iron moulder

[alfindit]

Hi, Molly,
Thanks for the correction. I hadn't made that link re Fer and Ham and am much obliged for the insight. I have been researching this aspect of my family tree this last few weeks; I have photo of John Webb, my 2nd great-grandfather who lived in Rotherham, with about 30 other men and boys in working garb in front of a stone building with cast iron arched windows and am trying to find out where the photo was taken. Any help would be much appreciated. I have a feeling it is at the Effingham Works as he lived at New Zealand (the street) and then Frederick Street in his later life when this photo was probably taken and Effingham Works was just a couple of hundred yards away.
Thanks again,
Al

[MollyC]

"Ferham" was coined by the Walker family, Ferham House is dated c1787.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1192476?section=official-list-entry

Rotherham Local Studies Library has a large collection of photos of buildings and industry.  I suggest you make an enquiry to the Archives & Local Studies Service:  archives@rotherham.gov.uk.

[alfindit]

Thanks again for this - I really need to go there to research other aspects of my Rotherham heritage and so will add industrial photos to my list.

Thanks for your insights and for your valuable time. Much appreciated.

Al

[MollyC]

I had a recollection that the Effingham Works was built of brick, now I've found it on Streetview:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t4q/    --   So not the background of your picture.

However, there is an account of the business in:
Anthony P. Munford.  Iron & steel town, an industrial history of Rotherham - chapter 5.
(Sutton Publishing, 2003, 0-7509-3037-3)

which has a drawing of 1884 and an aerial photo of 1930.  There were three ranges of buildings, of which only the front one survives.  The foundry was in the central range which had arched windows - hard to tell if it was brick or stone from the aerial view.  But there may be other photos in the library collection, and other locations.

This is a large scale plan of 1888: https://maps.nls.uk/view/231281331

[alfindit]

Hi, Molly,
Thanks again for your industry. Yes' I'd seen the grand frontage of the building, but imagined there'd perhaps be older and more basic structures behind that. I saw a business card which had a drawing of the works on which arched windows could be seen, but it's impossible to say what the buildings were made of. I'll take a trip to the archives and see what I can find.

Thanks again,

Al

[alfindit]

Molly, I've put that drawing and the map you sent side by side and it's clear that the circular building on the drawing is part of the Glassworks. Once I got my bearings, it also became clear that the Old Effingham Foundry is the building in the background with the multiple sloping roofs and 2 chimneys. Hopefully, the Archives will have a photo of it so I can say if my ancestor worked there. They may even have records of employees, which would be even better. Thanks for all your help

[MollyC]

I did wonder if you had realised the cone was not part of the foundry.  The big clue is that the street along the rear of the foundry is Glasshouse Street.  There is a modern glassworks still operating on that site.

[Rena]

One thing about having a trade in those days was that the parents/guardians paid for a seven year apprenticeship.

In that time-frame, parents still used a naming pattern for their children .    If one boys name doesn't "fit in" it could be that it was to reflect the name of the man who gave him an apprenticeship.

In the early days a manufacturing factory with furnaces was usually situated near a coal mine. Quite often other metal ores would also be found near the coal mines.   I also used to work in the engineering trade and know that steel castings took six weeks  from start of pouring into its mould to finish when cold  and iron castings took three weeks from start to finish.

You might be lucky and find that your "Howard2 could lead you to a "gateway" ancestor, taking you back to Tudor times.   Have a look  at this GENUKI page:-

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Sheffield/SheffieldHistory