Genealogy Chat

Any idea what a Birmingham Warehouseman was? I've been asked to find out by a friend. Several generations of her family list themselves as Birmingham Warehouseman despite the fact they're in Essex. Any ideas?

I just Googled. You could be one in Hereford too, - but I'm no wiser as to what it meant!

If everyone draws a blank I'll just have to make sure I ask in Gateshead on Saturday!

Gosh no idea, will watch this thread to find out! Wish I was going to Gateshead - lucky you!

Have just moved to Morpeth recently (well back in June) and felt it was about time I treated myself to a weekend not doing housework! Unfortunately its the same day as enrollment for evening classes at the local school so I'm juggling a few things that day!

Hi Sarah Can't help with the Birmingham Warehouseman - but a Manchester Warehouseman was someone who worked in a cotton warehouse. There must be one particular trade in Birmingham which got the same connection. Monica

Monica - Thats a really excellent suggestion. Wonder what it could be though?

Well Birmingham was well known for the manufacture of guns, could it be something to do with that?

Birmingham was the 'city of a thousand trades' producing more than enough lines to fill any warehouse from tin trays and nuts and bolts to bicycles and guns. there were some distributers who specilised in Birminghgam produced articles. Perhaps this could be an answer Clive from Warks.

Thanks Mandy & Clive. If I manage to find anyone who knows the answer today I'll let you all know!

Hi SarahM, Off the wall idea, could your Birmingham Warehouseman be a barge operator ? Considering the 100's of different items coming out of Birmingham, and travelling 100's of miles, a floating warehouse could land up anywhere, even Essex ! And if your fed up with sheepfolds ? in Scotland they are called 'Fanks' LOL Charlie.

Charlie - Thanks for that! I have to admit with none of my branches coming from the Midlands or the south east or even the east of the country its been a bit hard to think around this little problem my friend has. As for sheepfolds, I was working in Scotland at the time and no one told me that so thanks! Now I've got a new job back in England so my new pet hate is wind farms because I hate putting together the data for them.

Google finds references to Birmingham Warehouse man Birmingham Warehouse woman Birmingham Warehouse girl on censuses, but no explanation of what they are. http://www.ampltd.*co.uk/collections_az/IndRev-1-04/contents-of-reels.aspx (remove *) A firm called BOULTON, WALKER & COLLINS is mentioned several times, also the fact that they had a Birmingham Warehouse (about 3/4 of the way down).

Tried searching in Historical directories and in The Times archive for ''Birmingham Warehouseman''. Two results in Historical D's: One was an enterprising ''London, Sheffield and Birmingham Warehouseman'' In The Times, again, various refs to the phrase, but we are obviously supposed to know what it means!! (and that up to the 1950's). Many had other manufacturing towns mentioned too. I think it may just mean someone who has commercial links with the particular towns mentioned, so if you are a local tradesman who wants a supply of goods that are made in a particular place he would go to a XXXX Warehouseman to get them , because with the link the goods might be cheaper??? So if you sold shoes in London you might go to a Northampton Warehouseman to haggle for supplies as he would have links with Northampton one of the shoe-making capitals of the UK! So, a XXX warehouseman is a ''middle man'' trader. Above is guesswork, not fact lol Merry

Big thanks to Geoff, Merry and everyone else who has replied! I will pass all of your very helpful suggestions on to my friend. Hopefully it will help her shed some light on those rellies of hers. Thanks again :)