Martin & Martin’s Granville St

[firthy]

I am trying to find out more about my Grandfather's cousin who was a Saddler and Harness Manufacturer he also made leather goods. His name was George Martin and his business was called Martins Birmingham Ltd and was located in Granville St. George was born in London his father George William Martin was a Master Saddler but did not manufacture. George left London with his wife Marion and set up his business in Birmingham at the end of 1891. He had 3 children of which 1 died in infancy the other 2 were George Russell Courtney and Kathleen Marion. George Russell aged 24 was Killed in Action in 1916 on the first day of the battle of the Somme. The family lived in Hartopp Road Sutton Coldfield. Martins Birmingham was featured in the Trade Directory up to the 1930's, then it disappeared.
Not sure when George and Marion died or even if Kathleen got married. Was the business sold because there was no one to take over or because of the Depression?.
I would be really grateful for any help, especially if anybody, or a member of their family can remember or worked for Martins.
Many Thanks
Val

 

[mikejee]

Val
Kellys directory seems to suggest that the firm was in Birmingham, or had some association with Birmingham before 1891
1868-83 Martin & Harris, brace & belt manufacturers, 24, 25 & 26 Great Charles street
1884 Martin & Harris, brace & belt manufs.23 to 26 Gt.Charles st
1888 Martin & Martins, fancy leather goods manufacturers, 23,24, 25 & 26 Great Charles street
1890 Martin & Martins, patentees, harness makers, bridle cutters & manufacturers of general saddlery; travelling- bags & specialities in fancy leather goods for all markets, 23,24,25,26 Great Charles St , & Broad Street buildings, Liverpool street, London E C
1892 Martin & Martins, patentees, harness makers, bridle cutters & manufacturers of general saddlery; travelling- bags & specialities in fancy leather goods for all markets, New works, Granville street & Broad Street buildings, Liverpool street, London E C

1895-96 Martin & Martins, patentees, harness makers, bridle cutters & manufacturers of general saddlery,travelling bags & specialities in fancy leather goods for all markets, Leather
works, Granville street & 30 Ironmonger lane, Cheapside, London. See advt

1897 Martin & Martins, harness makers, Granville St

1899-onwards Martin’s Birmingham Ltd, harness makers and saddlers , Granville St
Mike

 

[firthy]

Hello Mike
Firstly thankyou for replying to my query.
I hadn't realised that they had a business in Liverpool St London. On the London censi before 1901, George, his brother John More and their father George William are noted as Master Saddlers. Hopefully this info on the London business will also help me locate John More Martin as I can find no trace of him or his wife and children after 1881.
Is Grenville St still in existence?
Once again Mike thanyou for the info which has been a great help.
Val

 

[mikejee]

Hi Val
Glad to be of assistance. Glanville st is still there, and can be seen on google street view , but not many old buildings remain. The old Martin & Martins seems to be where modern flats are now. I attach a map (c 1912) where i have marked where I think the factory was in red. It is difficult to be absolutely certain as the directories do not give a number, which usually means it does not face directly onto the road. however the factory was between ripley st and commercial st on that side of the road, in about the middle . It might not have included the part of the building adjacent to the road.
I also attach an advert from the 1896 Kellys for the firm .
mike

 

[firthy]

Mike
Can't thankyou enough. I have just printed the map and the advert, which will go into my Martin File. My GGGgrandfather was George Lillywhite Martin who was born in London in 1792 he was a Fishing Rod maker by trade, and it was his son George William who became the Master Saddler. George was his son who moved from London to work in Birmingham. Looking at Kellys directory for the period 1868-1883 it seems that either George William or George went into partnership with Mr Harris sometime between 1851 and 1883. I have George William and George on the 1851,71,81 census living in London but no trace of them on the 1861, this may have been the time they visited Birmingham.
On another note Mike, can you tell me the names of the local newspapers that were in print between 1910 and 1930 as they may have the Obituary for George.
Regards
Val

 

[mikejee]

I'm afraid I'm not an expert on the newspapers. I know the birmingham post and th evening mail (possibly then called the birmingham daily mail) were going then, but I'm sure there are others on the forum who will know
mike

 

[firthy]

I will ask.
Once again Mike Many Many Thanks for your help.
Val

 

[Baz]

I am trying to find out more about my Grandfather's cousin who was a Saddler and Harness Manufacturer he also made leather goods. His name was George Martin and his business was called Martins Birmingham Ltd and was located in Granville St. George was born in London his father George William Martin was a Master Saddler but did not manufacture. George left London with his wife Marion and set up his business in Birmingham at the end of 1891. He had 3 children of which 1 died in infancy the other 2 were George Russell Courtney and Kathleen Marion. George Russell aged 24 was Killed in Action in 1916 on the first day of the battle of the Somme. The family lived in Hartopp Road Sutton Coldfield. Martins Birmingham was featured in the Trade Directory up to the 1930's, then it disappeared.
Not sure when George and Marion died or even if Kathleen got married. Was the business sold because there was no one to take over or because of the Depression?.
I would be really grateful for any help, especially if anybody, or a member of their family can remember or worked for Martins.
Many Thanks
Val

I have a lovely "cavalry pannier", stamped "Martins Birmingham 1913". It is made of canvas and leather, and is a fine example of leather craft. It is not large, and very heavily made. It is probably an ammunition pannier used by the Australian Light Horse regiments in Palestine.
Postscript: I note a record of the will of one Samuel Martin, saddler and ironmonger, of Birmingham dated 1849. It is on the National Archives site.

