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William Wigfall Brush Manufacturers


tozzin

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I’m trying to find more information on William Wigfall Sheffield brush manufacturer, one of his works was at 137 Arundel Street in the 1850s he also lived in Paradise Square, he was also an occupant of Columbia Place on Suffolk Road, the premises on Arundel Street were used by Laycocks who eventually became a world renown manufacturer of railway carriages among other things BUT they started out producing hair stuffing for chairs.

I know that William Wigfall lived in Pea Croft during the 1841 census with his wife Maria, other than that I can’t find any information on other family members or when he was born and died, any info would be a help.

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Hi Tozzin,

I think the Pea Croft in 1841 might be the wrong one.

1841 census, Morpeth Street, Sheffield.

George Wigfall, 50, Brush maker.

Esther Wigfall, 40.

William Wigfall, 20, Brush maker.

Edwin Wigfall, 15.

John Wigfall, 13.        All born in County.

 

1851 census,  Totley, Sheffield, E.B.

William Wigfall, head, 30, Brush manufacturer.

Mary Wigfall, wife, 31.

Ann Wigfall, dau, 8.

Martha Wigfall, dau, 6.

William Wigfall, son, 5.

Mary Wigfall, dau, 2.               Plus two servants and one governess.

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Hi Tozzin

I came across this information on Sheffield Records Online!

General Cemetery:  William Wigfall, Pea Croft, died 4th June 1864 age 70, description filecutter.

Same grave:  Ann Wigfall widow 11 Hoyle Street age 61 buried: 18th March 1879.

Betsey Wigfall daughter of William Wigfall filecutter, Pear Street age 8 buried: 28th Sep 1863

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In 1841 there was a Pea Croft filesmith, three years older than the brush maker.

William was born 13 Feb 1821 Baptism on 25 Feb 1821 at Wesleyan Chapel, Norfolk Street. Father was George a brush manufacturer, mother's first name Esther

George was at South Street in 1825 (Gells Dir), Hill Street, Little Sheffield in 1828 (Pigot’s Dir), Watson Walk & 23 Trippett Lane in 1833 (White’s Dir), 66 Pea Croft in 1837 (White’s Dir) and 22 Chapel Walk, house at Ecclesall New Road in 1841 (Rodgers Dir)

In August 1840 the partnership between George Wigfall and Thomas Batt Shuttleworth, brushmakers, was dissolved.

At 1841 census living with father George mother Esther and 2 younger brothers Edwin and John at Morpeth Street

17th November 1841 William married Mary Hemmings of Pea Croft. In January 1849 Henry Beauvoisin left the Wigfall and Company partnership, so just William Wigfall and Henry George Hammond remained. In October 1850 Beauvoisin left the partnership again (?)

In 1850 George and Esther emigrated to Newark, East Ward, Essex County, New Jersey USA. George employed a clerk and three brushmakers there in August 1850 (two of them were from England). On 17th February 1853 William’s mother Esther died in Newark, New Jersey USA

At 1851 census William was living at Totley with wife Mary, daughters Ann, Mary and Martha, son William, 2 servants and a governess.

At 1861 census living with children Ann and William and a servant at 195 Cemetery Road

William was at 25 Burgess Street in 1844 (advert for apprentice), 16 Paradise Square in 1846 (Slater’s Dir), George Street from 1st Jan 1848 to 1st July 1853 (rent £90 p.a. but cellars sub-let at £24 pa to Mr Kay), after that Arundel street. He was living at Brocco Bank in March 1868 (Guardians election)

In December 1855 William was in court being sued by Joseph Ward of Mickley Hall, Totley for half a year’s rent for Brook Hall and land at Totley – Wigfall rented the house from 1st September 1849 and the land from 1st March 1850 up to September 1855. The overdue rent amounted to £23 10s and there was an extra charge of 9s for the use of a looking glass and ash-pan, left on the premises by Mr Ward. After considerable argument about the amount of land involved, the judge awarded £4 13s 2d to Mr Ward.

In September 1868 the workpeople of Wigfalls’ Columbia Brush Works, Suffolk Road enjoyed their annual trip to Baslow.

In 1872 William Wigfall junior had set up a brush making factory at 145 Norfolk street, and as he had no capital, he borrowed £200 to set it up. William junior was at 22 Eyre Lane in 1905 (White’s Dir), 3 Arundel Lane and house at 11 Falmouth Road in 1911 (White’s Dir), William junior went bankrupt in September 1887, partly due to embezzlement by three of his travellers. At that time he was living at 27 Sharrow street and trading at 145 Norfolk street. The firm was re-established, as they were recruiting staff in December 1916 for 3 Arundel Lane.

By December 1919 Wigfalls had been taken over by C Hoyland & Son Ltd of Queens Brush Works, West Bar Green, who were trading on the goodwill of the Wigfalls.

