|
Pages: [1] 2
|
 |
|
Author
|
Topic: Falconbridge family (Read 660 times)
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Could someone please look up births in this family in Shropshire please?
Alexander Falconbridge born around 1760, father possibly Samuel, brothers William, Samuel, perhaps John also. Any information, bds or ms most gratefully received. Family is believed to have lived in Bridgenorth. Thanks, valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
mauricej
RootsChat Member
Posts: 140
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
|
Hi Valerie,
The only baptisms I can see at Bridgnorth are:-
Katherine Falconbridge on October 21st 1789 and
William Falconbridge on March 5th 1792;
both at Stoneway Chapel, Bridgnorth, parents Samuel and Mary.
Or Mary Falkonbridge baptised November 27th 1745 at St Mary Magdeline, Bridgnorth, parents William and Anne.
Regards,
Maurice
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Thanks very much Maruice. Cheers Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Mr Gwynne Chadwick
RootsChat Member
Posts: 142
|
Hi Valerie,
Several years ago, I met a John XXX from Staffordshire who was also researching the FALCONBRIDGE family in Bridgnorth.
I also assisted an American who is researching the RHODES family in Bridgnorth. It’s believed the RHODES company employed Samuel FALCONBRIDGE.
My understanding of the connection is this;
John ROEBUCK and Samuel GARBETT of Birmingham, developed a revolutionary method of producing Oil of Vitriol. That is Sulphuric Acid, an important industrial chemical.
To retain secrecy of the process, in 1749 they build a plant at Prestonpans in Scotland.
Samuel FALCONBRIDGE, married to Jean? was employed at Prestonpans but, for reasons unknown, ended up in Warwick prison.
The RHODES family of Bridgnorth bought Samuel’s release from prison in return for his knowledge of the new method of producing Oil of Vitriol.
Apart from the three Christenings, you will find two FALCONBRIDGE marriages in Batch No. M037341 on the IGI and one marriage in the nearby village of Worfield. I have checked the IGI transcript against the original parish registers.
I have records of ten FALCONBRIDGE burials in Bridgnorth between 1727 and 1795 if required.
Regards
Gwynne Chadwick.
Transcribing the Bridgnorth town census and other records.
http://www.chadwickg.freeserve.co.uk/bridgcen.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Dear Gwynne
Thank you so very much for your great information. Yes, I knew about the vitriol industry in Prestonpans and samuel Falconbridge's part in it. Apparently when he was dismissed he was put in the "Bridewell", which I gather may have been some sort of "poor house/prison " from where he was rescued. by Mr Rhodes. A number of people apparently conspired to pass on industrial information, I guess one of the first cases of industrial espionage. Samuel's wife was called as witness but unfortunately there is no indication of her name. Samuel, then perhaps his son William went on to work in the vitriol industry in Bridgnorth and then to Lisburn Ulster where the new linen industry was thriving. T
My reference for this information is a book by Brenda Collins "Industry, trade and People in Ireland 1650-1950.
I would like to know the names of Samuel's children and that of his wife. Any further information you have, bdms for example would be of great help to me. Thank you again, cheers Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi again Gwynne
Since my last posting I have realised that I may have a good link. For some time I have had a copy of a will by a Samuel Falconbridge, chemist, of Bristol, dated 1794. Up o now I have not been able to make a connection, however although Samuel's wife is not named in his will, he mentions his mother-in law Susannah Boyd. Perhaps his wife was Jean Boyd, and he being a chemist would make sense if he had had a lot to do with the vitriol industry. I will have a close look again at the will and also a family tree which was sent to me years ago by a Falconbridge family member in Bristol, which up to now has not made any sense either.
This is the first link I have to Bristol so far apart from Dr Alexander and Anna Maria Horwood. Hoping you may have some more news, kind regards Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi Gwynne
Do you think I could have some details re the 10 Falconbridge burials in Bridgnorth when you have time please? Thanks, Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Mr Gwynne Chadwick
RootsChat Member
Posts: 142
|
Hi Valerie,
Here are the burials I have on file.
In the parish of St Mary Magdalene, Bridgnorth.
Joseph FALCONBRIDGE, buried 14 Aug 1727, son of William.
Catherine FAULKENBRIDGE, buried 31 Aug 1744, wife of William
Ann FALKENBRIDGE, buried 8 May 1754, daughter of William.
Anne FALCONBRIDGE, buried 8 Sep 1765, daughter of William.
William FALCONBRIDGE, buried 17 Mar 1776.
Joseph FALCONBRIDGE, buried 3 Apr 1780.
Anne FALCONBRIDGE, buried 17 Nov 1789, wife of William.
Thomas FALKENBRIDGE, buried 17 Mar 1791
Samuel FALKONBRIDGE, buried in 27 Aug 1792.
Kitty FALCONBRIDGE, buried 7 Jun 1795, daughter of Samuel & Mary.
From a booklet I have “The Borough of Bridgnorth 1157 – 1957” by J.F.A. Mason M.A. D.PHIL. Published by the Bridgnorth Borough Council in 1957.
Quote;
“For some years after about 1756 an essential new industrial process, the commercial manufacture of oil of vitriol (i.e. sulphuric acid) was carried on in or near Bridgnorth, perhaps at the ‘oyle-mill’ at Rindleford mentioned in 1777. The capital was supplied by Nathaniel Rhodes, a Bridgnorth seed-crusher who rented Cann Hall; Rhodes workman was Samuel Falcon Bridge, also of Bridgnorth. They used a new method - the use of lead-lined chambers - invented and practiced by John Roebuck of Birmingham, who had dismissed FalconBridge from his works at Prestonpans in Scotland, but could not prevent him from turning his knowledge to account elsewhere.”
End quote.
