Visited with Sammydoublewhammy.
It's only recently I've started to properly look into the Pen-making industry of Birmingham. Unsurprisingly other than a small museum the city has almost forgotten about the numerous companies that traded out of Birmingham over the last 150 or so years. And the few companies which are still trading stopped manufacturing nibs a long time ago.
The only pen works to come to my attention until recently had been Charles Brandauer, John Heath and John Mitchell's, but looking into it deeper it turns out I'd already been to an old pen-makers without realising.
Both Geo W. Hughes penmakers and Clark & Sewell silversmiths appear to have resided in this building over the years, with the original terracota frronted offices finding it's way into the possesion of Ashton & Moore metal finishers not long after Hughes stopped trading in the 1960's. It's not un-plausible for both Hughes pen-makers and C&S silversmiths to share the factory taking the Victorian "W" shape into consideration. However distinguishing between where each company was these days is near impossible.
The building is very much falling down on itself, although someone has been in there clearing as the first time I was in there (around 2 years ago) the ground floor workshops were full of needles and all sorts, but now empty.
Gone now unfortunately, but Virusman found these on one of his visits in 2008. Dweeb managed to find some back last year but I couldn't for the life of me, although there were a few rooms I didn't chance across the rotten floorboards for.
And 1880 advert for the St. Paul's works.
Hughes's knowledge of metallurgy enabled the company to produce pens of very high quality. The business, which was never incorporated, made all the pens marketed by Rudhall & Co of Jamaica Row. As well as making fountain pens they also appear to have made buttons at one time.
To see photos from inside the converted Ashton & Moore side of the factory, click here.
These photos are from inside the more dilapidated looking side of the factory.
Since the company disbanded the building has been split up into units, housing the illustrous Progressive Engineering that this building also gets named under, as well as small jewellery firms.
Please don't take the above history as gospel, it's information I found on several different websites and slotted it together where I could. If anyone reading this has more accurate history, or anything to add then please do so.
It's only recently I've started to properly look into the Pen-making industry of Birmingham. Unsurprisingly other than a small museum the city has almost forgotten about the numerous companies that traded out of Birmingham over the last 150 or so years. And the few companies which are still trading stopped manufacturing nibs a long time ago.
The only pen works to come to my attention until recently had been Charles Brandauer, John Heath and John Mitchell's, but looking into it deeper it turns out I'd already been to an old pen-makers without realising.
Both Geo W. Hughes penmakers and Clark & Sewell silversmiths appear to have resided in this building over the years, with the original terracota frronted offices finding it's way into the possesion of Ashton & Moore metal finishers not long after Hughes stopped trading in the 1960's. It's not un-plausible for both Hughes pen-makers and C&S silversmiths to share the factory taking the Victorian "W" shape into consideration. However distinguishing between where each company was these days is near impossible.
The building is very much falling down on itself, although someone has been in there clearing as the first time I was in there (around 2 years ago) the ground floor workshops were full of needles and all sorts, but now empty.
Gone now unfortunately, but Virusman found these on one of his visits in 2008. Dweeb managed to find some back last year but I couldn't for the life of me, although there were a few rooms I didn't chance across the rotten floorboards for.
And 1880 advert for the St. Paul's works.
Hughes's knowledge of metallurgy enabled the company to produce pens of very high quality. The business, which was never incorporated, made all the pens marketed by Rudhall & Co of Jamaica Row. As well as making fountain pens they also appear to have made buttons at one time.
To see photos from inside the converted Ashton & Moore side of the factory, click here.
These photos are from inside the more dilapidated looking side of the factory.
Since the company disbanded the building has been split up into units, housing the illustrous Progressive Engineering that this building also gets named under, as well as small jewellery firms.
Please don't take the above history as gospel, it's information I found on several different websites and slotted it together where I could. If anyone reading this has more accurate history, or anything to add then please do so.
