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Thomas Brueton. Gun Making

Aidan

Aidan

master brummie
Wondered if anyone can point me to any info about Gun making in Aston and Birmingham in the C18th? I am trying to find out about one particular maker: Thomas Brueton who seems to have been active from 1750s. I am trying to see if he fits in with my Brueton family tree. I have found some pics attached and the following pointers on Ancestry (but not the records themselves):

?-1756 - takes an apprentice called William Spittle

1770-75 - Thomas Brueton, Gun Maker, 93 High St Birmingham

1776 - Thomas Brueton, Gun Maker, Coleshill St Birmingham

1777-? - Thomas Brueton, Gun Maker, 5 Prospect Row Birmingham

Any info about him, his trade, his places of business would be gratefully received

Images lost
 
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What lovely pocket-pistols! Although percussion caps, their style harks back to an earlier period. The brace on the right might almost be duelling models, with their longer barrels and added decoration.
 
Aiden I found this headstone today at Key Hill cemetery I don't know if it's connected to your Brueton'

Esther_and_Fredrick_Brueton_edit.jpg
 
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Thanks for thinking of my family Wendy. I can't see any immediate fit but clues are always helpful. The date is 1985 but it looks 200 years old!
 
The Frederick Brueton died 1905 would be the one of 163 Heathfield Road (71 in 1901 census), jewel case manufacturer with business (Frederick Brueton & son) at 2 Northampton St
Mike
 
Seems I have been a bit of a plonker here as Frederick Brueton is related to me so thanks again to Wendy for being so kind to photo the memorial & Mike for the great pic of his factory. Here is what I have found:

Frederick was brother to my 3*Grandfather, Thomas Brueton (a Fancy Leather Case Maker - similar/same profession). They were sons of Thomas Brueton (a Die Sinker/Maker) and Ann Buckle (who died in Glover's Almshouse - see https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4767&page=2 )

Born: 9th Jun 1829
Baptised: 7th Aug 1845 in St Philip's Cathedral (quite late)
1841C - can't find
1851C - 15 Ludgate Hill, a Fancy Leather Case Maker (with separated mother, think father gets remarried bigamously)
1851 - Marries Esther Butler
1861C - 30 Northwood Street, Jewellery Case Maker employing 1 Man & 3 Boys (the 1 Man could be his brother Thomas?)
1871C - 46 Unett Street, Jewel Case Maker & Grocer(?!)
1881C - 46 Unett Street, Jewel Case Maker & Grocer(?!) - Master employing 20 Men, 17 Boys
1888 - Esther dies, Frederick marries Frances Emma Russell who is 30 years younger (!)
1891C - 37 Church Street, Jewel Case (Watch) Manufacturer & Employer
1901C - 163 Heathfield Road, Jewel Case (Watch) Manufacturer & Employer
1905 - dies & buried with Esther in Key Hill. I think Frances Emma dies in this year too

I imagine the fancy jewel cases were something like that pictured but would love to know for sure

So a great new addition to my tree thanks with some new research lines around the history of the factory, whether he employed any of the family and the products made
 
Aidan I am so pleased there is a connection it's strange the size of the cemetery and I should come across this particular grave. It's a shame I don't have a Key Hill cemetery index I could do with one to help people. All the people that have them seem to keep them to themselves. Anyway there may be more of your family at Key Hill as it was a non conformist cemetery and a lot of manufactures at this time were non conformist. Good luck with your research the jewel case is beautiful!
 
How amazing Aidan, Wendy found a grave belonging to your family when you were not even looking for it!
The amount of times things like that happen at key Hill is wierd - but then I always think it has a 'feeling' in there that I can't explain.
Wendy, I wish you had access to the index too - the amount of help you give to people trying to locate family in Key Hill surely makes you the obvious person to have access to it. What good is information if it is not easily shared?
Polly :)
 
That is interesting Aidan. Don’t know if any of the following are of interest from directories (I have inckuded slight changes in case they are significant):
1841 Thomas Brueton .(presumably your 4x grandfather) die sinker 6 court livery St
1845 Thomas Brueton (above or his son?) St George & Dragon 75 Livery St
1855 Frederick Brueton jewel case manufr, 30 Northwood St ( from Post office directory)
1855 Frederick Brueton fancy leather case maker, 17 James St (from Whites directory)
1858 Frederick Brueton jewellers case maker 30 Northwood St
1862 Frederick Brueton jewellery case maker 46 Unett St
1867 Frederick Brueton shopkeeper 46 Unett St
1868 &72 Frederick Brueton jewellery case maker 46 Unett St
1873 Frederick Brueton fancy leather case maker & grocer 46 Unett St
1876-79 Frederick Brueton jewel case maker, (back of) 46 Unett St
1880-4 Frederick Brueton jewel case maker, 46 Unett St
1888 Frederick Brueton jewel case maker 2 Northampton St
Frederick Brueton (private address) 78 Gower St (dont know idf father or son)
Frederick Brueton (son ?) artist ,49 Midland buildings , New St
1890 & 92 Frederick Brueton jewel case maker 2 Northampton St
1895-1915 Frederick Brueton & Son jewel case makers 2 Northampton St
1921 Brueton F. & Son Ltd. jewellers' case makers, 28 & 30 Nursery road, Hunter's road
1932 No F. Brueton Sons
1895 -1904 Frederick Brueton (private address) 24 Frances Road (presumably son)
1900- 4 Frederick Brueton (private address) 163 Heathfield Road
Looks like his son went off to ebe an artist for a while, but it didn’t work out and he came back to the family business (speculation only of course)
Mike
 
Hi Polly, I think I can answer your last question about information. I was involved when the Key Hill records were filmed by BMSGH. They were to sell the disks. So there it is in a nutshell, information is good as it can be sold. Not so sure I agree with the thinking behind it, but it's the way that BMSGH get sufficient funds to continue. I do know they have been asked by BCC to do Witton, but when that will happen, I do not know. It costs a holy fortune to do the filming, I do know that. Shortie
 
This is a fabulous item, but it is a watch case, not a jewel case. I do know of a jewel case manufacturer who made jewel cases from leather in the 1800's, so I think jewel case may mean jewellery box. They can be fancy or plain. Made from silver, wood, or any other kind of material. I think to look in Kelly's for an advertisement or a complete description might be the best thing to clarify the situation. Shortie
 
I agree with shortie that the picture is of a watch case. Quoting from Catell's book on the Jewellery Quarter:
"..From the 1850s came increasing demand for presentation boxes with padded velvet or solk linings. Display cases were also required for the manufacturers showroom. These products were made in large numbers in both domestic workshops and purpose built factories in the Jewellery Quarter. Pickering & Mayall (42 Caroline St) has been producing jewellery cases since about 1900 an retails an early jig-saw of timber and iron construction used for this purpose...." It goes on to list another couple of firms in the industry .
mike
 
Brueton info update:

Thanks again Mike, your info as usual is spot on and very helpful. I have started a new thread looking for info about the George & Dragon where you mention Thomas Brueton, the Die Sinker, residing in 1845 https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30777&p=308196#post308196 (I love pub references!). Frederick's son Frederick did indeed become an artist/sculptor/Arts Master in Devon & Brighton. I think the second son Arthur (B.1863) probably carried on the Factory.

Re: the products made, I picked up some annotations in the 1891 & 1901C that looked like "watch" hence my original pic. I do take Shortie & Mike's point though that the Directory info seems to indicate a box or shopfitting. One of the pics here attached is a £500 Jewel box of wood & leather from Aspinals so perhaps it was like these? I would like to clear up this point though so if anyone sees an advert for Frederick Brueton & Son please do let me know
 
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