Why move to Coventry?

[dawnsh]

I'm looking into the Hammert0n family who for generations are Yorkshire based but then suddenly between the late 1760's and 1790's seem to up-sticks and move to Coventry.

Are there any known socio-economic reasons known for this?

Did the parishes of Coventry request labour from Yorkshire to fill gaps as happened in WW1 for munitions?

I've looked at canals and these aren't in the right place.

Is a railway route a factor?

Emley, their last known residence, is I'm led to believe agricultural, but could the textile industry have influenced this move, although ribbon-weaving in Coventry came along a bit later.

I'm open to suggestions from those with more local knowledge.

[ShaunJ]

Railways would not have been a factor in the 18th century.

The Coventry Canal was constructed between 1768 and 1789 so that fits the timeframe exactly.

Do you know what your Hammertons did for a living ?

[onefortheroad]

Hi dawnsh, I don't know if this may be of any interest:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/local_history/city/history_of_city_03.shtml

David

[dawnsh]

Thanks for replying.

Would a millwright have been needed for a canal?

My current person of interest Stephen 1763-1840 was supposedly born in Emley but was married in Coventry in 1787.

He was later named in the father column on a marriage cert as a Millwright.

But at some point the family 'got into' ribbon weaving in a fairly propserous way.

I've been thinking about the Industrial Revolution but they could have gone anywhere in Yorkshire or Lancashire to take up factory jobs, why travel to Warwickshire?

I was chatting to the History Centre this morning and Coventry is known currently as being a phoenix, but it has always risen to the challenges, ribbon weaving, then watchmaking and later bicycles and cars.

[youngtug]

It was the millwrights that had the skills necessary for the engineering [civil and industrial] revolution
  https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=steep30.pdf&site=25

[Rena]

A millwright knew all the workings of windmills and water mills and in reality they were a type of engineer.    People usually move for a better life, better wages, etc., and if you think the timeframe fits the building of a canal, then knowledge would be needed about the movement/distribution of water, which means there would be a variety of knowledgeable engineers in the labour force.

You mention the ribbon weaving trade - that industry also needed occupational trades other than spinners and weavers, such as pattern makers, engineers, etc. 

[medpat]

Coventry was not really part of the industrial revolution but did supply coal via the canals to the foundries of the Black Country.

Skilled workers for other than heavy industry prospered in Coventry and one of the skills that Coventry was known for was ribbon making.

[Gibel]

Just a thought and I expect you've done this but have you checked that the Stephen you know was born in Emley didn't stay there? Also and again I'm sure you have but what evidence to you have that your Stephen was born in Emley?

The reason I ask is that some years ago I was contacted by a distant relative who was convinced I had it wrong and we descended from someone different. I checked everything and discovered that the person they thought we were descended from had actually died at the age of 4 years. I breathed a sigh of relief, they weren't too happy!

Are there any wills that might help? Again with wills I discovered that my ancestor's brother who I thought must have died was actually highly educated and was a Rector over in Norfolk whilst his brother, my ancestor died young in Lancashire leaving a pregnant wife and 2 young sons. The wife gave birth shortly afterwards and then a few weeks later died leaving 3 young sons to be brought up by their grandparents.

[youngtug]

We are talking of 1760-1790, the beginning of the industrial revolution.
A quote from Sir William Fairbairn,

...  [T]he millwright of the last century was an itinerant engineer and mechanic of high
reputation.  He could handle the axe, the hammer, and the plane with equal skill and
precision; he could turn, bore or forge with the ease and despatch of one brought up to
these trades; and he could set out and cut in the furrows of a millstone with an
accuracy equal or superior to that of the miller himself...  Generally, he was a fair
arithmetician, knew something of geometry, levelling, and mensuration, and in some
cases possessed a very competent knowledge of practical mathematics.  He could
calculate the velocities, strength, and power of machines, could draw in plan and
section, and could construct buildings, conduits, or water-courses, in all the forms and
under all the conditions required in his professional practice:  he could build bridges,
cut canals, and perform a variety of work now done by civil engineers (Fairbairn,
1861/3).

Of course, nowadays a millwright is an highly skilled engineer who maintains machinery amongst other duties.