The Clews family of Stoke on Trent

[ThumperGT]

I am researching the Clews family, based largely in the Wolstanton, Burslem and Hanley areas of Stoke, and their associations with the Potteries.

Two branches are of particular interest. Around the start of the 19th century, Ralph and James Clews set up a business in Cobridge manufacturing traditional creamware ("blue and white" wares mainly). Their mother was a Stevenson, and they had links with Andrew Stevenson's factory, which they took over in 1827. Around 1835 the Potteries suffered "The Great Strike", when many workers in Stoke rebelled against low wages and poor conditions. The Clews brothers were among many to suffer as a result, and went bankrupt. James (b1789) moved to America, and did well enough there to return, ten years later, a wealthy man, and able to settle into a comfortable retirement on a large estate near Stone. He died in 1867.

However, little is known of what happened to Ralph (b1788) after bankruptcy, aside from being assaulted on one occasion on his brother's farm! Any information gratefully received.

The second branch that I'm working on relates to George Clews (1842-1918), who set up a works in Tunstall in 1901, and which was managed and run by his son, Percy Swinnerton Clews. I am, however, missing about twenty years of George's life, between 1855 and 1875. I know he married Harriet Swinnerton in 1866, and they had at least four children (two died in infancy, but Percy Swinnerton (b1875) and Ada Harriet (b1869) survived), but I have no idea where George was between these dates. He fails to show up in the census returns for 1861 or 1871, for example.

Any leads would be wonderful. Thanks

[Cas (stallc)]

1871 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5T4-165 George occ is potter.

Cas

[wrjones]

I have many Clews/Clewes relatives from the area.It is a bloodline for me.Though I don't as yet have the names you mention.

Regards
William Russell Jones.

[ThumperGT]

Thanks both, for the quick replies.

I have rummaged through Family Search (and also Ancestry) and can't find any definitive answers, although have just unearthed a marriage announcement from the Staffordshire Advertiser that states:

Saturday 5 January 1867. Bethesda Chapel, Hanley, the Rev. Rushworth, George, second son of Mr Edwin Clews, to Harriet, second daughter of Mr. Thomas Swinnerton, of Bedford Place, Shelton.

What's confusing here is that Harriet was indeed the second daughter of Thomas Swinnerton, but George (b 1842, the one she's supposed to have married) was the fourth son of George Clews (b1809). This conflct, if correct, sends me back to the beginning somewhat.

[ThumperGT]

Well, I seem to have resolved that issue.

The newspaper was correct, so the George Clews I'm researching was indeed the second son of Edwin (b1815), and the various records I'd mis-assigned to the other George Clewes (noting the less common use of the 'e' in the middle) have been updated. Fortunately, they were born on different sides of Stoke, although within a month of each other - hence the initial confusion.

That opens up a whole new branch of the Clews family to research.

[Zen rabbit]

You may already know this but there was a brewery opposite the White Jug public house in shelton owned by Messrs Malkin & Clews. On 14 April 1823 William Malkin sold 2 thirds of his title in his brewing property to his two partners Ralph and James Clews. This formed the Shelton Brewery site in sun st Shelton. Verious trade directories list Clews and MAlkin as brewers in Broad st or Sun st up to 1835. Though they went bankrupt in 1834 so the director may have been compiled a year early. source "Copyhold Potworks and housing in the Stafordshire potteries 1700 - 1832" Peter Roden.

[ThumperGT]

That makes perfect sense - thankyou Peter. I have found "Ralph Clews" listed in various trade publications from the period after he and James were registered as bankrupt, where he's cited as a "brewer" or "maltster", but I needed something to tie Ralph Clews the potter more closely to the brewer. Those listings continue through to the 1860s, with an address in Lower King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

If that's the case, then the "gentleman" Ralph Clews who is recorded as having died in Gainsborough, "late of Newcastle-under-Lyme" in June 1867 is almost certainly one and the same. So, that's the Ralph & James saga more neatly wrapped up.

I have now rebuilt my lineage for George Clews (Burslem 1842-1919), the later potter based in Tunstall, but hit a brick wall and seem unable to trace back before Edwin Clews (Hanley, 1815-1872). However, the links with the Swinnerton family through George's wife Harriet are proving more rewarding.     

[ThumperGT]

I've unearthed a bankruptcy reference from 1834 that suggests that Ralph and James Clews' father, John (1753-1819) was probably the original partner with Malkin, and that upon John's death, the two sons took over the business, bought out William, and ran it alongside their pottery. When the pottery went bust during The Great Strike, they lost the brewery as well. They owed over £70,000, which equates to roughly £3.5 million today.

[Zen rabbit]

hi Thumper
Peter Roden is the name of the author of the Copyhold book. I am Duncan.
Also mentioned on 22 Jan 1811 William Malkin bought 1138 sq yds of the Mill field, near the White Jug from George Garner. Although Malkin paid for the land the surrender was to John Clews of Newcastle-u-Lyme, maltster, who acted as trustee for William and his wife Amy. The remainder of the lease was assigned, in 1822, to William Cyples of Land End, a potter.

My ancestors also had a pot works in the same area, so our ancestors were possibly neighbours :-)