Tube Drawer in Birmingham

[Homes]

Hello - My Great Grandfather's occupation is listed as Tube Drawer in various records.   However, appearing in the 1901 Census, the enumerator wrote beside the above mentioned occupation the word "Pudd".   Is this the name of employment? 

 Also, on the death registration of his daughter (1902), occupation is recorded as "labourer at Tube Works of Birmingham"?   Is anyone familiar with this company and where was it located in Birmingham?

Thank you in advance.

Gail
Ontario, Canada

[renard]

Hi Gail,
           Don't know the company, but as a Tube Drawer he was most likely involved in making shotgun barrels for the Birmingham
gun trade.

Jim

[Galium]

'Pudd' may be an abbreviation of 'Puddler'  an occupation in the iron-making industry.  More info if you look up 'Iron Puddler' on this site:

http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/

I have iron puddlers and tube drawers in my tree.  I don't have anyone listed as doing both jobs on the same census, but I do have them shown as being a tube drawer at one time and puddler at another.

[Homes]

Thank you for your replies.

You learn something new every day!   Jim,  I was unaware that Birmingham was also part of the gun trade.   

Found the web site extremely helpful and informative.  Thank you for the link.  Perhaps he was also a 'puddler'

I went  through other records (BMD's) and found from 1890 to 1901 he is listed as a 'Engine Fitter - Journeyman' and  'tube drawer - journeyman', with the exception of his wife's death registration (1902) as being a 'bicycle maker's labourer'.  His own death registration in 1907 states 'tube drawer'.

After his wife's death,  an application was made to Barnardo's orphanage .  However, seeing that he made 25 shillings a week as a tube drawer, the case was declined.      Was 25 shillings more than adequate, compared to other occupations during this time frame?

Next question - Is there an on-line directory listing manufacturer's in B'ham?  They resided in the St. George District.

Thank you.

Gail
Snowy day......

[Sloe Gin]

Cycle manufacture would also involve tubes, so there's not necessarily any contradiction there.

The note "Pudd" was probably made in the census office, rather than by the enumerator.  They would group various job descriptions into broad categories for statistical analysis.

[Homes]

Now that you mentioned it, the work "Pudd" is not written in the same hand as the enumerator.  Thank you for that clarification.

I'm leaning towards the cycle industry.   A Google search enabled me to find some history on "Cycle Manufacturers in Birmingham that may apply.

Regards,
Gail

[The Geneal Geologist]

Bicycle making, although some mass produced, was also a home industry (as in my B'ham family). A lot of the support work also for the gun trade was done in local "shoppings" and sold on to the main manufacturers (as service industries do today). You may not find a link between the trade of your ancestros and any specific manufacturer due to the sheer number of people involved in supporting these trades.
Good luck.

[Homes]

Thank you for your input.  Much appreciated.

[Sloe Gin]

Try this site if you haven't found it already, Gail.  Lots of local knowledge there!

http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/