Birmingham Steam Buses 1824-1910.

[Thylacine]

From this family name history page: Subject: Goddard ...

Thanks, Lloyd! We now have a wealth of information on SAG (except for the exact date of his death in 1886). Funny how some people yield so much data, while others remain almost complete mysteries!

 

[Thylacine]

... Samuel Aspinwall Goddard ... m. Julia Backope ...

SAG seems to have remarried by the time of the 1841 census (post #338) when his wife was Jasmina.

 

[Thylacine]

Dr William Church in the London Gazette.

[I have carefully re-scanned the London Gazette for mentions of our Doctor William Church, and found several new entries, many relating to his later life in Birmingham (he returned to the US in 1861). He clearly maintained his inventiveness until he was an old man: he was in his mid to late 70s at the time of his armaments patents, and about 80 years old at the time of his last patent application of 1858.]

9 October 1832: partnership with Henry Winkfield and Thomas Morton Jones as merchants, factors and manufacturers dissolved 2 July 1831.
7 September 1849: partnership with Thomas Lewis as patent card manufacturers (Bradford Street) dissolved 27 August 1849 (business continued by Lewis).
10 June 1853: re patent 1277 for "a new or improved sight for cannons and other ordnance".
9 June 1854: re patent 1127 for "a new or improved projectile".
28 September 1855: re patent 2074 of 14 September 1855 for "improvements in mounting and adjusting ordnance and other fire-arms". (Also 22 January 1856; not renewed 5 November 1858).
26 October 1855: re patent 2310 of 16 October 1855 for "an improvement or improvements in the manufacture of ordnance". (Also 26 February 1856; not renewed 21 January 1859).
22 August 1856: re patent 1896 of 13 August 1856 to William Church and Henry Whiting Hamlyn (Birmingham corn factor) for "an improved method or improved methods of constructing or building hay and other ricks". (Also 16 December 1856; not renewed 21 October 1859).
22 January 1858: re patent 39 of 9 January 1858 for "improvements in measuring rules, compasses and other mathematical instruments, and in the machinery to be employed in manufacturing measuring rules and other mathematical instruments". (Also 4 May 1858; not renewed 19 April 1861).

 

[Thylacine]

Steampunk?

My son John Peter Thylacine (who was born on my birthday in 1983!) visited me the other day, and was looking over my shoulder while I was wearing my "Phineas Thylacine" mortarboard in the BSB classroom. He laughed at our antics, was impressed by our research, and uttered the enigmatic word "Steampunk", which I had never heard before (I lead a very sheltered life).

So I set out to educate myself, discovering that "Steampunk" is a literary and artistic genre, style of design, and cultural phenomenon, all rolled into one "movement". I'm sure that many of our readers are au fait with "Steampunk", but for fogies like me who are new to it, here are a couple of introductory links:

[1] Wikipedia, as usual, has a "Steampunk" article.
[2] An interesting YouTube video of a Museum of the History of Science (Oxford University) "Steampunk" exhibition.

[I'm not at all convinced that our BSB classroom can be classified as "Steampunk". There are certainly elements of it, but surely our genre deserves its own name. "Steam-anorak", "Steamgoon" and "Steamjunk" spring to mind, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm also pretty sure that "Steampunk" as a movement is not my "cup of cocoa" (though aspects of it are attractive). I do like the references to Jules Verne and H G Wells (two of my favourite authors), and am reminded of the attached picture. It is by Geoff Taylor, and comes from the 1978 album "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds" (narrated by the incomparable Richard Burton). Entitled "Brave New World", it depicts The Artilleryman's vision of a post-Martian underground steam-powered future. ]

 

[Lloyd]

I think the motto translates as: "Stag not Slave".

"Stag not Servant" is the more literal translation (it would have to be "mancipium" for slave), but the "Great not lowly" air still applies.

"Superbia adveho pro a cado" would have been more fitting - "Pride comes before the fall" !

 

[Thylacine]

Good morning, and thanks for that gentle correction, Lloyd! I should have know you were also a Latin scholar!

 

[Lloyd]

Steampunk - yes! Very apt I think. Love the Steam Computer - I want one of those!

I have oft thought the epitome of what is now called Steampunk was the Royal Navy's K class steam submarines, their worst moment at the Battle of May Island although tragic in outcome is worthy entertainment of the "Carry On" comedy genre.

