Roy family migration from Somerset to Birmingham 1890's-why?

[Caroline1963]

Hi all- My maternal ancestors were based in Corton Denham, a small village in Somerset for many many years. I believe most of them were agricultural labourers working in the flax industry (men) and seamstresses making sails from the processed flax (women). However, the Roy family moved lock, stock and barrel to Birmingham during the 1890's and settled in Northfield/King's Norton. Many started to work at Cadburys and British Motor Corporation. I have always wondered why the whole family would up sticks and move to a particular part of the country as I have found no link between Corton Denham and Birmingham during my research. I understand that Birmingham would offer much better job prospects during this time but would love to hear from anyone else who has experienced this migration with their family especially from the more rural areas. Looking forward to hearing from you

[Davedrave]

I haven’t located them in a census earlier than 1901 yet. However, George Roy’s occupation in Birmingham in 1901 is “coal dealer” suggesting he had his own business. If the census is correct, wife was born in Herefordshire, the eldest child in Devon (about 1882) and the other children were all born in Surrey (from about 1884 onwards) according to the census. It therefore looks as if it was maybe only George and his wife and eldest child who initially ventured very far from the West Country, and the main growth of your family group seems to have been once they’d gone to Surrey.

People usually moved for work. I have a case where a family from Essex, from stock living there for centuries, moved to Godalming, then Lincoln, then Bermondsey and finally to Derby, always in the leather trade, so presumably following the work.

ADDED: I’ve now found George Roy, born in Corton in 1843, in the 1861 census in Bruton, Wincanton, Somerset, an 18 year old labourer on railroad. Of course the railways not only provided a great deal of employment but also revolutionised the way people could travel about the country to find work.

Dave

[Caroline1963]

Thank you! I dont think these are my family All my ancestors on the Roy side lived and worked in Corton Denham in Somerset. I visited the village a couple of years ago and found out about the flax industry etc. Some of my relatives were also in the Poor House for a while presumably due to the lack of working opportunities in the area-it is very remote even today so goodness knows what it was like before tarmac! 

[Caroline1963]

My grandmother was Hilda Mary born in 1897-and she ended up working at Cadbury's in Bournville which meant we were weaned on free chocolate!

[Davedrave]

Thank you! I dont think these are my family All my ancestors on the Roy side lived and worked in  Corton Denham in Somerset. I visited the village a couple of years ago and found out about the flax industry etc. Some of my relatives were also in the Poor House for a while presumably due to the lack of working opportunities in the area-it is very remote even today so goodness knows what it was like before tarmac!

The George Roy of the 1901 census was born in “Somerset [,] Corton” and was living in Northfield, King’s Norton, Worcs.

Dave 

[Caroline1963]

Hi Dave- yes sorry I think he was the one who emigrated to Australia.

[Davedrave]

My grandmother was Hilda Mary born in 1897-and she ended up working at Cadbury's in Bournville which meant we were weaned on free chocolate!

I can see her now, daughter of Robert. Presumably George Roy was related somehow to Robert. Did you know of George? I haven’t got time at the moment to try to look into it, but it looks as though Robert may have been prompted to move by the precedent set by a relative. I don’t know when George arrived in Northfield but he was clearly the one who’d left Corton earlier, since all of Robert’s children were born in Corton and as recently as 1897 as you say. It certainly looks like more than coincidence that George and Robert are in the same place at the same time.

Dave

[Caroline1963]

Yes I have George in my tree- I was wondering if a Daniel Roy, who seems to be the one and only entrepreneur in my tree started the trend. He set up a bakery and became a liberal candidate, member of the local Masonic Lodge and Chairman of the Master Bakers society. He employed one of his nephews. I can't determine however if he was the first to relocate and I just find it strange that they should all migrate to a particular area in Birmingham from a very rural location. It must have been quite scary.

[Davedrave]

It seems that Daniel Roy was the first of these to arrive in King’s Norton, some time between 1881 (when he was an 18 year old baker in Somerset) and 1891. What was the relationship of Robert to Daniel and George?

Dave