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Lee & Wilkes, Coppersmiths, Aston

norfolk brummie

norfolk brummie

gone but not forgotten
Lee & Wilkes was situated just off Newtown Row, in Aston. I believe it was located at the end of Brewery Street, but I may be slightly out there. I do recall that there was a pub on the corner of the street with Newtown Row.

My great grandfather was employed there from around 1860-1905, my grandfather from around 1885-1928, and my father from around 1925-1975. Needless to say, our family always had wonderful copper kettles, frying pans etcetera.

They produced high class copper ware, and although they produced many items, their main product was copper kitchen utensils for the top hotels and restaurants around the country.

My questions are: Could they still be there, although I very much doubt it, and can any of our very good Birmingham history experts produce any further information on Lee & Wilkes? Many thanks.

Eddie.
 
Eddie

Below is a map c 1889 showing the position of the firm in red. , though it as not named Lee & Wilkes at that time, but E.V Wilkes. Quite a good, but short, description of the firm of Edwin Villiers Wilkes is given at https://www.oldcopper.org/e_v_wilkes.htm. The site of the old factory is now part of the Brewery St coach & Lorry park. the firm was listed as coppersmiths till 1972 but, presumably because of limited requirements for high quality copper work, in 1973 the firm was described as sheet metal workers. A firm named as Lee & Wilkes is listed on line as being a high quality catering equipment firm (which would fit in with their coppersmith background), but the address is given as Brewery St, and on Streetview I can see no sign of any building there marked with that name.

map_c_1889_Brewery_st_showing_wilkes2C_coppersmith.jpg
 
Eddie, what a wonderful example of family involvement in a Birmingham tin-bashing company. Father and son, over three generations and more than a century. Great loyalty in both directions, by the look of it. Perhaps pretty common in those days, but, I suspect, now unlikely ever to be repeated.

I recall having dealings with this Company in the 1970s. In addition to all the holloware, I think they provided high quality pressings and spinnings for aircraft applications. Can only remember standing in a large, scruffy groundfloor workshop where, spread out over the floor, were press tools belonging to my Company and dating back, in all probability, to the days of Spitfire and Lancaster production. Like so much in one's younger days, how much I regret not taking more notice of the industrial history which surrounded me at that moment and which was not to survive for much longer.

Chris
 
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Apologies Eddie, but I think I got the position of the factory wrong . Certainly i later years it seems to have been the Priory works,(not named that in directories, but is on maps), which are accessed through the gate at the end of the road, as shown below on the map of c 1890 in red . this certainly was the site in later years, though on the original map I showed it looked like the bridge over the canal arm from Brewery st was only a footpath, so lorries etc must have accessed the factory from Blews St, even though the address was Brewery st .

map_c_1890_showing_Priory_copper_works_of_E_V_Wilkes.jpg
 
Mike

It looks as if I fell into the same trap as yourself I looked the company up in the 1950 edition of Kelly's and found it was an unnumbered listing after 15 Brewery St on the south side of Brewery Street . I have altered my snip from Google accordingly.
 
Many thanks to you guys. Your response is much appreciated. Just as I would have come to expect the BHF website, and very professionally given. It would appear that the 'Lee' was added at a later date. I do remember the owner of Lee & Wilkes, at the time of my fathers employment, was a man named Jack Venables

When my father was employed there, I did visit the works a couple of times, and the Dickensian atmosphere, the smell of acrid fumes, and the general unhealthy appearance of the place, put me off following in the previous generations of my family. My younger brother did work there for a time, but left when times changed. Me? I went on to a career in the music business. My father thought that I was making the wrong decision, but later in life, he changed his mind.


My grand father always had beautiful copper kettles, and copper items around their huge old fashioned black grate. I inherited some of my fathers copperware, and still have it. It is all beautifully made, and is a constant reminder of when Birmingham craftsmen produced the finest of things.

I recall that Lee & Wilkes did produce a large copperwrk display for the entrance of the old British Industries Fair, held, I believe, at Castle Bromwich.

Eddie
 
Phil,
That photograph is exactly as I remember the street, but the building at the end, now looks quite modern. The old factory has definitely disappeared. Eddie
 
Chris,

I had no idea that Lee & Wilkes produced parts for wartime Spitfires & Lancaster's. Amazing.

I think it would be true to say that most of us failed to notice the times a'changin' , so thank God for the BHF web site. Eddie
 
Phil
Yes that's right. I knew it was after no 9 Brewery st (nominally) on the south side and only one apparent contender. Still not sure why the address was Brewery st though, unless of course the very original factory was actually in what we would call Brewery st proper and they did not want to change the address. That i possible, but no evidence. Wilks is listed in Brewery st from 1882 (not there 1880)/ He is then listed after no 13 on the south side, which would have been further up the road, but is not on the 1889 map. We shall probably never know the reason for the address, but it is strange, particularly as i have just found a map (below) from c1951 (recently added to the oldmaps site) which shows the connection to brewery st as a footbridge. The address then, as before was Brewery st.


map_c_1951_showing_priory_copper_works.jpg
 
Mike,
You are probably correct. as the 1951 map shows.

