Thank you for posting this picture. Are you able to give a date for the shop front photograph?
Judging from the slight downward slope of the road from right to left, this is probably the Digbeth shop.
I believe this business was started around 1796 by my 4 x great-grandparents James and Ann (nee Wolley) Jenkins. Both baptised (around 1755 / 56) and married in 1781 at St Michaels, Bugeildy Radnorshire.
After James’ death in 1820, probably his son James Jenkins (b 1785) and wife Ann (nee Williams) carried on the business. Married at St Bartholomew, Edgbaston in 1807 they had 8 children: James, Joseph Henry, William, Mary, John, Thomas, Edwin William and Ann. All christened at Saint Martins.
Unfortunately on 19th April 1823 Ann Jenkins (nee Williams) was buried aged 36. Soon after on 15th June 1823 their youngest daughter, Ann, was buried aged 6 months. Finally on 1st July 1823 their eldest son, James, was buried aged 15. All three burials at Saint Martins.
James was now a widower with 6 children. His mother, Ann Jenkins (Wolley), was still alive.
On the 9th August 1823, James Jenkins married his deceased wife’s youngest sister, Mary Williams, at St Philips Cathedral. I cannot find any evidence of further children.
Then in February 1826 James Jenkins died aged 41 and buried at Saint Martins.
On 4th June 1841 Mary Jenkins (Williams) dies aged 43 of consumption. Buried at Saint Martins.
The 1841 census lists Mary Jenkins, Thomas Jenkins and John Clark as living in Digbeth.
In December 1841 Ann Jenkins (Wolley) dies aged 85 at Greenway Terrace Coventry Road. Buried at Saint Martins.
Around 1849 Mary Jenkins’ nephew, a John Rowe Jenkins, comes to live at 6 Digbeth following the death of his father, John Jenkins.
The 1851 census lists 6 Digbeth with Mary Jenkins as head, John Clark as partner. Not too sure if this means Business Partner. And John Rowe Jenkins as nephew.
30th September 1851 Mary Jenkins and John Clark are married at Saint Martins. They subsequently had three children, all born at 6 Digbeth, and christened at Saint Martins.
In August 1858 two shop assistants are found guilty of stealing from 6 Digbeth. They are each sentenced to 6 months imprisonment with hard labour. Please see attached ‘Jenkins Clark theft from’
On 11th February 1859 John and Mary’s youngest child, William James Jenkins Clark, dies aged 10 months from Laryngismus slidulus.
Four days later on the 15th February 1859, John Clark dies aged 45 of pneumonia.
Both these deaths are recorded sequentially, with deaths occurring at 6 Digbeth and a Henry Todd ‘in attendance’ in both cases.
By the 1861census the business has expanded to 6 and 7 Digbeth, with Mary as head, a Henry Todd as a 20 year old assistant, as well as other managers / assistants.
On 16th April 1867, Mary’s nephew John Rowe Jenkins, aged 22, was admitted as a pauper to Winson Green Lunatic Asylum. According to the admittance notes, a medical practitioner examined John at 6 Digbeth and noted, “his vacant look, his obstinate silence, and refusal to answer any questions”.
An addition by Mary notes that: “He is morose and if told to anything he goes into a fit of rage and breaks doors and destroys the articles kept in the shop and runs around the shop barking like a dog”
John Rowe Jenkins stayed at Winson Green Lunatic Asylum for about fifteen years until his death in 1887 aged 37 of Pneumonia.
For the 1871 and 1881 census there is only 6 Digbeth listed and Mary is there with her only son, a John Thomas Jenkins Clark.
By 1891, Mary is retired and living with her daughter Mary Lousia Jenkins Clark and her son-in-law Joseph Ash, in Hall Road Handsworth.
Mary died aged 78 in 1892. From her birth in 1814 until at least 1881 Mary spent those 67 years living and working around 6 Digbeth.
There is a rate book listing in 1901 for 5 Digbeth for Joseph Ash. There is no listing for 6 Digbeth. Cannot find any record for Digbeth / Moat Lane after that date.
The Jenkins family had several shops around this time:
Mary’s uncle Michael Jenkins (1795 – 1857) and a Horatio Nelson Ashford (1817 -1902) ran a ‘Dining room, Drawing Room and Bed Room furniture’ shop at 58, 59 and 60 Digbeth until about 1863. Please see attached advert for their shop.
Mary’s brother William Jenkins (1812 – 1884) and partner (wife) Rebecca Woodward ran a successful wine shop named ‘Rose’ and wine merchant at 681/2 Edgbaston Street until about 1880.
Finally another of Mary’s brothers a Joseph Henry Jenkins (1809 – 1866) and partner (wife) Jane Harriot Gardner ran a milliner shop firstly at 75 Navigation Street, then 13 Dale End, then 93 Snow Hill before moving to Wolverhampton and opening a public house around 1862. Theirs was quite an incredible story (both in B’ham and Wolverhampton). I am compiling a list of events and will post when ready.
