Midland Davy Lamp Works, Belmont Passage, Lawley Street

[janetelfer]

My great grandfather, Joseph Cooke, was a co-founder, with William Hatherton Hall, of the Midland Davy Lamp Works in the mid 19th century. The business later passed to Joseph Cooke junior until it was finally taken over by the Commercial Engineering Company in 1919. The Miners Lamp Society are dedicating their annual Lamp Fair, 2013, to Joseph Cooke & Son and business partners William Hatherton Hall and William Hawkes Myhill, and we are trying to gather as much information as possible for an accompanying booklet.

If anyone has any information on this topic (a photograph would be wonderful) it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[ColinB]

There is a reference in Grace's Guide for Joseph Cooke in 1876 https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Joseph_Cooke_and_Co

 

[mikejee]

Jane
I’m afraid I have no picture, but don’t know if any of the following can help about the early firm and its predescessors
The early moves of the firm from directories are given below. Also there are several adverts from early directories . It should ve noted that between 1876 & 1880 the numbering in lawley St changed from consecutive (1,2,3..) to odd numbers one side , even the other, which explains the difference in the address on the two adverts.



No mention in 1852 directory
1855-8 Hall William Charles., mfr of miners' safety lamps, 29½ Mount st, (Court 5)
1862 Hall, William.H. Davy lamp manufacturer, 51 Pope St
1867-8 Hall William.H. & Co. Miners safety lamp manufacturer 22 Lower Lawley St
1872-3 Cooke Joseph & Son , miners safety lamp manufacturer , 20,21 & 22 Lower Lawley St
1876 Cooke Joseph & Son , miners safety lamp manufacturer, Belmont passage

The move to Belmont passage was not very far, as can be seen by the map below. the Belmont passage factory (still there in c1889 is in red, the arlier factory (possibly slightly expanded since the move , and now a confectionary plant, is in blue

 

[janetelfer]

mikejee Thank you very much for what looks like a lot of work on your part. I've copied all the 'adverts' - one was also supplied by Colin B, which we have - but the others are either new or a variation on a theme, so we're really pleased with that. The map is excellent and, if we don't manage to get a photograph (which is probably expecting a lot), at least we'll have a good idea of the location of the works. Can I trouble you further to ask where you found the map, and whether it is available in a larger size. And, also, am correct in thinking the blue section on the map to be the location of 29½ Mount Street?

You have really come up with some good items, for which I'm really grateful. Thank you very much again.

 

[janetelfer]

Colin B Thank you for your reply to my thread and for the copy 'advert'. To be honest, I didn't expect much response to my thread since it relates to one small area of Brum and a long time ago, but I'm really pleased to have had two replies already, and who knows?...maybe more to come. Thank you again.

 

[mikejee]

Jane
Apologies. I should have made it clear that the blue factory was 20,21,22 Lower Lawley St , which, by the time of the map (c 1889) was part of Lawley St itself.
29½ Mount st was the other end of town. Mount st was later renamed as part of Newhall St, and the c1889 map shows the upper part of Newhall St as of 1889. which was mount St in 1855. The Duke of Marlborough was no 30 (marked), and I think 29½ must have been the small back area in red of no 29.
51 Pope st had been subsumed into a larger factory by 1889, but the approx. position of it is marked in red on the other map below. Pope st still exists.
As to the maps. They were from the site at https://www.old-maps.co.uk/ You can purchase hard copies. Originally they were on large sheets about 6x the area shown, but they have been combined online. Not sure whether you now get just the area shown in the frame on the site or can get larger area. They also do smaller scale maps, where the buildings appear smaller, but if htat is what you want then I would recommend Alan godfrey . they publiosh very good reproductions at a very reasonable price. The Lawley st, Belmont passage and Mount st (shown as top of Newhall St) are on the 1888 central Birmingham map , which is at https://www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk/warks1405.htm

 

[mikejee]

Have also uncovered a few relevant cuttings, shown below. These show the breakup of the partnership with Hall in 1869, and also the fact that a joseph cooke had a business at 304 green lane making lamps. This is confirmed in the 1873 White’s directory. However by 1876 it is listed as a private address of joseph cooke. .Also dissolution of another partnership in 1892

 

[janetelfer]

mikejee Thank you very much again for all that information, and for taking the trouble to search it out. We knew of the dissolution of the partnerships, but didn't know of the business at Green Lane, so that's an interesting addition to what we've gathered so far - and that's a fascinating glimpse into the treatment of petty criminals in those days. As to the maps, it seems that Old-Maps only supply the area shown in the frame on the site, so I've taken your advice and ordered smaller scale maps from Alan Godfrey.

Once again, our thanks - you've been very helpful. Kind regards.