Around 1947/48 when I visited the factory a couple of times, I would walk down Brewery Street, which was a dead ending, but had gates to the factory. Those gates were possibly over the footbridge into the works, although I do not recall the bridge, as such. Perhaps it had walls on each side. I distinctly recall that the sign 'Lee & Wilkes' was over the entrance to the factory. I wish my father was till around, to ask him!! Many thanks for all your research and help. Eddie
 
Mike, I have just viewed the information on the web site that you gave in post #3.

Most of the info shown, falls in line with my memories of the company. Certainly the Lee & Wilkes stand, at Olympia, photograph confirms the address as I knew it. There would a strong possibility that my father made some of the kettles, and pots displayed. Nice to have the photograph.

The additional notes re the history, and the quality of the products produced, is another strong indicator of the company, which my father always, quite proudly, spoke about. Eddie
 
Thinking about it, Mike, that is probably it. I do recall the secretary of Jack Venables, the boss, walking across to the factory. Eddie
 
My grandfather Frederick Green worked at Lee and Wilkes from 1924 to 1975 he started as an apprentice poilisher and finished as general manager. During WW2 the factory made copper pipework for many planes including the Spitfire, not many people know this but they aslo made pipework for our navys submarines .
 
colin green said:
My grandfather Frederick Green worked at Lee and Wilkes from 1924 to 1975 he started as an apprentice poilisher and finished as general manager. During WW2 the factory made copper pipework for many planes including the Spitfire, not many people know this but they aslo made pipework for our navys submarines .
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welcome to the forum colin.. how wonderful... reading post 1 your grandfather must have known norfolk brummies grandfather and father then...

lyn
 
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Lee & Wilkes letter 001.jpg Lee & Wilkes Fred Green 001.jpg Lee & Wilkes Fred Green 001.jpg Lee & Wilkes letter 001.jpg I went through some of my fathers documents that relate to Lee & Wilkes. Fred Green was obviously a life long work mate of my father, and they both retired within a short space of each other.
I came across the following letter to my father on his retirement, and also found a note from Fred Green!

Eddie
 
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Three photographs, from a catalogue of kettles manufactured by Lee & Wilkes, in the 1970's. In true Birmingham fashion, they are obviously of the highest quality for their day. I do remember that we had the teak handled version.
Eddie
 

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I am researching the sub-contract companies that supplied Supermarine with parts for the Spitfire during WW2 and was looking up "Lee & Wilkes Ltd." from a Supermarine list and found your forum and this thread and quote.

colin green said:
My grandfather Frederick Green worked at Lee and Wilkes from 1924 to 1975 he started as an apprentice poilisher and finished as general manager. During WW2 the factory made copper pipework for many planes including the Spitfire, not many people know this but they aslo made pipework for our navys submarines .
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If Colin or anyone else can add any more to the story, for example what they did, or about the company at the time I would be extremely interested and grateful.

The research is part of a project aiming to tell the story of 'The Supermariners', primarily this has focused on the men and women of Supermarine (hence the name) but inevitably if you want to tell the whole story ... the workers of the sub-contract companies deserve to be included too.

Biy by bit I hope to add the names, pictures and personal stories of the the workers and where they worked. So any help would be fantastic.

Many thanks
Dave
 
Astoness said:
welcome to the forum colin.. how wonderful... reading post 1 your grandfather must have known norfolk brummies grandfather and father then...

lyn
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I worked at Lee & Wilkes for 5 years. I was a Tin Basher in the sheet metal shop. I started there in 1978 up until 1983. My old foreman at the time was Bill Gruickshank , he was a brilliant teacher and worked there most of his life. I remember the Spinning shop, the pickling shop. The polishing shop where the union representative worked, I'm sure that his name was Tom Grimshaw, Norman Fowler was the other rep he worked in the spinning shop. I will try and remember some other details of when I worked there. I have a brain tumor and my memory sometimes fails.
Steve Evans ex Tin Basher.
 
Builder01 said:
I worked at Lee & Wilkes for 5 years. I was a Tin Basher in the sheet metal shop. I started there in 1978 up until 1983. My old foreman at the time was Bill Gruickshank , he was a brilliant teacher and worked there most of his life. I remember the Spinning shop, the pickling shop. The polishing shop where the union representative worked, I'm sure that his name was Tom Grimshaw, Norman Fowler was the other rep he worked in the spinning shop. I will try and remember some other details of when I worked there. I have a brain tumor and my memory sometimes fails.
Steve Evans ex Tin Basher.
Click to expand...
Does anybody remember Walter Allen and his role in the company?
 
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