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J.W.EVANS SILVER FACTORY

Astoness

Astoness

TRUE BRUMMIE MODERATOR
Staff member
hi folks if you get the chance the tour of this factory is amazing..myself and our mikejee visited last week..everything left untouched when they sold to english heritage in 2008..even the old cooking range is still in situ in what used to be the kitchen when the evans family lived there ..the office of the last director tony evans left just as it was when he left on that last day including the large safe..one of the work rooms a shrine to aston villa..the smell just hit you as you walk in...there are a few short stairs to climb but manageable also they found a sealed up room which i think was used by member of the family to take photos of the evan family it was his dark room (mike will correct me if i have that wrong) and inside the secret room was the old camera he used... they do show us a photograph of the camera but english heritage are very strict about having the camera on show so it is in special storage ..sarah one of the guides was happy to take a chair around for those of us who find it difficult to stand for too long..nothing was too much trouble so please visit if you can it really is a fantastic time capsule dedicated to those who worked in such harsh conditions..here are a few photos which are great to have but to really appreciate this little gem you really need to see it for yourself

lyn

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There are scattered accounts of the beginnings of J. W. Evans on several websites, but one of the most informative is the account of a visit linked below. According to that account, Evans was apprenticed to Levi & Salaman, who helped him establish his own business at 54 Albion Street in 1881. They appear to have retained an interest in the concern, which Evans had bought out entirely by 1908. Levi & Salaman continued separately, amalgamating with Barker Brothers in 1921.

Evans initially rented 54 Albion Street. An 1871 advertisement associated with J. Turner described it as spacious premises suitable for a butcher or pawnbroker. Earlier, in 1874, the block comprising numbers 54–57 was offered for sale following the death of Thomas Thornwell. The houses were described as freehold residences, each accommodating a large family, with the necessary out-offices and small back gardens.

The trade directories indicate a gradual expansion: J. W. Evans is initially listed at 54 Albion Street, subsequently at numbers 54 and 55, and later at 54, 55 and 56. This helps trace the business’s occupation of the adjoining premises, although the dates of their purchase, and when number 57 was added, remain to be established.

 
The story about Levi and Salaman was also told to us by the guides. Their explamation was that the firm realised that Evans would at sometime want to start out on his own. He was appreciated as an excellent craftsman and so , rather than him turning into a competitor, helped him statrt out on his own and still have availability of his work, though he also did work for others. It should be exphasised that the firm usually, and certainly in the beginning, only produced blanks of base metal, which were then sold to other firms who silver plated them.
 
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