Thomas Bolton, microscopist (c.1831-1887)

[pigsonthewing]

I recently wrote a Wikipedia article about Thomas Bolton, a Birmingham businessman, who had a thriving Victorian-era business supplying specimens of pond life, by post, to customers with microscopes.

His contributions to science have more recently been largely overlooked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bolton_(microscopist)

 

[mikejee]

Thomas did not stay in Ann St very long. He is listed there in the 1879 and 1880 directories, but by the 1882-1884 editions he is at 57 Newhall St. In the 1888 edition (which may refer to 1887) the firm is at 83 Camden St, and similarly in 1890, but by 1892 the firm is at 62 Balsall Heath road

 

[Pedrocut]

According to the Birmingham Daily Post, Thomas Bolton died on the 7th November 1887 at Sampson Road.

 

[pigsonthewing]

Thomas did not stay in Ann St very long. He is listed there in the 1879 and 1880 directories, but by the 1882-1884 editions he is at 57 Newhall St. In the 1888 edition (which may refer to 1887) the firm is at 83 Camden St, and similarly in 1890, but by 1882 the firm is at 62 Balsall Heath road

That's really useful, thank you. Are those directories online? Did you mean 1992 for your last date?

 

[pigsonthewing]

According to the Birmingham Daily Post, Thomas Bolton died on the 7th November 1887 at Sampson Road.

Thank you. Do you have a publication date and page, please?

 

[pjmburns]

That's really useful, thank you. Are those directories online? Did you mean 1992 for your last date?

I would think 1892 not 1992

 

[pjmburns]

According to the Birmingham Daily Post, Thomas Bolton died on the 7th November 1887 at Sampson Road.

11th and 12th of Novemer. Second seems to be a report of his funeral.

 

[mikejee]

That's really useful, thank you. Are those directories online? Did you mean 1992 for your last date?

No 1892.. A few directories are online at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4 (which is free) and on Ancestry (for which you normally have to pay. Some are accessible for payment or purchase at https://www.midlandshistoricaldata.org/. Myn information is from those I have either downloaded, or purchased either digitally or in paper form.

 

[Pedrocut]

The report of the life and funeral gives a lot more interesting info about Thomas Bolton !
The Lee and Bolton Company and the Hyde Works Stourbridge was where he made his money after taking over from his father.

 

[Pedrocut]

Having said he made his money, it is said that he lost the whole of his private property about 9 years before his death and removed to Birmingham.

 

[pigsonthewing]

No 1892.. A few directories are online at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4 (which is free) and on Ancestry (for which you normally have to pay. Some are accessible for payment or purchase at https://www.midlandshistoricaldata.org/. Myn information is from those I have either downloaded, or purchased either digitally or in paper form.

Thank you. Yes, I meant 1892 (you had 1882).

Could I trouble you for screenshots and/ or exact citations for the 1888 and 1892 editions, please?

 

[mikejee]

Here you are

 

[Pedrocut]

It looks like Thomas Bolton's father took over the Hyde Works sometime after 1832, when it was owned by Messrs Hunt and Brown, until 1868 when it was taken over by a Mr Firmstone who ran the company under the same name, being Messrs Lee & Bolton. It finally failed in 1883.

 

[pigsonthewing]

Here you are

Many thanks

 

[pigsonthewing]

It looks like Thomas Bolton's father took over the Hyde Works sometime after 1832, when it was owned by Messrs Hunt and Brown, until 1868 when it was taken over by a Mr Firmstone who ran the company under the same name, being Messrs Lee & Bolton. It finally failed in 1883.

Looking at that pond, you can see how he came to be interested in freshwater biology!