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Sheffield Pyrotechnics


Chris1943

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My grandfather told me when I was small a story that my mothers g/grandfather had once tried to blow up part of Sheffield. I always thought this related to the Outrages in which his grandfather a Lindley,was involved, but got away. A year or so ago while sorting out the Suckley side of things, I found out that my mother's g/grandmother was a Mary Copley, daughter of Frederick Copley, one time hairdresser and perfumer but latterly a manufacturer of fireworks. today while scanning through A Sheffield Victorian Diary (http://sheffielddiary.blogspot.com/) This reference for 1864

September 26th.

Explosion of fireworks at Mr. Copley's Moorhead.

G/g/grandfather Copley was in fact living in Carver Street at the time In various censuses he goes from being a hairdresser/ perfumer to hairdresser pyrotechnist.

Frederick Copley died in 1892 when my grandfather was 20.

Makes a change from the filecutters and grinders that compose the bulk of the Sheffield ancestors

Chris

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There is also this:

Sheffield Local Register

17 Oct 1867

Explosion of fireworks at the shop of Mr. Copley,

hairdresser, Campo lane. Mr. Copley died the day

after, and Edwin Allnutt on the 27th; William

Lewis Simpson died Nov. 24; verdict of Coroner's

jury, "Accidental death."

Which Mr Copley is this? Possibly this one?:

Copley, Robt (Hair Dresser & Firework Mkr.).

Residing at 14 Campo Lane, in 1841.

Recorded in: Henry & Thos. Rodgers Sheff & Roth Directory - 1841.

(from Sheffield Indexers)

...since there is this death entry...

GRO Deaths DEC Qtr 1867

Copley Robert 47

Ecclesall B. 9c 129

Since this last would only have been 21 in 1841, the directory entry might be the previous generation?

I note that Frederick Charles and his wife are buried in the General Cemetery.

'Edwin'ALLNUTT, appears to be Alfred ALLNUTT, a 17 year old musician, also buried in the general Cemetery. William Lewis SIMPSON aged 18, death registered in Rotherham.

Hugh

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From what I have on the Copleys, and I haven't done anything for ages, Robert and Frederick appear to be both sons of John also a hairdressser. Still can't figure how hair dressing perfume and fireworks came together though. I'm now intrigued and will have to dig deeper. My family has some rare charactes in it

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View from The Blimp

John Copley Hair dresser &c. 48 Campo Lane & Fruit Market (Baine's 1822)

John Copley Hair Dresser and Perfumers 10 Broad Lane (Pigot's 1828-9)

John Copley Hair dresser 10 Broad Lane (White's 1833)

Frederick Copley Hair dresser 47 Campo Lane (White's 1833)

Frederick Copley Hairdresser & perfumer 17 South Street (Pigot's 1841)

Frederick Copley Firework maker 17 South Street (Pigot's 1841)

Frederick Charles Copley Hairdresser & firework maker 6 South Street; h. 101 Carver Street (White's 1849)

Frederick Copley Hairdresser And Firework Mkr. 6 South St; h.103 Carver St (White's 1852)

Henry Copley Hair dresser 81 Hoyle Street (White's 1833) (assume this is a transcription error)

Henry Copley Hairdresser & perfumer 8 Hoyle Street (Pigot's 1841)

Henry Copley Hairdresser 8 Hoyle Street (White's 1849)

Henry Copley Hairdresser 8 Hoyle Street (White's 1852)

Robert Copley Hairdresser & perfumer 14 Campo Lane (Pigot's 1841)

Robert Copley Hairdresser &c. 14 Campo Lane (White's 1849)

Robert Copley Hairdresser And Firework Mkr. 14 Campo Lane (White's 1852)

http://www.sheffieldrecordsonline.org.uk/

Don't know if this helps; maybe confirms some of your findings - hope so anyway.

Is Henry a possibility ?

Good Luck

Keep us posted with progress please.

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Thanks for all that info, there is some there I did not have. Going to track down the original John - looks like we have a whole clutch of them .

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