Joseph James Confectioner?

[garethrjames]

Hi. My GGG Grandfather Joseph James was a Confectioner in Bristol (b1799 d1876) and i suspect that he worked for Frys. Is there anyway of confirming this? I have the usual census documents that list where he lived but cant find him in other directories of the time. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[DRH123]

Although the biggest (I assume) Fry's weren't the only confectioners in Bristol. Joseph's son Joseph William was apprenticed to a confectioner called Thomas Lucas in 1837. He appears to have had a wholesale confectionery business in Redcliffe Street (in 1842 directory). Perhaps Joseph senior worked for the same firm.

David

[garethrjames]

Hi. How did you find out who his son was an apprentice to?

[DRH123]

From the CD of Bristol Apprentice records published by the Bristol FHS. It doesn't give much more detail. The full entry is:

APP FORENAME, APP SURNAME, FATHER FORENAME, FATHER TRADE, FATHER ABODE, DATE, MASTER FORENAME, MASTER SURNAME, MASTER TRADE, WIFE FORENAME

JOSEPH WILLIAM, JAMES, JOSEPH, CONFECTIONER, BRISTOL, 08-MAY-1837,THOMAS, LUCAS,CONFECTIONER, JEMIMA

There's also this one, which may be a cousin

EDWARD VAUGHAN, JAMES, EDWARD VAUGHAN, CONFECTIONER, BRISTOL, 29-DEC-1835, THOMAS, LUCAS, CONFECTIONER, JEMIMA

More important is this one, which I missed before:

JOSEPH, JAMES, JOSEPH, POTTER, BRISTOL, 07-APR-1812, SAMUEL, LUCAS, CONFECTIONER, ELIZABETH

In 1820 Joseph James, confectioner, became a Burgess of Bristol, having been apprentice to Samuel Lucas.

There were three Joseph James apprenticed in the 1770s, who could possibly be your Joseph's father, but none of them were training to be potters.

Samuel Lucas appears to have been the father of Thomas Lucas. So Joseph certainly started working for the Lucas family, but he could have worked for himself later, or moved to a different firm such as Fry's.

Have you seen the book of Joseph's poetry? It may have some details of his life.

David

PS. I've found a copy of the book now

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=NrgsAAAAYAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PP10

Unfortunately it seems to be missing part of the preface, but what's there shows that in 1841 he was out of employment and contemplating moving to London. The 1851 census shows he stayed in Bristol and was then a foreman at a confectioners, but no indication of which confectioner.

[KGarrad]

Was there a reason for posting this in Somerset, rather than Gloucestershire?

[garethrjames]

That's great thank you for your help. I've added those details to my tree and will do some more digging. I'm guessing there would be more details in the Bristol records office.

[Lisajb]

Gareth, I think we may share some ancestry as I too descend from Joseph James the poet and confectioner

[garethrjames]

Hi. Drop me an email

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[barbdwnundr]

Hi Gareth
Have only just seen your post. Joseph James may be related to my ancestor Edward Vaughan James, who was also working for Thomas Lucas. My 2nd great grandfather Edward Joseph James worked for Jermans. He died after he got his hand caught in the machinery. The inquest was held at the Wagon and Horse Inn, Stapleton!