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« on: Sunday 19 December 21 11:24 GMT (UK) »
I'm a bit late to the party, but have found this to be a fascinating thread.
My grandfather, Maurice William JAMES Buxey was a tailor in Titchfield, Hants. He apprenticed/taught his wife Olive Grace Buxey nee Taulbut to become a tailor.
According to my late father, he can recall seeing his father sitting cross legged on the family's table drawn up to a bay window. My grandparents main business was making suits, and it was long hours when there was a funeral. Apparently my grandmother was noted for her hand sewn buttonholes. Once Burton ready made suits came into production, my grandfather saw that he had to change his trade and became a builders' hauler/contractor with burgundy and gold signwriting on the door.
I have a beeswax cube which I believe belonged to my grandparents. This would have been used to run thread against it to stiffen it for threading.
If anyone knows anything of a Portsmouth tailor who apprenticed boys in the early 1900s, I would love some information. All I have is that as young orphan boy of 14, my grandfather was sent to work for a Mr Murray in Portsmouth along with other boys who were possibly orphans too. It was a very tough life and I think the tailor or orphanage was in Pretoria Street.
After Christmas I will take a look to see if there are any trade directories and then see what I can find in the upcoming release of the 1921 Census.