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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cumberland => Topic started by: AnnieBard on Sunday 08 December 24 11:30 GMT (UK)
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I’m trying, with minimal success, to find out more than can be gleaned from census returns etc. etc. about the above company. I know that at least three generations of Alexander Robinson’s were involved and I have their personal information and have seen various newspaper advertisements for their wares. What I’m missing is any sense of the scale of their operations. Alexander Robinson b. 1777 d. 1849 apparently had enough leisure time to win multiple prizes for flowers and vegetables at local horticultural competitions in his middle and later years and I don’t get the impression he spent many back breaking days at a loom but I could be wrong. Can anyone here with relevant local knowledge tell me more please or point me at where I might learn more. I’ve tried CASCAT but they don’t have much beyond the will of Alexander Robinson d. 1805 which I’ve yet to see. Thank you!
(Edited to correct mistyped date)
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I know you have the census information but for reference, is this him in 1841?
Relationships are not given in that census but i5 looks to be Alexander, possibly his wife Ann and sons Alexander and James and daughter Ann?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M73F-SPY
If you look at the census pages, most of his neighbours are weavers too.
Are you saying that the weaving was a business company? Do you have dates?
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Have you come across mention of their work on Page 21 of this? https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bulletin-61-April-2005.pdf
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I know you have the census information but for reference, is this him in 1841?
Relationships are not given in that census but i5 looks to be Alexander, possibly his wife Ann and sons Alexander and James and daughter Ann?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M73F-SPY
If you look at the census pages, most of his neighbours are weavers too.
Are you saying that the weaving was a business company? Do you have dates?
Yes this is him. Son James 1850 marriage record describes his father as a Damask Manufacturer.
(Edited to add date of marriage)
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Have you come across mention of their work on Page 21 of this? https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bulletin-61-April-2005.pdf
I have, thank you, yes. And there are a number of similar advertisements in the local Carlisle Newspapers that I accessed via BNA. It’s these advertisements that suggest to me that the question about scale is worth asking.
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There's an article in the Cumberland News 16 September 1977 pg 4, Alexander Robinson and sons, Upperby, Linen Manufacturer. It might contain some information, accessible on microfiche at Carlisle Library.
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There's an article in the Cumberland News 16 September 1977 pg 4, Alexander Robinson and sons, Upperby, Linen Manufacturer. It might contain some information, accessible on microfiche at Carlisle Library.
Thank you.
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I have a locally written booklet about Upperby Church and the history of Upperby and there is a small passage in it where Alexander Robinson receives a brief mention.
It reads "With peaceful times that followed the failure of '45 Upperby became more prosperous. Hand looms were erected in many of its houses which earned over £1 per week. By 1829 Upperby's main industry was damask weaving carried on by Isaac Fell and Alexander Robinson,"
It sound as if Alexander (b 1777) may possibly have been the 3rd generation of damask weavers in Upperby. There is a death notice possibly for his father (Alexander b 1744) in Carlisle Journal 9 March 1805. The above passage implies that his grandfather may have started the weaving after the Bonnie Prince Charlie uprising of 1745.
There is also a details of the number of families that lived in Upperby in 1780: 20 houses, 21 families, 35 males, 54 females, so at that point in time its looks like most of the weaving was taking place in the home, a lot which were clay daubins.
(not sure where you are, but if you need someone to look up what the Cumberland News article is about or the 1805 Will I could do that)
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This is really helpful, thank you so much.
I have seen the 1805 death notice for 1777 Alexander’s father but I haven’t found a baptism for Alexander senior so can’t confirm if there was another Alexander before him.
If you were able to report back on the content of the 1977 newspaper article and the 1805 Will that would be really greatly appreciated, thank you. I’m in North Wales so Carlisle would be a bit of a hike for me!
Thank you again, Annie
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If you were able to report back on the content of the 1977 newspaper article and the 1805 Will that would be really greatly appreciated, thank you. I’m in North Wales so Carlisle would be a bit of a hike for me!
Thank you again, Annie
Will do the checks for you but will probably be after Christmas.
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Will do the checks for you but will probably be after Christmas.
I’m just grateful for the help whenever you have the time, so thank you again.
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I expect you have seen these.
1805, 9 March Carlisle Journal
DIED
On Thursday week, at Upperby, Mr. Alexander Robinson aged 61; well known as a very ingenious damask linen weaver.
