RootsChat.Com

England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Staffordshire => Topic started by: Suzi_mc on Friday 03 November 06 21:20 GMT (UK)

Title: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Suzi_mc on Friday 03 November 06 21:20 GMT (UK)
Hello,

Can anyone help me?  I am trying to find out more about a Silas Gibson (senior and junior) who were  silk manufacturers in Leek.  In the 1881 census it refers to him as employing 160 ish workers.

I am based in Leeds so unfortunately do not have access to the relevant libraries or archives. :-\

I have access to ancestry.com so have been able to find all the relevant census records but I would love to know more about his business

Any suggestions. ???

Suzanne
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Sam from Stoke on Thursday 09 November 06 20:54 GMT (UK)
Do you know what his factory was called?  Stafordshire Records Office has a quite a few records from Silk Mills in Leek, check out their website for what they have.

Sam x
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Elliebob on Friday 10 November 06 15:09 GMT (UK)
I have forebears, the Dishley's who were working in the silk industry in Leek, I asked question on this thread.

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,145805.msg666920.html#msg666920 

Regards

Ellen
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Suzi_mc on Sunday 12 November 06 20:46 GMT (UK)
Hi Sam,

Unfortunately I dont know the name of the factory.

Hi  Elliebob

Thanks I will try posting on there too.


Suzanne
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: maggie may on Friday 26 January 07 08:25 GMT (UK)
Hi Suzanne,
                   There is a book out called" Spirit of Leek 3." The Texile Mills. available from Landmark Publishers and Leek Books.
You might find this book quite useful.
The person who wrote the book is cathryn but I do not remember her surname.
I have had contact with her myself and she helped me with the Wellington mills as I had "Birch Families" working there. You could try her at   wcathryn@hotmail.com
Hope this is of some help to you.
Good Luck.
Maggie May
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: kena on Friday 26 January 07 14:56 GMT (UK)
Hi Suzanne, I have a copy of the book Maggie May mentioned, can't remember anything about Silas but will have a look for you.

Anna
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Suzi_mc on Friday 26 January 07 20:50 GMT (UK)
Thanks guys, please let me know if you find anything.

Suzanne
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: kena on Saturday 27 January 07 13:12 GMT (UK)
Hi Suzanne,am really sorry, had a flick through my book but unfortunately I couldn't find any reference to a mill run by your two Silas Gibson's though, am sure there must be other books around about the history of silkmills in Leek though, you could maybe try Abebooks, Haybooks.com and Ebay (these are my favourite sites for secondhand books), also the bookshop in Leek which also has a website, it seems to sell new and secondhand books. I also got another name of a Silkmill related book out of a book my parents have called A History of Leek by Ray Poole called The Story of Silk by Dr John Feltwell printed 1990, might be worth a look, unfortunately my parents book didn't show up anything either by the way.

Good Luck

Anna
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Suzi_mc on Sunday 28 January 07 20:40 GMT (UK)
Thank you ever so much for checking.
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: hepburn on Sunday 28 January 07 22:12 GMT (UK)
http://www.bednallarchive.info/bedcoll/BC4_wills/BC4-Let_G.htm
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: hepburn on Sunday 28 January 07 22:18 GMT (UK)
http://www.bednallarchive.info/bedcoll/BC1/BC776-800.htm
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: hepburn on Sunday 28 January 07 22:23 GMT (UK)
Hi suzi,
       on the second one scroll down to page 210, your Silas is mentioned a couple of paragraphs down..
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: kena on Monday 29 January 07 15:27 GMT (UK)
Hi Suzanne, no problem.

Anna
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: kena on Saturday 03 February 07 14:12 GMT (UK)
Hi Suzanne, don't know if you have seen this but on the thread Elliebob mentioned, in the Staffs PastTrack link that Sam from Stoke left there is a pic of one Silas Gibson.

Enjoy!

Anna
Title: Re: Leek Silk Manufacturer
Post by: Suzi_mc on Sunday 04 February 07 20:08 GMT (UK)
Hi

I saw the photo it was great. Thank you   Suzanne