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French polishers around Yardley, 1900s

maccalenny

proper brummie kid
Hi - a hopelessly optimistic enquiry.....

Family history tells that my great-grandmother had to walk to work at her factory with no food, and was fed by a friend of hers. Both girls were french polishers, and lived in the Yardley area - my grandmother in
Forest Road, and her friend on Warwick Road. I wondered if there is a way of finding out where they might have worked? What places in Yardley would have used french polishers?

Thanks!
 
maccalenny. One place which comes to mind is Painters Undertakers of Church Rd & later Yardley Rd for french polishing the coffins. Len.
 
One of Dads 2nd cousins also worked as a French Polisher in 1901, around the Bordesley/ Yardley area, dad thinks there was a furniture manufacturers but can't recall their name, will let you know if he does, Sue :)
 
There was the Co-op furniture factory in Kings Rd and it was approx the same distance from Warwick Rd & Forest Rd, not sure what year it opened though. Len.
 
Maccalenny and Lencops, that's the answer Dad came up with too, though he thinks Co=op took over the works from a small company. He's now got stem coming out of his ears with the thinking!!!
 
My four gt. aunts worked as french polishers in the 1880's and 90's. Iv'e never been able to find out whether they were employed or whether they were self-employed? They lived at this time in Bread St and then Bell Barn Rd both in Market Hall Ward.
Sheri
 
Thanks everyone for your help on this - it seems there were a lot of french polishers around then. I suppose any decent quality furniture was french polished in those days?
 
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