Emily Street

[stev1951]

I was recently cleaning a stained glass window in a Victorian town house. It shows a cost of arms. The house is called Ellesmere House so might have a connection to the Duke of Ellesmere as many roads round here are Ellesmere Road, Crescent etc. In one small panel of glass, painted up side down is 'W.H. Perks 56 Emily Road Birmingham.' The 'k' in Perks is rather odd and maybe an 'm'. Has anyone any information about this person? Was there a stained glass business in the street at one time? The house could any time in the first three quarters of the Victorian era. Thank you.

 

[Astoness]

i have moved this thread from forum rules to the correct section of the forum which is neighbours and streets..could you also clarify the name of the thread title please...you have put emily st but in your post you mention emily road...thanks

 

[pjmburns]

1904 Kelly's directory lists a William H Perks as an "artist in stained glass" but listed on Moseley Road. I can't connect to either Emily Road or Street at the moment

 

[Pedrocut]

Confirmed by adverts

1904 Kelly's directory lists a William H Perks as an "artist in stained glass" but listed on Moseley Road. I can't connect to either Emily Road or Street at the moment

 

[pjmburns]

As the name is upside down I wonder if a piece of glass has been reused.
Perhaps it came from a house in Emily Street/Road?
Edited: Next post tells me this is a wrong guess
.

 

[mikejee]

In Kellys 1892- 1903 William Perks, glass stainer 56 (back of) Emily St. In 1904 it is William Henry Perks, artist in stained glass, 72 Moseley Road.. One might think that the Henry was a son taking over the business, though v#cannot be sure.

 

[pjmburns]

Thanks Mike - saves me having to check other Kelly's.

 

[JohnFletcher]

The Limes, Newport, Gwent, was built for Nathaniel David Lewis in about 1897 and adorned with stained glass (see attached pix). William H Perks, 56 Emily St. Birmingham appears in one of the panels. Three other houses with similar style and features were build about the same time (Ingleside, Elmswood, #44 Fields Park Road), including stained glass by William H Perks. I am keen to learn more about William H Perks and his different stained glass commissions. As a Canadian, I was surprised to learn that: 1) the cook for the original family in 1901, Martha Jones, was Canadian; and 2) the original owner moved to Canada, where he died in 1909. Great fun! Cheers, John

 

[MWS]

There is a William Henry Perks b1864 Wolverhampton listed on the 1901 & 1911 census (Solihull district) possibly Stratford Rd, listed as a stained glass artist in 1901 & a leaded light manufacturer in 1911. He has a son, Henry William listed as assisting in business in 1911.

 

[MWS]

In 1891 he is listed as Artist Stained Glass & Art Teacher.

He was probably reg. as William Henry Whittingham, either the illegitimate son of Emily Whittingham or born before his parents married.

 

[JohnFletcher]

Any idea if his works are to be found in any notable public buildings? Who is (was) Emily Whittingham?

 

[MWS]

Emily Whittingham was his mother. She married William Perks a couple of years after William Henry's birth. So he is either the illegitimate son of Emily and an unknown father who took the name of his step father or the illegitimate son of Emily & William, born before they married.

 

[Arty17]

The Limes, Newport, Gwent, was built for Nathaniel David Lewis in about 1897 and adorned with stained glass (see attached pix). William H Perks, 56 Emily St. Birmingham appears in one of the panels. Three other houses with similar style and features were build about the same time (Ingleside, Elmswood, #44 Fields Park Road), including stained glass by William H Perks. I am keen to learn more about William H Perks and his different stained glass commissions. As a Canadian, I was surprised to learn that: 1) the cook for the original family in 1901, Martha Jones, was Canadian; and 2) the original owner moved to Canada, where he died in 1909. Great fun! Cheers, John

Hi John, this thread caught my attention as to the reference to the Surname “Perks”. I was wondering whether you are researching the name for family history connections as Perks was my maiden name, with family originally from Birmingham. Cheers, Rhonda.