Regards
Gwynne
Transcribing the Bridgnorth town census and other records.
http://www.chadwickg.freeserve.co.uk/bridgcen.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Thank you ever so much Gwynne for your Bridgnorth Falconbridge burials and information re vitriol works. I am very grateful. Cheers Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi Gwynne
Was wondering if I could maybe have access to the people you mentioned, Rhodes family and a John xxx re Falconbridge family of Staffordshire please. Do you still have a contact for this person and could you perhaps pass on my enquiry to them please?
There may now be a connection with my research to Staffordshire as well and I have become very "bogged down".
Any suggestions most helpful, thank you, Valerie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Kisler
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 3
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
|
My ancestor Nathaniel Rhodes of Bridgnorth was the person who hired Samuel Falconbridge and employed him at his sulfuric acid works at Cann Hall in Bridgnorth. Nathaniel Rhodes left a 1789 will and his obituary appeared in the Oct. 1790 edition of "Gentleman's Magazine". He left his property to his son George Rhodes. I am trying to find out what happened to George Rhodes and this manufacturing facility after the death of Nathaniel.
Clayton Rhodes
Savannah, GA USA
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi, thanks so much for your contact. I would be most interested in any information at all that you may have about the relationship between Samuel Falconbridge and your Rhodes ancestor.. I believe that a will I have dated 1794 of a Samuel Falconbridge chemist of Bristol, is the same Samuel, (he really got around as he worked for Roebuck in Prestonpans Scotland until his dismissal when your Mr Rhodes secured his release from the Bridewell in Warwick As you possibly know his release was secured by Mr Rhodes on the understanding that he, Samuel, would provide inside information about the vitriol works in Prestonpans, and indeed there was a court case in the House of Lords which found the two innocent of industrial espionage. Samuel also married in Prestonpans). I believe Samuel also worked for a Mr Skey after leaving employment with Rhodes). This Samuel is a direct link with Dr Alexander Falconbridge but I cannot find exactly how, either brother or even son of..Hope to hear from you some time,
Valerie Price-Currer
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi, thanks so much for your contact. I would be most interested in any information at all that you may have about the relationship between Samuel Falconbridge and your Rhodes ancestor.. I believe that a will I have dated 1794 of a Samuel Falconbridge chemist of Bristol, is the same Samuel, (he really got around as he worked for Roebuck in Prestonpans Scotland until his dismissal when your Mr Rhodes secured his release from the Bridewell in Warwick As you possibly know his release was secured by Mr Rhodes on the understanding that he, Samuel, would provide inside information about the vitriol works in Prestonpans, and indeed there was a court case in the House of Lords which found the two innocent of industrial espionage. Samuel also married in Prestonpans). I believe Samuel also worked for a Mr Skey after leaving employment with Rhodes). This Samuel is a direct link with Dr Alexander Falconbridge but I cannot find exactly how, either brother or even son of..Hope to hear from you some time,
Valerie Price-Currer
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Kisler
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 3
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
|
Delighted to hear from you. I do not have any more information on the connection between Nathaniel Rhodes and Samuel Falconbridge. I do know that both families are listed as members of Stoneway Chapel in or near Bridgnorth. I have a document showing that Nathaniel Rhodes leased property at Cann Hall in Bridgnorth for the purpose of building his chemical plant.
Briefly, Nathaniel Rhodes' grandson Thomas Rhodes (1775-1809), son of George Rhodes and Elizabeth Bache, came to South Carolina ~1792 to visit his Uncle John Rhodes who had come over years earlier and was a successful planter and merchant in Beaufort, South Carolina, and Charleston, SC. Oral family history says that Thomas had a rough voyage over and decided to stay. Thus he became my immigrant ancestor and was my great-great- great grandfather.
I did not know about the court case in the House of Lords. Is there any way I can get more information on this? I do have Nathaniel's 1789 will where he leaves the property to his son George. His , Nathaniel's, obituary was published in the Oct. 1790 edition of "Gentleman's Magazine".
I have an original copy of that issue. I found the 1818 obituary of his daughter Henrietta Rhodes in "The Annual Obituary and Biography for 1818". She was a poetess, essayist and author who won the silver medal in the1780s for her work on the propagation of silkworms.
I am trying to find out when the sulfuric acid company was sold or dissolved. I cannot find a will for George Rhodes and am told that intestate records are not well organized and therefore hard to search.
I hope to hear from you again. Please do let me know more about the court case.
My family website is http://thomasrhodessc.tribalpage.com/
Clayton Rhodes
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
myrtlebank
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 40
|
Hi Clayton, thanks for your latest message..
The information I have I gained from books about the industrial revolution, i.e.
Clow & Clow..."The Chemical Revolution..A contribution to Social Technology" and..
"Industry, Trade and People in Ireland 1650-1950"... "Essays in Honour of W.Crawford".
As I think I said my ancestors were involved with sulphuric acid works all over the place ..I have traced where they lived and it seems every city they were found had a "vitriol works", Prestonpans Scotland, Bridgnorth Shropshire, Bristol Gloucestershire and Antrim (Lagan Valley) Ireland. These books about the early linen/vitriol industry are most interesting and much can be read "online".
I have not had any luck so far in tracking the House of Commons papers online...my books say that "Samuel's wife", presumably Jean Boyd...gave evidence in the case, although it does not mention her name but Jean Boyd married Samuel in Prestonpans. It would be interesting to read the details of the case.
The Falconbridges were non=confirmists (Stoneway Chapel), so I gather your ancestors would have been too if they are on the register as well. A number of burials are recorded at St Mary Magadalene and later ones in Stoneway Bridgnorth, (as you have probably seen from my previous messages).
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1] 2
|
|
|
|
|