 

[Patrickwilmartin]

Dear Val,
I am very sorry to rain on your parade. The firms of Martin and Harris and Martin and Martins were founded by my great grandfather, Patrick William Martin. By 1888 he had been joined by 2 of his sons, Joseph Clement Martin and Patrick Alphonsus Martin (my grandfather) who described himself in the 1891 census as a saddle-maker (hence Martin and Martins). Patrick Alphonsus was an inventor and held numerous patents including for military bandoliers and golf-balls. The firm was renamed Martins Birmingham and carried on in Granville Street into the 50s, exactly where Mikejee placed it. By then it was making ladies crocodile handbags as well as belts based on one of Patrick A's patents. There was fire in the 50s and the firm moved across the road. It closed in Birmingham in the 60s, but by then there was a subsidiary in Exmouth in Devon, making rather smart plastic mesh shopping bags and printed circuit boards. it was finally wound-up in 1988. The "brace of martins" logo from 1896 was in use until the end.

So I am afraid that there is no room for your grandfather's cousin, George, unless he worked for Martin and Martins. Patrick William Martin came from Co. Cavan in Ireland and there is no record that he had relations in London.

Martins Birmingham made a range of military leather goods during the World War I all stamped Martins Birmingham, so my grandfather certainly made Baz's "cavalry pannier".

 

[chrisam]

I am trying to find out more about my Grandfather's cousin who was a Saddler and Harness Manufacturer he also made leather goods. His name was George Martin and his business was called Martins Birmingham Ltd and was located in Granville St. George was born in London his father George William Martin was a Master Saddler but did not manufacture. George left London with his wife Marion and set up his business in Birmingham at the end of 1891. He had 3 children of which 1 died in infancy the other 2 were George Russell Courtney and Kathleen Marion. George Russell aged 24 was Killed in Action in 1916 on the first day of the battle of the Somme. The family lived in Hartopp Road Sutton Coldfield. Martins Birmingham was featured in the Trade Directory up to the 1930's, then it disappeared.
Not sure when George and Marion died or even if Kathleen got married. Was the business sold because there was no one to take over or because of the Depression?.
I would be really grateful for any help, especially if anybody, or a member of their family can remember or worked for Martins.
Many Thanks
Val

Hi Val,

I realise it is a long time since the original post but I would like to contact you. I am following this same line but I think you may have connected it with the wrong "Martin & Martin", there was another company by this name that primarily traded in the States. Would love to compare notes.

Chris

Chris

 

[carolady]

Hello. My grandfather worked for Martins up until the 1960s, making handbags. I still have a lovely 1950s-style crocodile handbag with 'The Martin' stamped inside.
The older handbags were lined in watered silk. My grandmother used to make dolls' clothes for me out of the offcuts.

 

[Janet Hunt]

Dear Val,
I am very sorry to rain on your parade. The firms of Martin and Harris and Martin and Martins were founded by my great grandfather, Patrick William Martin. By 1888 he had been joined by 2 of his sons, Joseph Clement Martin and Patrick Alphonsus Martin (my grandfather) who described himself in the 1891 census as a saddle-maker (hence Martin and Martins). Patrick Alphonsus was an inventor and held numerous patents including for military bandoliers and golf-balls. The firm was renamed Martins Birmingham and carried on in Granville Street into the 50s, exactly where Mikejee placed it. By then it was making ladies crocodile handbags as well as belts based on one of Patrick A's patents. There was fire in the 50s and the firm moved across the road. It closed in Birmingham in the 60s, but by then there was a subsidiary in Exmouth in Devon, making rather smart plastic mesh shopping bags and printed circuit boards. it was finally wound-up in 1988. The "brace of martins" logo from 1896 was in use until the end.

So I am afraid that there is no room for your grandfather's cousin, George, unless he worked for Martin and Martins. Patrick William Martin came from Co. Cavan in Ireland and there is no record that he had relations in London.

Martins Birmingham made a range of military leather goods during the World War I all stamped Martins Birmingham, so my grandfather certainly made Baz's "cavalry pannier".

When we were walking in the peace gardens one day my Nan said she worked at Granville street making handbags in 40's to early 50's I was a young girl at the time and I never thought much more about it until I saw this article. I am guessing she worked at Martin's. She was a seamstress by trade so probably she did the linings for the bags etc. How I wished I asked more at the time.

 

[Astoness]

When we were walking in the peace gardens one day my Nan said she worked at Granville street making handbags in 40's to early 50's I was a young girl at the time and I never thought much more about it until I saw this article. I am guessing she worked at Martin's. She was a seamstress by trade so probably she did the linings for the bags etc. How I wished I asked more at the time.

hi janet you are not alone.. i bet there are not many of us on here who have not wished we had asked more when we could...

lyn