Hi
I'm a little curious as I have two families (Rodwell and Pearce) who both came from Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire and were living in Alton at the time of the 1901 census. Both are listed as woodworkers.
Was there a major building project underway at the time? Gordon Joseph Pearce died in Alton in 1908 so it wasn't like a temporary job.
Any ideas? Is Alton known for wooden goods?
Thanks
Dear Ian - George Pearce came to Alton to take over the Butts Road Saw Mill in 1898. The premises had been set up be Miss I Crowley, of the brewing family, to give employment to some members of the Salvation Army, including Albert Poore. Sadly, Albert was not a business man - hence the availability of the premises for George who had been in Chesham, Bucks, in 1895. You are probably aware that he was an ‘English and Foreign Timber Merchant; Turner and Manufacturer of Corn and Malt Shovels, Spades, Hoops, Yokes, Scoops, Butchers’ Trays, Bowls and all kinds of Ash and Sieve Hoops; Lawn Tennis Sticks’ there. Similar items were made in Alton.
George and his family ran the Alton mill until 1939, although George had died at his home in December 1931, aged 74.
The Friends of the Curtis Museum here in Alton publish ‘Alton Papers’ each year and no.5 has quite a long article on George and the mill which includes pictures of George, his wife and family, a plan of the mill and a photo of George’s Talbot car in which he would be driven about Alton by a chauffeur. On the front is a copy of one of George’s adverts. If you are interested in a copy do let me know. The author talked to several Pearce family members when researching his article. Yours Jane.
