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History of Vyse Street

As Lyn said, I assume you are interested in the firm rather than Samuel's political and charitable works. Other than a couple of minor thefts from the company and hiring adverts, the only mention I found in the newspapers of the firm was a case where in 1908 an employee had fraudulently hallmarked (for his own benefit not the company's) some items. Details below .

Biem mail.3.12.1908.jpg
 
hi julia..a little tip..make sure when you come back to a thread you go to the last post you made that way you will not miss anything we have posted...just to go with the photo i posted and mikes newspaper snippet here is another one of the general transport strike coming down vyse st dated 1911 so your gt grandad could well have stood watching this event...the last property on the right is number 122 so 123 just out of shot

lyn

Vyse St (2).JPG
 
Samuel Usher’s hallmark (“SU”) is registered March 1881, and the company appears using the business name after 1905 through to at least the early 1920s—you’ll find these on authenticated pieces like gold rings and signet jewellery

According to Grace’s Guide, the company exhibited at the British Industries Fair in 1929, describing themselves as manufacturers of high-class diamond and gem rings, including signet rings in bloodstone, lapis lazuli, amethyst, topaz, as well as brooches and earrings—headquartered at 123 Vyse Street, Birmingham.
 
Pedrocut said:
In 1878 there was a Harris Usher at 123 Vase Street. Would this be a relation?
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Oh I will try and look into that I have been doing family research and before Samuel Usher his father was an agricultural labourer so we wondered where he might have picked this trade up from . I unknowingly picked up the jewellery making trade after a lapse of two generations and found this out when I was training in the quarter back in the early 2000’s
 
mikejee said:
As Lyn said, I assume you are interested in the firm rather than Samuel's political and charitable works. Other than a couple of minor thefts from the company and hiring adverts, the only mention I found in the newspapers of the firm was a case where in 1908 an employee had fraudulently hallmarked (for his own benefit not the company's) some items. Details below .

View attachment 206451
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Oh I would be interested in his political and charity works too. I’m trying to do the Usher Family history and it’s all fascinating. Thanks for all your help
 
Pedrocut said:
Samuel Usher’s hallmark (“SU”) is registered March 1881, and the company appears using the business name after 1905 through to at least the early 1920s—you’ll find these on authenticated pieces like gold rings and signet jewellery

According to Grace’s Guide, the company exhibited at the British Industries Fair in 1929, describing themselves as manufacturers of high-class diamond and gem rings, including signet rings in bloodstone, lapis lazuli, amethyst, topaz, as well as brooches and earrings—headquartered at 123 Vyse Street, Birmingham.
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Fabulous finds! Thank you so much.
 
In 1881 Samuel was living at 85 Camden Street.
His father may be George an agricultural labourer.
So rags to riches ? Maybe the Harris of Harris & Usher may hold the clue.

IMG_5552.jpeg
 
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To add about Samuel
He was a member of the Fabian society. And in later life at least a member of the Erdington Liberal association. In 1903 he was one of the vice presidents of the Birmingham & District Passive Resistance Movement, who objected apparently to local education rates being used to support religious denominational schools. He was a religious man, being a member of the Congregational church, and very involved in education in Erdington, founding the Erdington Adult School
 

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Nominations for Parliamentary election Handsworth in 1892. Samuel Usher Elmshurst, Vicarage Road. This ties in with the 1901 Census.
 
mikejee said:
To add about Samuel
He was a member of the Fabian society. And in later life at least a member of the Erdington Liberal association. In 1903 he was one of the vice presidents of the Birmingham & District Passive Resistance Movement, who objected apparently to local education rates being used to support religious denominational schools. He was a religious man, being a member of the Congregational church, and very involved in education in Erdington, founding the Erdington Adult School
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This is wonderful! Thanks so much. What gems to find this out about him.
 
julia usher said:
Hi Lyn, I have just found it and it is wonderful thank you much. The help in getting information on Samuel Usher has been amazing from the forum. So grateful
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great...as i said earlier when you come back to a thread always read from the last post you made that way you wont miss anything..vyse st hold special memories for me as i worked at no 47 early 70s...my first job after leaving school

lyn
 
Birmingham Daily Post in 1928 gives short obituary.