 

[Thylacine]

This website gives the following details for Samuel Aspinwall Goddard and his wife (named as Jemima Bachope: "Jemima" is the third version of her forename, as we already have "Julia" and "Jasmina"):

Samuel Aspinwall Goddard:

born 4 Oct 1796 Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US;
christened 9 Oct 1796 (same place);
married 14 Sep 1824 Holy Trinity, Liverpool, Lancs;
died 24 Jul 1886 The Cottage, Little Aston, Staffs;
buried 29 Jul 1886 Old Edgbaston Parish Churchyard, Edgbaston, Warks.​

Jemima Bachope:

born 11 Feb 1800 Soho Street, Liverpool, Lancs;
(married 14 Sep 1824 Holy Trinity, Liverpool, Lancs);
died 8 Jan 1875 Frederick Road, Edgbaston, Warks;
buried 13 Jan 1875 Old Edgbaston Parish Churchyard, Edgbaston, Warks.​

So SAG was a fellow countryman of Dr William Church (and Henry Van Wart). Indeed, SAG and WC were both from Massachusetts, and may well have been previously acquainted, or perhaps even related. There appears to have been quite an influx of Americans into Birmingham at this time.

 

[Thylacine]

Henry Van Wart Biography.

Here is an e-text of a biographical sketch of Henry Van Wart (25 September 1783 Tarrytown, New York, US - 15 February 1873 Edgbaston). The splendid picture gives us another signature! The chapter is from:

Eliezer Edwards (1815-1891). Personal Recollections of Birmingham and Birmingham Men. Reprinted From the "Birmingham Daily Mail", With Revisions, Corrections, and Additions. Birmingham: Midland Educational Trading Co Ltd, 1877.

This work provides a valuable account of Birmingham in the "first generation steam bus" era.

 

[Lloyd]

The 1871 census gives, at 43 Frederick Rd, Edgbaston:
Samuel A Goddard, age 74, American Merchant born United Staes of America - Naturalised British Subject;
Jemima Goddard, 71, wife, b. Lancashire, Liverpool;
Julia B Goddard, 45, daughter b. Warwickshire, Birmingham;
Mary L M Goddard, 44, daughter b. Warwickshire, Birmingham;
Edward D Goddard, 43, son b. Warwickshire, Birmingham;
Fanny D Goddard, 37, daughter b. Warwickshire, Birmingham;
Mary A Stubbs and Harriett Daves, servants.

 

[Lloyd]

Re: Henry Van Wart Biography.

Some of the Van Wart family's American fame can be read about here and here.

 

[Thylacine]

Thanks, Lloyd! What a splendid residence 43 Frederick Road, Edgbaston, is.

 

[Thylacine]

Ancient Steampunk.

Greek engineer Hero of Alexandria (AD c 10 - c 70) described the "world's first steam engine" in his Pneumatica. The aeolipile ("ball of Aeolus") was a rotating sphere powered by two opposing jets of steam (see artist's impression below: but it isn't a steam turbine!). About a century earlier, Roman engineer Vitruvius (Marcus Vitruvius Pollio; c 75 - c 10 BC) had mentioned the aeolipile, but without a description of the steam-powered rotary mechanism. Both Hero and Vitruvius were influenced by the writings (now lost) of Greek inventor and mathematician Ctesibius (flourished 285 - 222 BC).

 

[Thylacine]

Newtonian Steampunk.

Wiliam Fletcher's History and Development of Steam Locomotion on Common Roads (London: E and F N Spon, 1891) states:

It is curious that Sir Isaac Newton [1643-1727], in one of his books, said that it would be necessary that a new mode of travelling should be invented. He prophesied that the time would arrive when owing to the increase of knowledge, we should be able to travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour. These remarks were ridiculed at the time, but have been more than realised. Moreover, the world is indebted to the same illustrious personage for the first idea of propulsion on land by steam power, for in his "Explanations of Newtonian Philosophy", written in 1680, he suggested the little locomotive shown by the accompanying engraving [see picture [1] below], "which will be recognized as representing the scientific toy which is found in nearly every collection of illustrative philosophical apparatus".​

Now the Fletcher engraving looks decidedly "19th century", and the great Newton published no work of the title Explanations of Newtonian Philosophy in 1680 (his works were written in Latin), so further investigation was needed. A work entitled An Explanation of the Newtonian Philosophy was published at London by W Innys and R Manby in 1735. This is a translation (by an anonymous "Fellow of the Royal Society") of an abridgment of:

Willem Jacob 's Gravesande (1688-1742). Physices Elementa Mathematica, Experimentis Confirmata. Leyden: Van Der Aa and Van Der Boudewijn, 1720-1721.​

I was fortunate to find an e-text of this work, and after a long search through the illustrations, finally found (in "Tomus Secundus" of 1721) an engraving of "Newton's steam carriage", which is attached as picture [2] below. This picture is remarkably primitive, and looks quite different from Fletcher's engraving. I doubt if Newton himself published a picture of this little gadget, which I suspect he described as an illlustration of his mechanical theory of action and reaction. So picture [2] might just be the earliest picture of the Newtonian vehicle.

