• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

The Soho Manufactory

Heartland

Heartland

master brummie
Matthew Boulton's factory at Soho disappeared under housing once the works had closed. Whilst there are maps and some engravings, there are few detailed views of this once famous establishment. In a book entitled Picturesque views of towns, cities etc published by W West in 1834. There is an engraving showing the Factory as seen from Ninevah Road, which shows all the structures on the site.
Soho.jpg
 
Time Team (T.V programme) did a very good and informative programme about the 'Soho Factory'. It's on You Tube.
Search for Matthew Boulton - Time Team.
 
The picture is in this thread.
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/soho-foundry.15896/page-2

There are a few posts on the Forum but there is some confusion in them about Works, Foundry and manufactory.
If there is a Forum Member knowledgeable about those places and their history it would certainly be worthwhile to sort them into a better context that at present. Researchers must find it hard to separate the sheep from the goats.
A resume sent to a Moderator would allow the changes to be made probably.
 
The Manufactory was earlier than the foundry and at different location. Soho Manufactory was originally water powered drawing the water to drive the wheel from a pool fed by Hockley Brook. The pool was eventually filled in and the land occupied by railway sidings.

The factory was closed after Mr Toy, the last tenant. moved his business to Eyre Street, then demolished.

There was a canal branch towards the factory from the Old Main line at Winson Green, it was called Birmingham Heath.

The Soho Foundry was erected beside the Old Main line, providing direct canal transport for the castings. With the Telford improvements of 1825-1829, the canal was straightened and a stub of the old line was retained to serve the Foundry. a map of these changes appears on P 32 of my book Birmingham Canals- published and reprinted by the History Press.
 
Bob Johnson said:
Time Team (T.V programme) did a very good and informative programme about the 'Soho Factory'. It's on You Tube.
Search for Matthew Boulton - Time Team.
Click to expand...

yes thats right bob but little did i know that many moons ago i was sitting on top of part of boultons manufactory in south road hockley...time team dug up my first boyfriends back garden..i have the dvd of it but have not watched it for years but from memory i think it was the stamping room that lay under the garden or a least part of it think it continued to run under the patio and living rooms...dont take that info as posative though...i will have another look at the dvd again but again from memory said boyfriend really got involved in the dig...wish i could have been there with my little scrapper lol it must have been so exciting

lyn
 
An interesting extract from the 1801 trial about one of several burglaries at the Soho Manufactory. It took several pubs, doubtless several beers, and plenty of walking to form the plan for the burglary including:

The Angel (unstated location)
The French Horn, Mary Ann Street
The Dragoon, Livery Street

The Manufactory watchman was a witness at the trial. They stole £150 and other articles. This would have been a hanging offence, so presumably that was their fate ?

Thief-takers were involved in uncovering the plan - see Thief-taker occupation thread here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/thief-takers.55370/



7EF7916C-6101-4A45-BE37-E79A4D0AD85B.jpeg
92BFEE86-5FCB-4C01-B63B-3B13E667FC3A.jpeg
 
Facinating forum contributions thank you. Shame that such a famous historic building was demolished so soon . it would not happen now

Soho Manufactory was founded by Matthew Boulton in 1766 on the then Soho Estate in Handsworth, Birmingham in its own grounds, along side Hockley Brook, which is now South Street in Hockley. Boulton was the first to pioneer the idea of Mass Production of 'Toys' such as buttons, buckles, watch chains, medals and later silverplate ware. I like the idea of My Toy in a previous contribution to this forum

Matthew installed one of James Watt first designs of steam engine driven by water power from the nearby Hockley Brook. In 1788 Matthew installed several Coining and Milling Presses to turn out 70-80 pieces money coins (was this perhaps the first mass production Mint?)
 
Genmac1 said:
Facinating forum contributions thank you. Shame that such a famous historic building was demolished so soon . it would not happen now

Soho Manufactory was founded by Matthew Boulton in 1766 on the then Soho Estate in Handsworth, Birmingham in its own grounds, along side Hockley Brook, which is now South Street in Hockley. Boulton was the first to pioneer the idea of Mass Production of 'Toys' such as buttons, buckles, watch chains, medals and later silverplate ware. I like the idea of My Toy in a previous contribution to this forum

Matthew installed one of James Watt first designs of steam engine driven by water power from the nearby Hockley Brook. In 1788 Matthew installed several Coining and Milling Presses to turn out 70-80 pieces money coins (was this perhaps the first mass production Mint?)
Click to expand...
Thank you Genmac! I am a follower of Boulton et Al. One on his most important contribution to manufacturing was the inclusion of standards for design and measurements, repeatability etc. He also pioneered health care particularly for younger people. The Lunar Society which he facilitated was almost like a think tank in its day. Yes he wanted to make money but he was a manufacturing pioneer ahead of his time!
 
I did not realize that Matthew Boulton contributed to the inclusion of standards for design and measurement and repeatability so early in 1790's. I guess this was a requirement for his success with constistently mass producing accurate coins.

Also I did not realize that he arranged health care for his young employees in the late 1700's. There were some later employers in 1800's in some of the cotton mills and even later with the Cadbury and Fry chocolate companies who improved children working conditions
 
A quick
Genmac1 said:
I did not realize that Matthew Boulton contributed to the inclusion of standards for design and measurement and repeatability so early in 1790's. I guess this was a requirement for his success with constistently mass producing accurate coins.

Also I did not realize that he arranged health care for his young employees in the late 1700's. There were some later employers in 1800's in some of the cotton mills and even later with the Cadbury and Fry chocolate companies who improved children working conditions
Click to expand...
A quick read is on Wikipedia, at least a start
 
Genmac1 said:
Facinating forum contributions thank you. Shame that such a famous historic building was demolished so soon . it would not happen now
Click to expand...
But it does happen now, Birmingham council have been responsible for the destruction of beautiful old buildings in the town centre to replace them with concrete eyesores.

Regarding the coin presses, they produced the famous thick and heavy cartwheel penny and tuppences, which weigh exactly 1oz and 2 oz
cart.jpeg
 
The Soho Pool c1820 shown in relation to the manufactory - located to the north of the Pool. The road alongside the prenises must be what became Factory Road.The buildings were (to the right in the photo ) demolished in the 1860s. Phyllis Nicklin captured the location (not the original manufactory) in 1968.

Viv

Screenshot_20230820_164417_Samsung Internet.jpg

Screenshot_20230820_165055_Chrome.jpg
 
Last edited:
There is also a thread entitled Soho Foundry here

Soho Foundry

I posted this under the "Soho House" thread yesterday, but maybe it would be better under a new thread: I took some friends to Soho House yesterday, they hadn't visited it before and were most impressed. Then we drove to Foundry Lane and Averys to look at the preserved cottages at Soho Foundry...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk

Viv
 
i agree richard....what a man matthew boulton was...i noted the mention of james watts partner dr roebuck which led me to thinking was he the man that the roebuck pub was named after...it is still there on the corner of soho hill and hamstead road

lyn


www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top