Same paper same date . Alexander Robinson son of the late Alexander Robinson of Upperby near Carlisle respectfully informs the public that he carries on the weaving in all it's different branches as was practiced by his father. (it continues)
ADDED
age 61 in 1805 makes his DOB circa 1744
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Yes I’d seen re. the father’s death but not seen the son’s notice … thank you for that !
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I googled "damask production carlisle" which returned "(DOC) Industrial Archaeology of Carlisle - Caron Newman" containing "There was also an early weaving factory at Upperby, where there was a damask and carpet manufactory (fig 7.10) belonging to Alexander Robinson and which was ..."
It offers free access to the PDF but requires creating an account.
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History, Directory & Gazetteer of Cumberland & Westmorland 1829 - see Upperby
https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/140760/rec/9
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PO Directory 1858 continues to show 2 damask manufacturers in Upperby
https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/80456/rec/3
Alexander's address is "Petterill Bank", shown here
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102340758#zoom=6.1&lat=4733&lon=13375&layers=BT
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I'm not sure how this all fits together, but I had a look at the tithe record for Upperby, apportionments dated 1839, map dated 1842. I found at plot #12 an Alexander Robinson owner and occupier of a cottage. Further poking around revealed that plot #87 designated as "weaving shop etc." was owned and occupied by Isaac Fell.
Using A****y page numbers, Alexander Robinson is on p10 of the return, while Isaac Fell, Damask M[anufacturer?] is on p3.
And that led me to this newspaper item, 28 March 1835: Carlisle Journal
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replies 15 and 16
Isaac Fell is the second damask manufacturer in the directory
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Alexander Fell is the other damask manufacturer identified in the 1829, 1847 (not posted) and the 1858 directories.
1873 Directory - see introductory "blurb" for Upperby. The next page can be delivered using > function. Would Robinson and Co, (alabaster works) be the same family?
https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/80276/rec/2
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HT Isaac Fell? A typo on your part?
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AB - well spotted, Isaac it is. I first spotted it on a site that came up under "Cumberland Encyclopedia" (or similar) which had brought together Historical Directory references and newspaper extracts (Carlisle Patriot/Carlisle Journal etc). Not just the Robinsons. Somehow I can't find the site again - which is typical.
So, currently working my way thru' the 11 online directories.
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Isaac Fell is also mentioned alongside Alexander Robinson in the document linked in reply #2 (two adverts dated 1820).
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You probably have this info - Family Search is showing two deaths for an Alexander Robinson, one for 2 March 1805 (b1744) and one for 3 Feb 1805. There is a marriage record for Alexander to Margaret Mitchell 15 Feb 1768 and a burial record for Margaret Robinson wife of an Alexander 18 March 1792 Will check these as well to see if there is any additional info on them.
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There's an article in the Cumberland News 16 September 1977 pg 4, Alexander Robinson and sons, Upperby, Linen Manufacturer. It might contain some information, accessible on microfiche at Carlisle Library.
I have a copy of this article, if you PM me with your email address I can send it to you.
You probably have this info - Family Search is showing two deaths for an Alexander Robinson, one for 2 March 1805 (b1744) and one for 3 Feb 1805. There is a marriage record for Alexander to Margaret Mitchell 15 Feb 1768 and a burial record for Margaret Robinson wife of an Alexander 18 March 1792 Will check these as well to see if there is any additional info on them.
I checked the records for the marriage of Alexander to Margaret, I have a copy of this., Margaret was a widow, but it doesn't give any address on it except they were both of the parish. They were married in St Cuthbert's church in Carlisle. Upperby was part of the Parish of St Cuthbert's Without.
The burial entry (St Mary's Church, Carlisle) for Margaret in 1792 said that she was wife of Alexander, weaver of Upperby and she was 61.
The 2 burial entries for Alexander, could only find the one for 2 March 1805 again for St Mary's Church, Carlisle. It was really poor quality, but said Alexander of Upperby, Weaver, 61.
The writer of the Cumberland News article mentions that he thinks that Robinson's damask weavers had started about 1808, but the death of Margaret and Alexander implies that it had started much sooner than that and maybe even as early as the marriage in 1768.
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This is just a general reply to everyone who has helped here, with apologies that it’s taken me so long … I’ve been away on holiday. You’ve gotta love Roots Chat, every time I’m stuck with something and I ask here the response is always amazing. Thank you so much everyone!