Birmingham silversmiths - Wakeling family

[EmmaB84]

Hi,

Would there be any way of finding what company or companies my ancestor worked in? It said he was a pencil case maker (gilt) in the silversmith industry.

(3rd great granduncle) Alfred Wakeling, born in Birmingham 1863-1914. It seems the Wakelings all stayed in the same area and are buried in Key Hill Cemetery. It was his son Alfred James Wakeling b1885 who died during the blitz at the Vine Hill Inn with his wife Mabel in 1940 (and other mystery woman).

Alfred (senior) had a few addresses between 1881-1911 but was in the same occupation all of his life it seems.
His addresses around Birmingham were:
10 Peel St (1881)
39 Blews St West (1891)
39 Rosebery St (1901)
15 Rosebery St (1911)

Would there be any way of finding where or who he worked for? I know it was the jewellery quarter they resided (so probably an endless list of possibilities) in but looking at the store directories doesn't seem to give me much.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thank you.

 

[MWS]

The 1921 census (released in the new year) should give employer's name, the first time it was a requirement. I have seen employer's name listed on the 1911 census - eg my great aunt worked for Holbrook's - but it's usually listed in error rather than as a rule.

Apart from that there's the newspapers. There's a variety of reasons someone may be mentioned and they do sometimes list an employer depending what the article is about but you have to be fortunate to find a relative mentioned.

 

[MWS]

And straight away, there's a mention of a Frederick Wakeling of Rosebery St in 1904. Unfortunately though it says he's a cycle polisher it doesn't appear to list his employer.

Also if they enlisted in WWI and their service record survives, an employer's name is sometimes listed.

 

[EmmaB84]

The 1921 census (released in the new year) should give employer's name, the first time it was a requirement. I have seen employer's name listed on the 1911 census - eg my great aunt worked for Holbrook's - but it's usually listed in error rather than as a rule.

Apart from that there's the newspapers. There's a variety of reasons someone may be mentioned and they do sometimes list an employer depending what the article is about but you have to be fortunate to find a relative mentioned.

Thanks for your reply MWS, unfortunately he passed away in 1914, so 1911 was the last census I was able to draw from.