 

[janetelfer]

mikejee Sorry to pester you again, but it appears that your identification of 20-22 Lower Lawley Street, in blue on the map section you posted, has caused a stir amongst the chief members of the Miners Lamp Society. They were convinced the Midland Davy Lamp Works was based at that address, and Belmont Passage was somehow connected to it. Your map shows the two addresses were close, but different. Please don't think I doubt your authority, but do you have some evidence that I can present to them showing that the blue section is indeed 20-22 is L L Street. Kind regards.

 

[mikejee]

Jane
Not as simple as might be hoped, as I do not have a map which shows that stretch as Lower Lawtey St. I have added to the smaller scale c1890 Alan Godfrey map below (which you probably now have). The green line shows where Lower Lawley St was until 1879, when it changed to being a part of Lawley St. The factories are marked (though in different colours as they are affected by the colouring of this map). The purpley coloured factory corresponds to the lower Lawtey St factory (though probably a little extended to when Cookes were there), and is marked on the larger scale c1889 map you already have as “Confectionery factory”.
There follows a series of extracts from Kelly’s directories going back in time (I have marked year on them in case the ordering alters when I post on the forum):

1888 (approx time of map) at 261 Lawley St , next to Ivy lane, Icke & co, confectioners, which must be the marked factory. Sometimes where a building covered several plot numbers, only one is given
1880 Entry for Lawley St. Icke & Co confectioners 257-267, for some reason Ivy lane is omitted.
1880 Entry for Lawley St showing that lower Lawley St is now incorporated into Lawley St
1876 19-22 Lower Lawley St Icke & Co
1873 20 Lower Lawley St. Joseph Cooke (note previous comment as to not all numbers being listed).
1872 20-22 Joseph Cooke
Due to the number of attachments, I will split between this post and a second post
I hope that sheds light (if you will excuse the pun) on the question for you

Best wishes
Mike

 

[mikejee]

And here is the map

 

[janetelfer]

mikejee I didn't expect to put you to so much trouble, but I'm very grateful for your findings - they're brilliant and put the matter beyond doubt. My map still hasn't arrived as yet, but I can see how the land lies from your posted sample and the lists. Your research skills are amazing, and I'll mention your name when I next report to the miners lamp enthusiasts.

Out of interest, I came into contact with the Miners Lamp Society by accident when I was looking to buy a lamp made at my great-grandfather's factory. The person I approached via the internet happened to be the founding member of the Society, and a dialogue started between us when I explained my relationship to Joseph Cooke. He was very interested to find out all he could and my husband and I did some family research for him, with the result that he and his collegues decided to dedicate this years Lamp Fair to Joseph Cooke and his partners. With the research that has been done, both by us and the leading members of the Miners Lamp Soc, they hope to produce a booklet dealing with the history of the Midland Davy Lamp Works, starting with a William Hall, father of the William Charles Hall you listed in your first reply, right through to my grandfather, Joseph's son who sold the company in 1919.

So, once again, thank you very much for all your help. Best wishes.

 

[mikejee]

Glad to help. Will the booklet be available generally or only to members of the society, as i would like to purchase a copy if possible.

 

[janetelfer]

At the moment the senior members of the Society are considering what format would be financially viable, so I think it's definite there will be some sort of publication. As to availability, I don't know what their practise is but I'd be disappointed if there weren't enough for all the members of the family who'll want a copy. So, assuming there will be enough, I'll adopt you temporarily and I'll make sure there's one made available for you. However, the Lamp Fair isn't until June so bear with me if you don't hear anything for some time - I won't forget. Best wishes for now.

 

[mikejee]

Thank you Jane
mike

 

[cneill]

Hi there
Hopefully some of you are still on this page or get my message, even though this thread is a decade old! We live in Joseph Cooke's old house and have been trying to find out what year it was built. He seems to have been the first owner, just wondering if in your travels you happened to see when he built or moved into this house, on St Bernard's Rd.
We'd love to track down one of his Davy lamps for our house, but no luck yet!
Thanks!
Christine

 

[mw0njm.]

Davy Lamp

The Davy Lamp also known as a flame safety lamp. Mining lamps have been made at Protector Lamp in Eccles, England since 1873.

www.protectorlamp.com

Davy lamp - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Humphry Davy's miners' safety lamp

The first ever prototype of Davy’s miner’s safety lamp.

www.rigb.org

 

[janetelfer]

Hi there
Hopefully some of you are still on this page or get my message, even though this thread is a decade old! We live in Joseph Cooke's old house and have been trying to find out what year it was built. He seems to have been the first owner, just wondering if in your travels you happened to see when he built or moved into this house, on St Bernard's Rd.
We'd love to track down one of his Davy lamps for our house, but no luck yet!
Thanks!
Christine

Hello Christine, frightening to think it's a full decade since I started this thread...but we're still about!

In 1871, Joseph Cooke lived on the Coventry Road, Birmingham, and in 1881 he was listed as resident at your house in St Bernards Road. He was still there in 1891 but, by 1901, he had moved to Charles Road, Birmingham. He died in 1905. We believe he was the first owner of your house, but can only state positively that he moved there between 1871 and 1881. However, we have a piece of evidence that the move, with his second wife, was at some point after his first wife died in 1876, so maybe between 1877-1881.

