George Bassett

[tozzin]

I know George Bassett, Confectioner, lived on Endcliffe Crescent but I don't know which one was his, In my directories it just gives his name and Endcliffe Crescent, I want to write an article about him and his home so if anyone can point me to the correct house I would be very grateful.

[Edmund]

I believe he lived at Endcliffe Cottage (though quite an up-market cottage).  He was advertising to rent it out in 1872.  Also below is his obituary from 1886.

 

[tozzin]

Its this house I'm trying to find, from the 1879 Whites

ENDCLIFFE CRES. (Fulwood Rd..)

Wild James (steel manufacturer)

Holland Richard G. (steel manufacturer.)

Taylor John W. (steel manufacturer)

Marshall Thomas (solicitor)

Gamble Joseph (steel manufacturer)

Meggitt Samuel (button,glue, &c. mfr.)

Smith Joshua (merchant. & manufacturer)

Allen William Daniel (steel manufacturer.)

Taylor William Charles (iron agent)

Lockwood William (merchant)

Brown WaIter (solicitor)

Colley Mr Henry

Wightman Arthur (solicitor) .

Colley Francis A. (manufacturer)

Parker Mr Thomas J ames

Bassett George (confectioner

[RLongden]

I have a slightly different theory, based on the entries in 1881 White's Sheffield directory and the 1893 map of the area. The address entries show George Bassett living at the second house on the West Side of Endcliffe Crescent, which would make his the house circled in red on the enlarged 1893 map (see the entrance drive in green, which is off Endcliffe Crescent). It appears that Endcliffe House (also on the 1893 map) is actually an address on Fulwood Road (no. 335 Joseph Brailsford) and Endcliffe Cottage, circled in blue, is also shown as an address on Fulwood Road, also having access off that road

I'm suggesting that George Bassett was advertising the letting of Endcliffe Cottage in 1872, as it was in the grounds of his 'big house', as you can see from the various maps? It's a little difficult trying to find a map of the exact period, as there was a frantic building program in the latter part of the C.19 in that area, where the great and the good of Sheffield were having their empires erected....... on the good side of town!

It's also a real pity that the 'big house' has not survived, but I'm not sure about the cottage? I've shown the red and blue circles on a modern aerial view and the house is where the end block of flats stand. I think the cottage may be the white building, circled in blue?

Just a theory mind.....

[tozzin]

The latest reply makes it much clearer as which is Mr Bassetts house thanks very much.

[RLongden]

You're welcome!

At the risk of information overload, if you look on 'Britain From Above', you can get a peek at the 'big house' and cottage - still standing in 1950

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw031274

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw031399

Check the green circles on the attached photos and zoom in as far as it will let you. The are hi-res and show lots of detail, like the gardens of the houses, Fulwood Road behind and lots of other features you can assimilate to the maps. (you need a sign-in to enable the zoom feature on BFA)

Same colour scheme as before. Red for big house, Blue for cottage 

[syrup]

In the 1851 Census George Bassett was living at Nunnery Farm as a Family of Four and Three Servants.

In the 1861 Census they were living on Norfolk Road as a Family of Six with One Servant. Employing 12 Girls 30 Boys 36 Men

In the 1871 Census they were living on Endcliffe Crescent as a Family of Severn with Five Servants including a Gardner and Wife. Employing 1510 Persons.

Also in the 1871 Census Thomas and Catherine Stenton, Gardener and Wife Living in Endcliffe Lodge.

 

 

[DavidT]

A bit of late addition to this thread!  Anyway, we currently live in Bassett's former residence on Norfolk Road which was built in 1851. We have some of the original handwritten agreements for sale from that time signed by George Bassett and I guess representatives of the Duke of Norfolk. Also further documents up to 1923 etc. I think some of these may be of great historical interest so please respond if interested.  

[bekahk]

On 14/04/2022 at 15:13, DavidT said:

A bit of late addition to this thread!  Anyway, we currently live in Bassett's former residence on Norfolk Road which was built in 1851. We have some of the original handwritten agreements for sale from that time signed by George Bassett and I guess representatives of the Duke of Norfolk. Also further documents up to 1923 etc. I think some of these may be of great historical interest so please respond if interested.  

I know this is a late reply, but I've just seen your message. I'm a descendant of George Bassett and I'm really interested in learning anything about family history, I'd love to see it if you still have it! 