 

[mikejee]

I have looked into Thylacine’s request for info . Regarding the Heaton clan I am not the best person for births & deaths, and will leave that alone. The whole family seems very complicated. There are three Ralph Heatons, and it is not always clear which is which. “Birmingham faces & Places” , in an article on the Mint’s originator’s son Ralph (the second Ralph), Shadwell St mills factory of Ralph Heaton , before he moved to Icknield St. looking at the directories this seems true partly, in that immediately before , in 1858 , the firm is listed as;
Heaton Ralph & Sons, lamp manufacturers, diesinkers, medallists, tube drawers, coiners to the English and other Governments,brass stampers etc., 69 to 71, Bath
st, and 5 to 10, Shadwell at
However , this seems to be the result of a combination between 1849 and 1858 (probably after 1852, probably after George has died or changed the name of his firm to Heaton, Son & Dugard and probably with some other members of the family such as Ralph junior) of :
Heaton George, metal roller and mnfr, of copper sash etc. wire, coach beading.hooks,eyes and button shanks, 48, Shadwell street ; house, Lozells
And
Heaton Ralph &Son, die sinkers, stampers,
and piercers, 71 Bath street
It looks like all the brothers may be the brothers ofn the first Ralph Heaton, who seems to have traded as Heaton Bros at Shadwell St, but some members of the family split off to have their own firms, and then at least partially combined together again !!
I’m not 100% sure of this though.
Sorry, at present I can’t make any more of this .

Edward Vernon Blyth
1823 Blyth F. and E. V. factors, 26, Moor-street
1829-30 Blyth Edwin V. factor and merchant, Ann-st.—Residence, Islington
Edwin disappears for a while (1833-41)but Frederick (probably the “F.” in 1823) carries on as factor and seems to do quite well for himself
In 1845 he reappears:
1845 Blyth , Edwin V. manufacturer of button & paste boards & papier mache blanks, Regent parade works, Caroline st
1849 Blyth Edwin V., brass cock manufacturer andplumbers' brass founder, Edward St.Parade, and merchant. Regent Parade Works ; h. Hagley road
1852 BlythEdwin V., japanner , 8 Regent parade, house- Monument Lane
1855 Blyth Edwin V., japanner and rnanufacturer of papier machie goods 7,Regent parade; h. 51, Hagley road
Blyth E.V.and Goddard Brothers, American merchants, 69, Ncwhall St
1858 nothing (assuming he is not the Edwin with no Vernon, who is sub editor of the Daily Press in Plough & Harrow road – this might be the result of the other bankruptcy) He does not seem to appear again
Mike

 

[mikejee]

Samuel Goddard

1818 Goddard Joseph and Co. American merchants, Great Charles-street
1823 Goddard S.A. & J. merchants, 158 Great Charles-street
1829-30 Goddard & Bibby, American merchants,New-hall-st
1833 Goddard Samuel, American merchant,Newhall-st.
1839 Goddard Samuel Aspinal and Co., merchants, Newhall street—residence
of S. A., Goddard, Harborne road
1841-45 Goddard, Hill & Co. American merchants, 50 Newhall st
1849-52 Goddard, Samuel Aspinall & Co. American merchants, 50 Newhall st. home Hagley Road
1855 Goddard Samuel A. american merchant & gun manufacturer,69 Newhall street
Home: 70 Hagley Road (Note : this is the same address as blyth & Goddard in 1855 previously)
1858-76 Goddard Mr. Samuel, Aspinall, 43, Frederick st, Edgbaston
1862-78 Goddard Samuel, Aspinall & Co , merchants, Friday Bridge, Summer row
In 1878 no private address is given for Samuel, and I suspect he will have died. (it is 55 years since he was first mentioned in the directories)

Mr Harrison
There are a number of people in the directories which could fit. Without any other information it’s a lost cause
Mike

 

[Thylacine]

Mike, thanks for all the hard work on the brothers Heaton and their backers! So Ralph Heaton (the first) may be another brother of our Heatons; interesting. I must seek out the other Heaton threads, which I remember looking at a while ago. Engineer Harrison is just going to have to remain anonymous (unless someone can discover his forename(s)).