It took us a while to find a nice Cooke lamp for ourselves, and we're still looking for others so that our children have one each! So I wish you luck with that - some lamps have J Cooke & Son, some JCB and some are unmarked, made for other companies, but still recognisable as Cooke lamps.

Out of interest, I've attached a photo of the rear garden as it was in Joseph Cooke's day.

 

[cneill]

Hi there,

That is MAGICAL that you have a photo of the garden! I've seen it on the old maps, but couldn't imagine it. Do you have any more photos of the place? Where did you find this one, and is there any higher resolution versions? I'd love to print this out to put on the wall. What was the evidence you found about the move being after 1876? That's so impressive.

We haven't been able to dig up any plans or photos from back then. Council suggested we look through the electoral roll to see when he moved there, so thanks for the top on what years it might be.

Thanks so much for.making my day sharing that photo!

 

[janetelfer]

Hi there,

That is MAGICAL that you have a photo of the garden! I've seen it on the old maps, but couldn't imagine it. Do you have any more photos of the place? Where did you find this one, and is there any higher resolution versions? I'd love to print this out to put on the wall. What was the evidence you found about the move being after 1876? That's so impressive.

We haven't been able to dig up any plans or photos from back then. Council suggested we look through the electoral roll to see when he moved there, so thanks for the top on what years it might be.

Thanks so much for.making my day sharing that photo!

Hello again,

You're very welcome, it's our pleasure. I was going to post the census forms here but they identify the name of the house (or rather one does), which we felt you might not like.

We do have a couple of other photos, but they're not very clear, they were snaps taken and developed by the family - we know my grandfather was a keen amateur photographer, but these were early days. Later photos, not of your house, unfortunately, were much sharper. I'll post the photos later today, but don't be too hopeful, the best one is the one above.

As to the dating, we have a funeral card for my great-grandmother, which states that she died in 1876 at Green Lane, Birmingham. There is a family connection with Green Lane, but we don't know whether my g-g-parents were living there at the time, though it is the most likely conclusion. The only (very) slight doubt is whether my g-g-mother was resident in Green Lane at the time of her death for some other reason - cared for by her family or friends, or perhaps there was a hospice there.

Best wishes

 

[cneill]

Hi there

I'd love to see anything you have, I have looked everywhere and not found this much. Family connection always much better than the records! I might have a sit down and look through electoral rolls at Solihull one day and see what I can find. The name and number of the house I think is in the Olton Heritage book and the one about Joseph Cooke's lamps, so I'm not super worried. Not sure what the policy on this forum is with just giving you my email address?

Thanks so much for all the fascinating information!

 

[janetelfer]

Hi there

I'd love to see anything you have, I have looked everywhere and not found this much. Family connection always much better than the records! I might have a sit down and look through electoral rolls at Solihull one day and see what I can find. The name and number of the house I think is in the Olton Heritage book and the one about Joseph Cooke's lamps, so I'm not super worried. Not sure what the policy on this forum is with just giving you my email address?

Thanks so much for all the fascinating information!

Sadly there were fewer clear photos than I thought, but here's one of the far end of the garden with the summer house, beyond which was a field before the reservoir. The other is of Joseph with his second wife walking locally. I've added the census forms for 1881 and 1891 which show Joseph Cooke in residence.

Best wishes.

 

[janetelfer]

Sadly there were fewer clear photos than I thought, but here's one of the far end of the garden with the summer house, beyond which was a field before the reservoir. The other is of Joseph with his second wife walking locally. I've added the census forms for 1881 and 1891 which show Joseph Cooke in residence.

Best wishes.

View attachment 177184View attachment 177185

View attachment 177188View attachment 177189

P.S. Note that the enumerator for the 1891 census mistakenly entered 'Oak Lodge' as the house name!!

 

[cneill]

P.S. Note that the enumerator for the 1891 census mistakenly entered 'Oak Lodge' as the house name!!

Hi there

Thanks so much for these! What a cute summer house. Was there none of the house itself? I've been so curious if the outside has remained the same all this time. Good tip that maybe it would say Oak Lodge when I look in the electoral roll!

Thanks again so much,
Christine

 

[COMPRESSORMAN]

My great grandfather, Joseph Cooke, was a co-founder, with William Hatherton Hall, of the Midland Davy Lamp Works in the mid 19th century. The business later passed to Joseph Cooke junior until it was finally taken over by the Commercial Engineering Company in 1919. The Miners Lamp Society are dedicating their annual, Lamp Fair, 2013, to Joseph Cooke & Son and business partners William Hatherton Hall and William Hawkes Myhill, and we are trying to gather as much information as possible for an accompanying booklet.

If anyone has any information on this topic (a photograph would be wonderful) it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

All I know is my Grandfather sold oil for these lamps from no 50 Belmont row..William Thomas Corrall.