[History dude]

The resting place for some at City Road

[tozzin]

The picture of a gatepost bearing the name Hillside, sits at the entrance drive of 14 Lawson Road just off Fulwood Road, in 1879 Samuel Meggit Johnson, who you may ask but this man became the owner of George Bassett’s confectionary business on the death of George Bassett, this article is a tale of two men, so bear with me.
George Bassett was born in Ashover, Derbyshire, in 1818 and was the third son of John Bassett's eight children. John Bassett, Georges father was a Woolcomber, John Bassett died when George was 12 years old. When George reached the age of 14 he was apprenticed for 7 years to a confectioner and fruiterer, a Mr William Haslam of Chesterfield. He stayed for three years before buying a small confectionery and wine business at 30 Broad Street, Park. In the 1845 Directory of Traders George Bassett is shown as the new proprietor and is described as a Wholesale Confectioner, Lozenge Maker and British Wine Dealer, in the 1851 census it seems George was living at Nunnery Farm, St John's, he’s described as a Confectioner aged 33 and he was employing 7 men, living with his wife Sarah aged 29 and his daughter Annie aged 2, the year before in 1850  George    and Sarah lost their first child, George, on the 27th of  March    at their home Nunnery Farm, Broad Street at just 1week old, very sad.    
George married his first wife Sarah Hodgson in 1842 and they had eight children. After Sarah's death George married again and had two sons. George is listed as Confectioners & Pastry Cooks at 30 New Haymarket in 1843,he also retailed British wine, butter and lard, In 1851 he took on a 12 year old apprentice by the name of Samuel Meggit Johnson, Samuel's mother had died and Samuel went to live with the Bassett family. At the end of his apprentice he went back to work for his father, William, who was working out of 82-84 Fargate as a Cabinet Maker and upholsterer. George Bassett acquired larger premises in Portland Street, By 1860 George persuaded Samuel to return on the understanding he would become a partner. In 1863 Samuel became a partner and later sole proprietor, at this time George was living on Norfolk Road and due to his firms success, in 1878 he manage to acquire a better home in a better location on Endcliffe Crescent, the property is still in use today by the University. In 1876 the Portland Street premises were extended, sadly 1878 George Bassett had a stroke from which he never recovered, he died on May the 1st 1886 aged 68 he was laid to rest in the General Cemetery, his resting place is now in a sorry state when you compare it to his protégé Samuel Meggitt Johnsons elaborate resting place for him and his wife Marianne his second wife, his first wife was George's oldest daughter, in 1868 but she died during childbirth in 1870.
1892 the Bassett factory had a serious fire which caused Samuel to have a nervous breakdown and a family fall out because he was inadequately insured. Samuel became sole proprietor of Bassett's and severed all links with the Don Confectionery Company although in 1933 George's last remaining son John, sold out to Bassett's In 1900 a new factory was built at Owlerton, this traded under the name of S. M. Johnson & Son where candid peel, gums, and other goods were made. Liquorice Allsorts, lozenges etc were still made at the Portland Street factory, a couple of ingredients of his lozenges were Ipecacuanha and unbelievably, opium, no wonder they sold well. After Georges death in 1886 it seems Samuel Johnson not only inherited the business but also the house at Endcliffe Crescent, he lived there up to his death on the 29th of  November 1925. It was Samuel who introduced Liquorice Allsorts after Georges death, the story of how allsorts came about, was said that In 1899 Charlie Thompson, a sales representative, supposedly dropped a tray of samples he was showing a client in Leicester, mixing up the various sweets. After he scrambled to re-arrange them, the client was intrigued by the new creation,  the company began to mass-produce the allsorts and they became very popular. It was said that Bertie Bassett got named after George Bassett’s son George Herbert Bassett.
The firm was established in Sheffield in 1842 but did not come to Owlerton until 1934 where Bassett's son in law Samuel Meggit Johnson built a large factory on Beulah Road . The factory was enlarged in the inter-war period as new products such as Jelly Babies, the called Peace Babies, Wine Gums and Liquorice Novelties were added to the range.  I must mention this event, In January 1856 in celebration of the proclamation of peace and the end of the Crimea war Thomas Youdan of Sheffield requested the confectioner George Bassett to bake an enormous “Monster” cake. 
The cake was so huge (it weighed 4 tons) it had to be carried through the town on wagons three abreast. In total over 10,000 eggs were used, 2,000 pounds of flour, 1,300 pounds of butter, 3,400 pounds of currants and raisins. The icing alone weighed 412 pounds. Unfortunately there were complaints it was not properly cooked and Youdan's plans to sell tickets for a lottery of slices which contained medals was declared an illegal lottery by the Government. 
 

Samuel Meggit is the chap in the first portrait and George Bassett is the chap with splendid sideburns.