Cycle Maker John Hemms

[Shortie]

John Hemms (Hems) was a cycle maker whom I understand from his grandaughter (aged 94) had a shop in Soho Street, Smethwick at one time. He lived in Wellington Street in 1891, is he in Kelly's at around that time. He died in 1911, so we only have hearsay, so a bit of a long shot really.

Shortie

 

[mikejee]

Shortie
I take it the fellow below is a different John, though he is not very far away in Smethwick. Previously , in 1903-1904, it was run by Miss Jane Hemms, and in 1900 by Mrs Jane Hemms:
1908 Hems John, dairyman, 28 Poplar street, Smethwick
(On checking the census he is a 37 year old cowkeeper, so not him)

A far as the cycle manufacturer is concerned:

1890-1900 Hemms (sometimes Hems), John bicycle manufacturer, 152 Newhall St
He is n ot there 1888, but 1888-1890 (& possibly earlier ) there is a Hems & Co, brassfounders, 7 court ,Water st

The address 152 Newhall st is at , now a new building, which is marked 156, but 152 was the corner plot: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=newhall+st+birmingham&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.985334,30.146484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Newhall+St,+Birmingham,+West+Midlands+B3,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.483901,-1.906766&spn=0.007527,0.01472&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.483842,-1.906655&panoid=Jr5olGMgwX4VGPCnoYXubQ&cbp=12,261.46,,0,5


1896-7 There was also an Alfred Hemms & Son, cycle makers, 64 St Martins St

Mike

 

[Shortie]

Hi Mike

Well, this is a lot more than I hoped for, so very many thanks. The John in Smethwick is not one of mine, but the one in Newhall Street is - that is where he was living with his mother on one census (not sure which one) - I know later he lived in Winson Green and then had a shop in Soho Street. No idea about the brassfounders, I shall have to look into that, but I suspect again it is not one of mine.

The biggest surprise, however, is Alfred. He was my gt grandfather, and the family story goes that at one time he made a trike with his son (my grandfather), a foreign gentleman came and asked for a trial run, and that was the last Alfred saw of the trike or the man. I am given to understand that the trike had unusual features, but I know not what. I had wondered if this was a bit of a fairy tale, but now I know it to be absolutely correct, and this has made my day.

Mike, I think you deserve a medal! You have answered many questions for me, which have closed up little holes in my family tree, and if, for one, am extremely grateful.

Shortie

 

[mikejee]

Glad it was interesting.
Thought I’d look 7 see who was at 64 St Martin’s St before & after. In 1895 it was Matt Bowen, blacksmith, and in 1899 it was Harry Barker, blacksmith, so it looks like he took over a blacksmith's for a couple of years. Below is a map showing where I'm fairly sure no 64 was . Am not sure if it was just the yard, or also te building in front
mike

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Mike. They lived in Ruston Street, so they had not far to go to work. Perhaps it was the man who disappeared with the trike that put him out of business? It does seem a shame. His son, I think would have been William, who later worked at a cycle maker in Tyseley, as my grandfather would have only been about four years old. This is stuff that puts the meat on the bones, so to speak, so there is more of a tale to tell.

Shortie

 

[Shera]

in 1911 there is this one living 39 brearley st. handsworth

john hemms 59 cycle maker b.bham
louise hemms 58 charwoman b. glouc.
beatrice hemms 20 swivel stamper b.aston
sophia hemms mother-in-law widow 99 b. glouc

married 30yrs and just had the one child

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Shera, very kind of you. No age is correct on this census except for Beatrice. Louisa (her correct name) seemed to either not know or told fibs. Beatrice was brought up as a Hemms, but according to her birth certificate she is Beatrice Webb! We cannot find a marriage to John or a marriage to John Webb, a tricycle maker who is named on the birth certificate.

Beatrice's daughter knows something, but won't reveal all. She has said to me that we won't be able to find Beatrice's birth, and then in another letter she said it must have been someone Louisa met when she was working on the chandeliers. Very puzzling. John died in 1911 and is buried at Handsworth Cem, and his mother died the next year, aged 99, she is also at Handsworth. If only we knew the truth. I have Louisa in 1891 on her own in Hunter's Vale, and John living with his mother, and although I have looked and looked, I cannot find a Louisa Smith marriage to John Webb.