 

[Thylacine]

Bad Bill Baddeley's Tricycle 1839.

We first met William Baddeley as one of those who got stuck into our beloved Dr Church in the 1833 mechanical press. Later I revealed a few facts about Bad Bill Baddeley, and can now show everyone his 1839 "Manumotive Exercising Carriage" (described here).

 

[Thylacine]

And here is another article on LBSC director Henry Van Wart's illustrious brother-in-law Washington Irving (1783-1873), who spent a lot of time with the Van Wart family in Birmingham (cf Lloyd's post #332). It is from Bob Miles's excellent Birmingham Jewellery Quarter website. The article has "two portraits of Washington Irving", but we recognise the lower one as a mirror image of Henry Van Wart's portrait posted above (#351).

[It's a pity Irving didn't write a short story based on a journey aboard Dr Church's steamer!]

Picture [1] is of Washington Irving in 1809 (engraving by John de Marc). It is taken from his nephew Pierre Munro Irving's Life and Letters of Washington Irving (New York: G P Putnam, 1862).
Picture [2] is the painting by John Wesley Jarvis on which picture [1] was based.
Picture [3] is an 1851 younger-than-life engraving by Frederick W Halpin (1805-1880) based on a drawing by English artist Chales Martin (1820-1906), the last portrait of Irving. This is also from P M Irving's Life and Letters.

 

[Thylacine]

Where's Molesworth?

Incidentally, we haven't heard from Aidan "Steam Man" Molesworth for a couple of days. I hope he's not ill. :shock:

 

[mikejee]

Joseph Phipson

There seem to have been two josephs, one just joseph, the other Joseph Wetherley (or Weatherbey). Judging by the formers disappearence around 1836 , when you say he had a bankruptcy, then this must be your man. He (or possibly his son re-appeared a few years later. I have included details of both up to 1862, by when the one you are interested has disappeared, and ht eother has merged with others..
1815 Phipson Joseph, Easy Row

Phipson J. W. Cheadie Company’s warehouse, and dealer in metals, New-street
Phipson J . W. Bromsgrove-street
1818 Phipson Joseph. Islington
1818 Phipson J. W. Bromsgrove-street

1818 Phipson J. W. and Co.Cheadle Company’s warehouse,and dealer in metals,
Upper Temple-street
1818 Phipson J. W. manufacturer of oil of vitriol, Roman vitriol etc.Ladywell Walk
1823 Phipson Joseph. Islington
1823 Phipson and Doughty, button and military ornament makers, 12,New Hall-street
1823 Phipson J. W. dealer in wire and metals, 126, New-street
1829-30 Phipson and Doughty, gilt and plated button, naval and military ornament
makers, 12, Ncwhall-st.
1829-30 Phipson J. W. aqua-fortis manufacturer,23, Gt. Hampton-st.
1829-30 Phipson Jos. pearl shell dealer, 12, Newhall-St
1829-33 Phipson Jos. W. and Co. castors, grinding,polishing, and rolling mill, and
platers and plated metal, wire, &c.manufacturers and dealers, 126, New st.
and 39, Paradise-st.—Residence,Selly Hall
1833 Phipson Joseph, gilt and plated button,naval and military ornament makers,
and dealers in pearls, 12, Newhall-st.
1839 Phipson J. W., dealer in copper and brass tubes, wire, and rolled metals,
55, Bread street—residence, Crescent East
By 1839 all the joseph (as opposed to J.W.businesses have disappeared, because of bankruptcy.
But by 1841 ( I assume it is the same one);
1841 Phipson Joseph, agent, 11 Union passage
Phipson Joseph Weatherley, dealer in copper and brass tubes, wire and rolled
metals, Cambridge street, and manufacturing chemist, 23 Great Hampton st
1845 Phipson Joseph, passage, colonial, & emigration agent, & agent to the
Dissenters' & General life & fire insurance 11 Union passage
1845 Phipson John Weatherley,manft.chemist 23 Gt.Hampton st
1849 Phipson Joseph Henry,manufact\iring chemist,37, Lawley street
1849 Phipson Joseph, agent to the General Fire and Life Insurance Co. 70,
Navigation st.;house. Alpha Cottage, Highgate
1849 Phipson Jph. Weatherby, gent. Chain walk
1855 Phipson Joseph, went to the General fire & life assurance.70 Granville street
Home 11 frederick St, edgebaston
1855 Phipson J. W., edge tool mkcr., home. Solihull
1858 Phipson Joseph, agent to the General Fire and Life Office, 70, Granville street
; home 20, Frederick st, Edgbaston
1862 Phipson Joseph, (Phipson & Warden) ; home 20, Frederick st, Edgbaston
1862 Phipson & Warden. Brass 7 metal bedstead manufacturers, 70 Granville St.
Mike

 

[Aidan]

Re: Where's Molesworth?

