W
Wendy
Guest
As some of us will be visiting the Pen Room(museum) tommorrow I thought I would write a small condensed piece on one of our famous pen makers
Joseph Jillott was born in Sheffield in 1799 and came to Birmingham in 1822 when the slump in the steel industry followed the Napolionic Wars. This was a time of great unemployment. The early skills jillott aquired put him in good stead in the small metalware trades in Birmingham. He met and married Maria Mitchell sister of the Mitchell brothers John and William who were already manufacturing steel pens. Because of this union Joseph was drawn into the pen industry. At around 1827 Joseph began to experiment making pens in a garret in Bread Street (now Cornwall Street). Later he moved to Church Street and then took larger premises in Newhall Street. By 1853 Joseph moved his manufacturing to Graham Street where he developed the Victoria Works one of the largest factories in Birmingham. At this time they employed 600-7OO people in spacious, lofty and airy workrooms,but for moral conciderations females were separated from males or under supevision. Joseph bought the Rotten Park Estate in Edgbaston in 1851 which he later developed. "They said of Joseph Gillott that he was the wickedest of men alive-because he made people steel pens and said they did write"
Joseph Gillott died on January 5th 1872 and is buried at Key Hill cemetery.
Joseph Jillott was born in Sheffield in 1799 and came to Birmingham in 1822 when the slump in the steel industry followed the Napolionic Wars. This was a time of great unemployment. The early skills jillott aquired put him in good stead in the small metalware trades in Birmingham. He met and married Maria Mitchell sister of the Mitchell brothers John and William who were already manufacturing steel pens. Because of this union Joseph was drawn into the pen industry. At around 1827 Joseph began to experiment making pens in a garret in Bread Street (now Cornwall Street). Later he moved to Church Street and then took larger premises in Newhall Street. By 1853 Joseph moved his manufacturing to Graham Street where he developed the Victoria Works one of the largest factories in Birmingham. At this time they employed 600-7OO people in spacious, lofty and airy workrooms,but for moral conciderations females were separated from males or under supevision. Joseph bought the Rotten Park Estate in Edgbaston in 1851 which he later developed. "They said of Joseph Gillott that he was the wickedest of men alive-because he made people steel pens and said they did write"
Joseph Gillott died on January 5th 1872 and is buried at Key Hill cemetery.