as i did not know exactly where the site was.I think the partnership came to an end early 1870s Aaron Davenport moved to Vittoria st and Cole went into the wine trade.
Wendy thanks also for the photo ,i will have to look out for an item of Vulcanite as a momento.
 
Thank you very much to all who have posted on my query. The photo of the brooch is very interesting and I will attach it to my Tree as an example. As promised, I have now checked out my Black Ornament Maker. She was Esther WRIGHT, aged 23, living at 2 House, 2 Court, 6 Farm Street in the All Saints district. Her father was a Glass Cutter.

Best wishes

Jane
 
I had not realised that black ornament makers were separately listed until I had the silly (so I thought) idea of checking. The 1880 Kellys lists:
BLACK ORNAMENT MANFRS.
Allen Joseph Benj. 225½ Great King st
Ashworth Henry & Co. {vulcanite), 37 Spencer street
Atkins Elijah, 7 Court, Gt. Hampton st
Batkin Joseph, 306 Farm street
BELLAMY ROBERT JOHN, manufacturer
of every description of black
ornaments for home & export, 70
Spencer street
Brockington William Thomas. 105 Clifford street, Lozells
Cartwright Thomas, 14 Mott street
Davenport Aron Jennens,44 St. Paul's sq
Hick Thomas, 40 Brougham street
Hickey Dennis, 77 Vyse street
Hyman Hyman,49Vysest.&20Hylton st
Knight & Barratt, 4 Warstone lane
Onions Benj. 175½ Witton st. Lozells
Pembrook William, 25 Branston street
Preston Edward & Co. 12A, Caroline st
Rogaly Julius, 174 & 175 Warstone lane
Sketchley Wm. Fras. 91½ \ Gt. King st
Tongue Samuel, 105½ (back of) Great Hampton street
Turnbull Bros. &Woodin, 63 Northampton street
TurnerGeo.Hartingtonbldgs.Branstn.st
Wilks Joseph, 12 Key Hill drive,Key hill
Winkles JamesOrlando,183½ Gt.King st
Young Frederick Mark, Plantagenet buildings, Richard st. & 38 Vyse st

As you can see there is one at 306 Farm St

mike
 
Brummie On Exmoor said:
I have a relative, a young woman, described in the 1881 Census, as a Black Ornament Maker. She had previously been a Button Worker. I have Googled this and found an entry on Rootsweb suggesting that it is Blacksmithing. Clearly, it is not! There are also some links to wills, directories etc, making it clear that there was a small trade in this in Victorian Brum. I suspect that it is related to the Jewellery and Button trades, and may have involved making mourning jewellery or trinkets, given the love of black clothing and adornments in mid Victorian England. However, any more definitive explanation would be gratefully received.
Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Hi I too have been checking my family tree
And have a a distant relative who in 1881 census had the same trade in Birmingham
I believe her name was Elizabeth Tongue
 
Ron Baker said:
Hi I too have been checking my family tree
And have a a distant relative who in 1881 census had the same trade in Birmingham
I believe her name was Elizabeth Tongue
Click to expand...
Possibly working with jet which was a light weight black mineral used in jewellery ?
 
Indeed jet, a gemstones made popular by Queen Victoria part of mourning dress while mourning the death of Prince Albert. I quite like Whitby Jet, it is actually a type of coal or lignite.
 
Morturn said:
Indeed jet, a gemstones made popular by Queen Victoria part of mourning dress while mourning the death of Prince Albert. I quite like Whitby Jet, it is actually a type of coal or lignite.
Click to expand...
yes i have looked in the whitby shops selling whitby jet mort...very nice and not cheap

lyn
 
We had a few pieces of jet jewellery, mostly broken except for a pair of earrings that I sometimes wore, they belonged to my great grandmother.
Not sure if I still have them anywhere, I must look!
 
Find that jet stone...

“Jet Stone will give you physical, emotional, and spiritual guidance to help you accomplish your goals and achieve balance and harmony.

It will remind you of your goals, help you re-evaluate your methods, and inspire you to reinvent yourself.

Jet Stone can draw out the negative energies that are lingering in your auric fields. These negative energies are affecting how you think, feel, speak, and act. When these negative energies are dispelled, you make way for more positive energies.

Jet will help you zero in on your career, relationship, and life that you want. It will show you just how you can accomplish it using your talents, skills, and abilities. Jet Stone can help you own up to your mistakes, right your wrongs, and make amends to the people you have hurt.”
 
Ron Baker said:
Hi I too have been checking my family tree
And have a a distant relative who in 1881 census had the same trade in Birmingham
I believe her name was Elizabeth Tongue
Click to expand...
Hi Ron,

Have you noticed that when Mike (mikejee) commented on my post back in 2010, he listed Black Ornament Makers in Brum, and amongst them was:

Tongue Samuel, 105½ (back of) Great Hampton street.

Might he have been related to your Elizabeth? If not her Dad, then an uncle or cousin....

Regards,

Jane
 
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