Incidentally, we haven't heard from Aidan "Steam Man" Molesworth for a couple of days. I hope he's not ill. :shock:

Thanks for asking after me, bin tappin' me wheels [was gonna say greasin' me spigots but it didn't give the right image] oop North (amazingly I chanced upon the grave of George & Robert Stephenson, amongst other things) and am trying now to catch up with the mass of information you have all published in my absence - If steampunks had a Board of Directors I am sure we would be on it

 

[Thylacine]

Welcome back, Molesworth! I trust you brought a note. (Looking forward to your "oop North" holiday snaps. :grinsmile

 

[Thylacine]

Thanks for Phipson, mikejee! Your "directory digging" has been very productive, and deserves a gold star.
View attachment 54146

 

[mikejee]

W.R.Kettle

Not mentioned before 1841
1841 Kettle, William R., attorney, 1 Waterloo St
1845 Kettle Wm. Robinson, accountant, 1 Waterloo street
1849 Kettle Wm. Robinson, accountant, 27 Waterloo street
1855 Kettle Wm. Robinson, accountant,(with Rupert Kettle , barrister at same address), 27 Waterloo street
1858 Kettle W.R. (Kettle & Daniel) accountants 27 Waterloo St
1862 Kettle , Daniel & Carter, accountants, 27 Waterloo St (no mention of W.R.)
1867-68Kettle , Daniel & Carter, accountants, 33 Waterloo St (no mention of W.R.)

Home
1849 Hagley road
1855-58 Kettle W. R. esq. 2 Highfield road,Edgbaston
It looks like after 1858 he either died or moved out of~birmingham
Mike

 

[Thylacine]

Thanks again, Mike! So the first Birmingham reference to William Robinson Kettle is his signature on the LBSC dissolution notice in 1837. I wonder where he came from, and where he went after 1858? (Assuming he didn't move to the "Big Counting House in the Sky"!)

 

[mikejee]

Bartholemew Redfern

1818 Redfern Bartholomew, gun maker, Whittall-street
1823 Redfem and King, gun makers, 16, Whittall-street
1829-33 Redfern Bartholomew, gun and pistol maker, Mary-st.
1839 Redfern Bartholomew, gun manufacturer, 1, Caroline street

I think these may be connected also:
1829-30 Redfern B. and Thomas, merchants and factors, 161, Great Charles-st.
1833 Redfern B. merchant and factor, 57,Bread-street
1839 Redfern Thomas, factor, merchant, and gun maker, 57, Bread street
1841 Redfern Thomas, factor and merchant, 57 Bread St
1845 Redfern Thomas, factor & gun maker, 6 Whittall st
But it looks as if bartholemew bowed out around 1840
Mike

 

[Thylacine]

And once more, Mike, thanks for Bartholomew Redfern!

I will attempt to make "potted biographies" out of all your valuable data.

 

[Thylacine]

Bartholomew Redfern (BR) was the sixth child of William Redfern (baptized 8 August 1770) and Anne Redfern née Cotterill (baptized 29 December 1775). He married Frances Phillips (31 July 1810 - 4 November 1891) at Edgbaston on 4 October 1831. They had a daughter Fanny Louisa Redfern. BR died at Ashton in 1853 (second quarter).

Frances Redfern née Phillips's grave is at Ryde, Isle of Wight. The memorial inscription on the headstone reads:

SACRED / TO THE MEMORY OF / FRANCES / WIDOW OF THE LATE / BARTHOLOMEW REDFERN / OF EDGBASTON WARWICKSHIRE / BORN JULY 31 1810 / DIED NOV 4 1891 / "HER CHILDREN ARISE UP AND / CALL HER BLESSED"

 

[Thylacine]

Bartolomew Redfern (gun-maker, Birmingham) was granted a Scottish patent on 21 February 1831 for "a lock, break-off, and trigger, upon a new and improved principle, for fowling-pieces, muskets, rifles, pistils [sic], and small fire-arms of all descriptions".