Bateman and their bakery business in Wolverhampton around 1900

[rough hills]

Hi,

The 1900 Kelly's Directory for Staffordshire lists John Bateman as a Baker with premises(?) in Molyneux St, Wolverhampton.

Does anyone have any information about the Bateman bakery business?

[skylark]

The 1901 census has John Bateman  21 master baker (employer) living at home at 95 Coleman St.Wolverhampton.  His younger two brothers are baker journeymen.  His father, Henry works as a labourer at the Engine works.

[rough hills]

Hi Skylark,

Thank you for the response.

Records show that he married Hettie Swatman in 1906 and was living in Coleman Street in 1926.

By 1911, one of his brothers was still working as a baker but the other was now an insurance agent. I was unable to find John Bateman in the 1911 census so have no idea how long the family business lasted. There is a family story that their business broke up following an accident at the bakery. I have not been able to find out the date or location but a living relative has mentioned the Gorsebrook Lane area of Wolverhampton.

Any further information will be much appreciated.

[skylark]

I take it you have access to the 1911 - Look up Hettie Batman - John isn't at home but he is still a baker.

[rough hills]

Hi,

My earlier response was oversimplified - my apologies.

A Find My Past search based on John Bateman born in 1880 does not appear to pick up the existence of John in Wolverhampton in 1911. A search based on  Hettie Bateman  is more productive.  In the 1911 census household transcription, his wife Hettie was recorded as the head of the family but there is still no mention of John. However, the original census image does indeed show that John was alive but not at the family home. He was still a baker but now termed as a worker rather than as an employer. I have taken this to mean that the family business no longer existed.

I am curious as to whether this family tale about the bakery accident, presumably prior to 1911,  has any factual basis as it may go some way to explaining why John was no longer an employer in the bakery trade. I have started to research inquest records on the internet for that period but so far nothing has come up.