J Cargory 41 Bull Street

[Astoness]

hi folks any information on j cargorys would be great..sorry the coin does not give the year but i would think its quite old

cheers folks

lyn

 

[mikejee]

He appears in directories as Cargory & as Gargory and was apparently a supporter of the liberals on the council, and an optician. In 1849 he is listed as optician and mathematical tool maker, but went on to also sell jewellery and other novelties
From 1833 until around 1858 is at 4-5 Bull St but by around 1862 is at 41 Bull St. In 1849 his home was at 6 George St , Islington Row.

 

[Astoness]

many thanks for all that info mike...most interesting...would you know the latest date he was at 41 bull st as that would narrow down the date of the coin which had been turned into a key ring...the clip on the key ring looks quite old to me

lyn

 

[pjmburns]

Lyn - there is a similar one here and they have dated it 1895 https://tokencatalog.com/token_reco...750&inventory_id=289373&attribution_id=111808

 

[Astoness]

cheers jan

lyn

 

[Radiorails]

Janice, it says the descriptive and historical notes were by Davis in 1895, but that does not necessarily date the coin. Sorry to be pedantic.
The last of Mikes cuttings mention Distinct Vision, I wonder what the date of that was and when did Gargory cease trading or sell his business?

 

[mikejee]

He moves from 41 Bull St 24 North Western Parade between the 1888 & 1890 Kellys. So the latest possible date for 41 Bull St would be 1889

 

[Astoness]

cheers mike so the coin dates from between 1862 and 1889

many thanks

lyn

 

[mikejee]

Well Lyn, strictly speaking, it could be from 1858 to 1889

 

[pjmburns]

Janice, it says the descriptive and historical notes were by Davis in 1895, but that does not necessarily date the coin. Sorry to be pedantic.
The last of Mikes cuttings mention Distinct Vision, I wonder what the date of that was and when did Gargory cease trading or sell his business?

Oops - but at least we know it must be before that date!

 

[Lady Penelope]

Wonder if that's where Charles Dickens got his idea for the name of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations? It's an unusual name and Dickens spent much time in the city and took at least one plot from a Birmingham citizen. Be nice to think another Birmingham bloke was immortalised! Dickens was known to frequent the Queens Head in Steelhouse Lane just round the corner.

 

[Radiorails]

I didn't connect Dickens with Birmingham but I did think of old Joe Gargery.

 

[mikejee]

Alan
You might be interested in this thread;
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/charles-dickens-in-birmingham.28215/

 

[Radiorails]

Alan
You might be interested in this thread;
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/charles-dickens-in-birmingham.28215/

Thank you so much for that link Mike; a very interesting read. It wasn't so much as not associating Dickens with Birmingham, but not associating Birmingham with Dickens but just Joe Gargery.
Actually The Pickwick Papers was screened on tv sometime yesterday but I did not watch it due to other commitments. It is bound to be repeated so I will look out for it.