1161283289_ArundelBrushWorks.png.fda9ae871025215b6a081a27b0fbec5b.png

If this engraving of the Arundel Works is correct, about half of the town centre was taken up with brush making!

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4 hours ago, skelton said:
2 hours ago, Edmund said:

In 1841 there was a Pea Croft filesmith, three years older than the brush maker.

William was born 13 Feb 1821 Baptism on 25 Feb 1821 at Wesleyan Chapel, Norfolk Street. Father was George a brush manufacturer, mother's first name Esther

George was at South Street in 1825 (Gells Dir), Hill Street, Little Sheffield in 1828 (Pigot’s Dir), Watson Walk & 23 Trippett Lane in 1833 (White’s Dir), 66 Pea Croft in 1837 (White’s Dir) and 22 Chapel Walk, house at Ecclesall New Road in 1841 (Rodgers Dir)

In August 1840 the partnership between George Wigfall and Thomas Batt Shuttleworth, brushmakers, was dissolved.

At 1841 census living with father George mother Esther and 2 younger brothers Edwin and John at Morpeth Street

17th November 1841 William married Mary Hemmings of Pea Croft.

In 1850 George and Esther emigrated to Newark, East Ward, Essex County, New Jersey USA. George employed a clerk and three brushmakers there in August 1850 (two of them were from England). On 17th February 1853 William’s mother Esther died in Newark, New Jersey USA

At 1851 census William was living at Totley with wife Mary, daughters Ann, Mary and Martha, son William, 2 servants and a governess.

At 1861 census living with children Ann and William and a servant at 195 Cemetery Road

William was at 25 Burgess Street in 1844 (advert for apprentice), 16 Paradise Square in 1846 (Slater’s Dir), George Street from 1st Jan 1848 to 1st July 1853 (rent £90 p.a. but cellars sub-let at £24 pa to Mr Kay), after that Arundel street. He was living at Brocco Bank in March 1868 (Guardians election)

In December 1855 William was in court being sued by Joseph Ward of Mickley Hall, Totley for half a year’s rent for Brook Hall and land at Totley – Wigfall rented the house from 1st September 1849 and the land from 1st March 1850 up to September 1855. The overdue rent amounted to £23 10s and there was an extra charge of 9s for the use of a looking glass and ash-pan, left on the premises by Mr Ward. After considerable argument about the amount of land involved, the judge awarded £4 13s 2d to Mr Ward.

In September 1868 the workpeople of Wigfalls’ Columbia Brush Works, Suffolk Road enjoyed their annual trip to Baslow.

In 1872 William Wigfall junior had set up a brush making factory at 145 Norfolk street, and as he had no capital, he borrowed £200 to set it up. William junior was at 22 Eyre Lane in 1905 (White’s Dir), 3 Arundel Lane and house at 11 Falmouth Road in 1911 (White’s Dir), William junior went bankrupt in September 1887, partly due to embezzlement by three of his travellers. At that time he was living at 27 Sharrow street and trading at 145 Norfolk street. The firm was re-established, as they were recruiting staff in December 1916 for 3 Arundel Lane.

By December 1919 Wigfalls had been taken over by C Hoyland & Son Ltd of Queens Brush Works, West Bar Green, who were trading on the goodwill of the Wigfalls.

1161283289_ArundelBrushWorks.png.fda9ae871025215b6a081a27b0fbec5b.png

If this engraving of the Arundel Works is correct, about half of the town centre was taken up with brush making!

Seems my assumption about Pea Croft was completely wrong., thanks Edmund.

 

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5 hours ago, skelton said:

Hi Tozzin,

I think the Pea Croft in 1841 might be the wrong one.

1841 census, Morpeth Street, Sheffield.

George Wigfall, 50, Brush maker.

Esther Wigfall, 40.

William Wigfall, 20, Brush maker.

Edwin Wigfall, 15.

John Wigfall, 13.        All born in County.

 

1851 census,  Totley, Sheffield, E.B.

William Wigfall, head, 30, Brush manufacturer.

Mary Wigfall, wife, 31.

Ann Wigfall, dau, 8.

Martha Wigfall, dau, 6.

William Wigfall, son, 5.

Mary Wigfall, dau, 2.               Plus two servants and one governess.

All information here is grateful received.

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Did the family or a branch of it go into the electrical TV and Radio business that was based in Sheffield and became well known?

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8 hours ago, History dude said:

Did the family or a branch of it go into the electrical TV and Radio business that was based in Sheffield and became well known?

I don't think so, the founder of Wigfalls Radio was Henry, his father was Henry M. who was from Oughtibridge, a file maker in 1861, then a publican.  Details about the Radio business are here: 

http://www.calmview.eu/SheffieldArchives/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=MD7291&pos=7

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