Grt Grandfathers Printing Business

[maureen39]

There is no entry for any printer called Ramshaw in the Kelly's Directory for Lancashire in 1924.

There is one for Knowles, Chas. 72, Darwen Street, Blackburn and another for Knowles H Ward & Co. Model Press, Bull Bridge, Accrington and that's it I'm afraid.

[Modified] Just found an entry in the 1913 Trade Directory for Preston, Barrow & District:
Printers
Knowles W H 53, Berry lane, Longridge

but still no Ramshaw

jds1949

Thank you for your search, it would have been before those dates though as he was living in Leeds in 1901 and working for the Yorkshire Post.

[maureen39]

Hello Maureen,
Thought I would put my "twopennyworth" in as well , but it can easily be disregarded.
The Slaters 1895 Directory for Manchester has a printing firm shown twice .

CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers , lithographers,engravers and accounts .
17 Mosley Street
Newton Street mill ,
presumably Manchester.

Steuart KNOWLES of CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers.
34 Broomfield Road , Heaton Moor .
I would think that this would be his home address.

Heaton Moor today is in Stockport but borders on with Levenshulme and I think that Broomfield Road is very close to it . Boundaries may change though.
If your man is'nt called Steuart then you can disregard it .
Regards
Eric 

I dont have a definite name for the business only what I have been told by his grandaghter and that was "Ramshaw and Knowles", I suppose its possible  he may have been just a working partner so maybe Ramshaw wouldnt show, but the second one you have looks quite promising as the Ramshaw family lived at no 3 Broom Lane Levenshulme.
The story goes that the business didnt work for him and he ended up a very bitter man! so who knows, maybe he had a disagreement with Knowles.

Thank you so much for your help.

[TomUK]

As a former compositor and later desk top publisher (how things quickly changed in the 80's) in a career ran from 1958 to 2005, I can tell you that Chorlton & Knowles of Manchester began in the 1800's and was still going strong at least until the 70's (and maybe even later). I think the Moseley Street address was just an office where customer instructions were received and Newton Mill was the actual works. Like many printers in that era, they had a secondary name. In their case it was The Mayfield Press, which suggests they were in the Mayfield area close to London Road Railway Station (now Piccadilly).
I suppose that it is just possible that the Knowles involved with Ramshaw had some connection with the C & K company, but I doubt it.