Samuel Grayson, Coal Merchant of Northwood Street

[Jason Ellis]

Samuel Grayson (1875–1920) was running a coal merchant business in Northwood Street at the time of the 1911 census. Does anybody please know anything about it, or even better have any photos? Looking at maps it seems logical that it would be at the north-east end junction with Livery Street and the railway line (but that is just a logical guess). A bit of digging shows me that there was a busy sidings there. Apparently, Snow Hill's turntable was relocated to Northwood Street, adjacent to Taylor and Challen's works when Snow Hill was rebuilt in 1911. That would have been a nice opportunity for Samuel to enter the coal trade, previously he had been a jeweler and electro-plate worker. His father John Grayson (1843–1905) was a goldsmith and jeweler. My late grandmother told me about his coal business, the census just confirmed it

Any information or photos on Samuel or his business would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mikejee]

What makes you think the business was in Northwood St? The census just gives where he himself was /lives at that time. There is a firm Grayson & Wood, coal dealers, at 32 Caroline St, and there is a firm Bowen & Edwards, coal merchants at 92,95,97 Northwood St.

 

[Jason Ellis]

What makes you think the business was in Northwood St? The census just gives where he himself was /lives at that time. There is a firm Grayson & Wood, coal dealers, at 32 Caroline St, and there is a firm Bowen & Edwards, coal merchants at 92,95,97 Northwood St.

Thank you Mike, that is excellent information which I will pursue - particularly the Wood partnership. Samuel Grayson never married, so a forray into a Wood partnership may yield great information. But to answer your question - my late grandmother told me face-to-face (about 1970) that Samuel Grayson had a coal merchants business in Northwood Street. As I said, until I checked the census I had no way of being sure if that was true or not. As you quite rightly say, the place of residence on the census it not the same as the place of that person's business - which is precisely why I asked my question. The way my Nan described it suggested that it was his own business so I will start my research on Grayson and Wood and only if necessary on Bowen and Edwards. Thank you once again, your responses to my questions are much appreciated.

 

[mikejee]

From Kellys (remember that year of directory is publicatio year and probably refers to situation in previous year)
Grayson & Wood are in directory at 32 Caroline st in editions 1910-1913, but not in 1908 edition (when coal dealer at no 32 is Phillip Alfred Barnes).
In 1915 edition Samuel is listed as a coal dealer in Kenyon St (no number given , but somewhere on the north side of the street between the Shakespeare Inn and Caroline St an probably no 28) By 1921 edition he has gone , but there is a coal dealer in around the same place occupied by
William Henry Edmonds, coal dealer at no 28. No Grayson is then listed as a coal dealer or associated trade , or any Samuel Grayuson listed

 

[Jason Ellis]

Thank you. I will investigate

 

[pjmburns]

In 1911 rate book there is the following entry - I am also pasting the headings of the columns

 

[pjmburns]

On the 1912 e roll he is also listed - again I am pasting the headings plus his line of entry.



This would seem to indicate his coal yard is the one Mike referred to.

 

[Jason Ellis]

Janice, thank you, that is extremely helpful and pleasing that it agrees with Mike's suggestion.