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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: plimmerian on Thursday 17 May 18 10:58 BST (UK)

Title: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: plimmerian on Thursday 17 May 18 10:58 BST (UK)
Did this exist or were my relations pulling my leg?

I was informed my grandfather was a feather plucker at Bowers of Liverpool.

Not finding anything as yet!

Thanks. :-\
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: andrewalston on Thursday 17 May 18 13:33 BST (UK)
Gore's Directory of 1900 mentions quite a few Bower and Bowers, but none who obviously dealt in feathers or poultry.

Largest concern appears to be Bower & Co, cotton brokers in Rumford Place. Definitely office work, buying and selling, but never touching the raw cotton, except, perhaps, to check the quality.
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 17 May 18 19:45 BST (UK)
Hi in 1911 at least a few women in Toxteth Park/Liverpool were occupied as Feather Purifier/Feather Picker possibly for a Bedding factory?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: ShaunJ on Thursday 17 May 18 20:55 BST (UK)
One would expect a feather plucker to be working for a butcher or poulterer, or a poultry farmer, preparing poultry for sale by plucking the feathers from dead birds.
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: keyboard86 on Thursday 17 May 18 21:01 BST (UK)
One would expect a feather plucker to be working for a butcher or poulterer, or a poultry farmer, preparing poultry for sale by plucking the feathers from dead birds.

 :) Totally agree, but a factory?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: ShaunJ on Thursday 17 May 18 21:28 BST (UK)
Is Plimmerian sure it was a factory or is that an assumption?
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: plimmerian on Thursday 24 May 18 11:25 BST (UK)
hi

thanks for the replies  ;)

I was told (and documents) that he was a dock labourer but (after serving in both World Wars) he worked at Bowers (feather plucker?), Crawfords (biscuit packer?) and also Wingrove & Rogers (as a clerk?)

it's all very sketchy and all word of mouth - sorry I can't offer any evidence to the above.
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: Mike Campbell on Thursday 14 June 18 16:55 BST (UK)
Bowers Feather Factory made quilts (eiderdowns) / pillows etc. It was in Letitia street, between High Park Street and North Hill Street. Closed roughly 1960 ish.
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: plimmerian on Friday 15 June 18 17:42 BST (UK)
Thanks for that!

Not my relations but caught my eye:

"Marriage: 5 Jul 1913 All Saints, Toxteth, Lancs.
Albert Worthington Lloyd - 25, Cashier, Bachelor, 65 Coltart Rd, Toxteth Park
to
Jessie Coleman - 22, Feather Curler, Spinster, 65 North Hill St, Toxteth Park"
Title: Re: Bowers (feather? factory) Liverpool
Post by: Mike Campbell on Friday 15 June 18 19:06 BST (UK)
Strange but i can't find anything on the internet about it at all. If it helps anyone in the future, it may have closed late 1950's. It employed a few hundred people, they had a small fleet of Green lorries and their service area/access was in Amity Street.