Certainly a puzzle how Sam rose up if his father was an agricultural labourer.
The 1851 census leads to William Usher a Warehouseman, and Sam as scholar (9).

IMG_5555.jpeg
 
mikejee said:
To add about Samuel
He was a member of the Fabian society. And in later life at least a member of the Erdington Liberal association. In 1903 he was one of the vice presidents of the Birmingham & District Passive Resistance Movement, who objected apparently to local education rates being used to support religious denominational schools. He was a religious man, being a member of the Congregational church, and very involved in education in Erdington, founding the Erdington Adult School
Click to expand...
Hi Mike, this is utterly amazing. I have tried to find more about Samuel Usher as one of the founding members of the birmingham jewellers and silversmiths association to see if i could see any details on him being involved the forming of jewellery school (I am not having much luck sadly) Do you know where I could find this info or old documents. Also i am stuggling to find any images or documents relating to his great works founding the Erdington Adult school. I am not sure if this is still going today? Thanks again so much for any help! I am gripped by his story and im desperate to find out more. Best wishes Julia
 
Hello again.

My great-grandfather (William Reed Sr.) worked at 32 Vyse Street, Hockley as an Electroplate Polisher at Messers Synyer & Beddoes, according to the information he gave on the 1921 UK Census.

In addition, his son (William Reed Jr.) worked at 108 Vyse Street, Hockley as a Toolmaker at Fenwick Bros. Stampers and Piercers, also according to information from the 1921 UK Census.

Can anyone direct me to any information about these two companies or photos of these two locations?

Many thanks.

MARTIN REED
 
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Below is a photo I took around 1970, not long before demolition, of 108 Vyse st. You can see that Arthur Fenwick , presumably a son, may have still been there, or recently left.

20. 108 Vyse St.jpg

At around the same time I took the photo below of no 32 Vtse St. Both are portions of larger photos

19. 32 Vyse StA.jpg
 
mikejee said:
Below is a photo I took around 1970, not long before demolition, of 108 Vyse st. You can see that Arthur Fenwick , presumably a son, may have still been there, or recently left.

View attachment 211561

At around the same time I took the photo below of no 32 Vtse St. Both are portions of larger photos

View attachment 211563
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Thank you Mike. I wasn't expecting such a precise photo. What made you take these photos? Was it the threat of demolition?
 
Martin Reed said:
Thank you Mike. I wasn't expecting such a precise photo. What made you take these photos? Was it the threat of demolition?
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hi martin have you seen the below thread by mikejee...he took loads of photos of birmingham (including the jewellery quarter) during 69 to 73 many of the buildings have been demolished so his photos are most important to the history of birmingham...make sure you read from post 1..

lyn


mikejee

Thread 'Birmingham 1969-73'

At Phil's (PMC1947) suggestion I am posting the set of pictures I took over the period above, part of the time when Birmingham was being destroyed. I wish now I had taken more, and that I was a better photographer. Unfortunately all my notes (but luckily not the negatives and slides) were destroyed in Leeds in 1977, when my cellar was flooded with sewage, and so most cannot be dated accurately, though a few of the films do apparently have processing dates. I say apparently because one seems to say April 1967, which is 5 months before I came to Birmingham ! The identification of the...
  • Appreciate
 
Astoness said:
hi martin have you seen the below thread by mikejee...he took loads of photos of birmingham (including the jewellery quarter) during 69 to 73 many of the buildings have been demolished so his photos are most important to the history of birmingham...make sure you read from post 1..

lyn


mikejee

Thread 'Birmingham 1969-73'

At Phil's (PMC1947) suggestion I am posting the set of pictures I took over the period above, part of the time when Birmingham was being destroyed. I wish now I had taken more, and that I was a better photographer. Unfortunately all my notes (but luckily not the negatives and slides) were destroyed in Leeds in 1977, when my cellar was flooded with sewage, and so most cannot be dated accurately, though a few of the films do apparently have processing dates. I say apparently because one seems to say April 1967, which is 5 months before I came to Birmingham ! The identification of the...
  • Appreciate
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Thank you Lyn. I've just had a look at the photos in the thread you sent, and Mike's comments about the photos. What a treasure trove! What foresight to have thought of recording these places for posterity. Photos have the power to bring back so many memories. Thank you Mike.
 
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