James Hughes, born c.1792, Japanner

[lulibell]

Hi,
I've just started to research my ancestor, James Hughes born abt 1792. I found him on his daughter's marriage cert, occupation Japanner. Mary Ann Hughes, spinster, Hockley married Thomas Lewis Willis, at the Parish Church , Birmingham 23 January 1848.
I've found James Hughes in the 1841 and 1851 censuses, and his occupation is described as tray dresser and paper tray maker. I'm assuming these are all the same trade. One address is 68 Livery street.
I was hoping that someone could find him in a trade directory and possibly any other Hughes employed in the same trade.
I'd also love to hear from anyone else researching these Hughes or Willis families.
Thanks,
Lu

 

[mikejee]

Lu
Have included any that vaguely might fit:

1815-23 Hughes Richard, paper case maker, Aston Road (not sure if you could say this was a similar trade)
1833 Hughes Sarah, paper case makr. Aston-rd
1839 Hughes Sarah, paper and spectacle case maker, Aston road
1849 Hughes Ebenezer &. Co. papier mache manufrs. 22 Sheep st
1855 Hughes Thomas, jewel case maker, 20 Regent place
1858 Hughes James, papier mache maker, 39, Loveday st
1858 Hughes Thomas, (from London) manufacturer of jewellers' cases of every description, 19½, Regent pl, Caroline st
1862 Hughes Thomas, japanner, Winson st Smethwick
1862 Hughes Thomas, jewel case manf, 20 Regent place
1867 Hughes, Thomas & James, jewel case & fancy leather case manf, 20 Regent place
1868-79 Hughes, Thomas & James, jewel cases, trays, shop fittings & fancy leather case manf, 20 Regent place
1880-84 Hughes, Thomas & James, jewellery case manf, 20 Regent place
(Between 1884 & 1888 the street was renumbered and I think no 12 in 1884 & no 20 in 1888 are the same)
1888-1921 Hughes, Thomas & James, jewellery case manf, 12 Regent place
By 1932 the wprks is occupied by The Forward Jewell Case Co
Mike

 

[lulibell]

Hi Mike,

James Hughes 39 Loveday street is him . He is there in 1861 with wife and son's family but he didn't give an occupation. So this has confirmed him nicely. The other individuals will be very useful in my research.

Your help is much appreciated,

Lu

 

[Astonian]

HI LU
Just picked up on this thread what you put about the hughes ; yes i do beleive there was a james and thomas ; in early years
and they was related to mary ann in the 1800s that i am certain off ; thats the top of my head as i recall seeing the register records which i copyied
but until i get into the loft to get the papers out i cannot say more than that and going on my last forum thread asking you to pm , me later
i think i have alot of info; for you on this about the hughes and its every think ypou have told or should i say mentioned to me tallys up
because about two years ago i went back into the local village post office and asked for the oldest person in the village and it was old mr hughes and i sat with him in his house and he told me alot about the mother and his life ;and how she left him and the father
still not to worry i will try and get the paper work out and try and put it together ; lu ;
but please do not build your hopes up yet; speak soon i hope astonian ;; alan

 

[lulibell]

Alan,
Good luck with all that.
I've been comparing the LDS records with the 1841 and 1851censuses but I'm going to try to compare two possible families carefully. Mary Ann doesn't appear on the censuses with her family. One family of Hughes seems to use Elijah in each branch of their family in the next generation.

 

[Astonian]

HI LU ;
Many thanks for returning my request for your pm which i received and had a quick look at it ;
when i return home later this evening i will take a look at what you have got ;okay ;
i have contacted a lady whom is a relative to me within my family whom was my mothers cousin ;and she had sent me some old photo,s
of mary ann ; young and old ;and also pictures of my great grand father and his brothers whom i have never seen before
one of the brothers in it is my grand father ; which i reconised him in it ;
as she is years younger than me , any way her mother whom passed away some years ago but she as a collection of pics ;
and she may hold some valuable info ;i know what i have got from my research from the 1800s records tells me some things and i actualy seen the records for that cencus butlu ; what i have done now this morning is that i have sent a pm to this lady whom is the family member
to asked what she actualy knew about mary ann i know her self she would have only been a child her self at the time
but i am hoping that she nows excactly where this mary come from ;to vrify this is the same lady we both have
what i have said previuosly is the fact in my eyes shes the one ; i have two older cousins ;whom would also possible know
one lives in spain and the other one is a top counilor in oxford whom does know of her and the back ground at some time he would have met her
as his father would have been close to her ;in fact he dealt with her finances and funeral arrangements along with the disposeable
any way lu; as soon as i come back from the office; i will at some point send you a pm by your personal pm ; okay
look foreward to speaking to you ; have a nice day ; alan ;; astonian ;;

 

[lulibell]

Hi Alan

I'm not getting too excited about our Mary Ann's matching, however I hope there will be a connection somewhere. She was born 1818-1820! What will clinch it if we have identical photos!!

Have a nice day, make hay when the sun shines, look at records when its raining stair rods!

Lu

 

[izzy eckerslike]

The trade reffered to is the making of paper mache items such as trays etc, coated in various treatments they then became as hard as wood & when finished with a black lacquer they then had oriental designs painted on in the maner of similar things from Japan, there is a free museum over Wolverhampton way with a room full of this kind of thing

 

[lulibell]

Thanks Izzy

I think James was working with papier machee trays etc. I'll look up the museum and add it to my list of places I should visit. I may send some Brummie family members with bus passes there! I've found some beautiful pieces on the net; ideal to jazz up the family tree.

Lu