Site:

British Mills Needle Factory,

Albert Street/Pospect Hill

Grid Reference:    

SP 04210 68116

Photo from http://tonyshaw3.blogspot.com/2008/06/british-mills-redditch.html and is credited to a Jane Matthews and Robert Hughes

Description:

Needle and fish-hook factory with adjoining house (Samuel Thomas,factory owner) c1840,with mid-C20 alterations

Significance:

Reason site is included 

History:

 British Mills was founded and run by the Thomas family

Samuel Thomas Snr. began to build British Mills in Prospect Hill when he was in his 30s. He lived in the house called "The Laurels" adjacent to the factory. The house still stands today.  Samuel Thomas Senior (1807-1878) married Mary Retallack (1808-1883) in 1829.

On the 1841 census they lived Fish Hill, Redditch and Samuel was a Needle M. and they had Samuel 6, Ann 3 and FIanny 1. They had Ann Coffen 30 Female Staff. (Ref HO 107/1198/16)

On the 1851 census Samuel and Mary were living British Needle Mills, Fish Hill, Redditch and Samuel was a Needle Manufacturer and they had Elizabeth 17, Samuel 16, Ann 13, Fanny 11, Maria 10, Richard 7, John 5, Mary 3 and Henry 1. They also had Ann Clayton 28 Cook, Harriet Gibbs 24 Nurse, Alfred Woods 15 Errand Boy and Thomas Prestridge 16 also Errand Boy. (Ref H.O. 107/2047)

On the 1861 census they lived Prospect Hill, Redditch and Samuel was a Needle Manufacturer and they had Ann 23 (No Profession), Fanny 21 (No Profession given), Richard 17 (No Profession given), Mary 13 (No Profession given). They also had Kate Fairfield 30 Domestic Servant and William Cox 16 Servant Man. ( Ref R.G. 9/2117)

Samuel Thomas Junior (1835-????) was married to Marie Antoinette from Holland and they had 8 children, 6 of which were born in France and the youngest 2 in Redditch.

On the 1871 census they lived at British Needle Mills, Birmingham Road and Samuel was classed as a Needle Manufacturer employing 122 workforce and they had John 25 Commercial Clerk, Mary 23, Henry 22 Commercial Clerk. They also had Rebecca Higgs 28 Cook, Edith Cartwright 28 House Maid and Slfred Truscott 19 Warehouseman. Next door but classed, as Albert Street was Samuel and Mary's son Samuel and his wife and family and Samuel the son also was a Needle Manufacturer. (Ref RG 10/3075)

On the 1871 census they lived at British Needle Mills, Birmingham Road and Samuel was classed as a Needle Manufacturer employing 122 workforce and they had John 25 Commercial Clerk, Mary 23, Henry 22 Commercial Clerk. They also had Rebecca Higgs 28 Cook, Edith Cartwright 28 House Maid and Slfred Truscott 19 Warehouseman. Next door but classed, as Albert Street was Samuel and Mary's son Samuel and his wife and family and Samuel the son also was a Needle Manufacturer. (Ref RG 10/3075)

Samuel Thomas Junior (1835-????) was married to Marie Antoinette from Holland and they had 8 children, 6 of which were born in France and the youngest 2 in Redditch.

On the 1871 census Samuel Jnr. and his wife Marie lived Albert Street, Redditch but next door to Samuel's father Samuel at the British Needle Mills. Samuel is a Needle Manufacturer and they had Joza 4, Silla 2 and Harrie 1. They also had a visitor Eugene Bede 73 and he was from France and a Merchant. they also had Annie Pearce 23 Domestic Servant. Samuel's wife at this time was known as Joza but Marie Antoinette on the 1881 census. (Ref RG 10/3075)

On the 1881 census they lived Crabbs Cross and Samuel was a Needle Manufacturer employing 2 men and 10 women and they had Lilas (Silla) 12 Envelope Maker, Harrie 11 Errand Boy, Samuel 8, Ernest 6 Francis 4, Rosa 3 and Florence Mabel 1. They also had William Hitchen 35 Servant Sheet Turner Wright (Ref RG 11/3105)

On the 1891 census Antoinette Thomas as Samuel's wife was called on this census was married but no mention of Samuel so he must have been away at the time of the census. It looks as though Antoinette was classed as a Stocking Manufacturer and they had Samuel 18 unable to read job but looks as though he had something to do with Fishing Tackle, Ernest 16 Pupil Teacher, Frank 14, Rosa 13, Florence 11 and Newton 8. (Ref RG 12/2348)

On the 1901 census they lived 6 Hewell Road and Samuel was now classed as a Traveller in Fishing Tackle. they had Newton 18 Cycle Maker, Florry 21 Clerk in Cycle works, Harry Guillaume 35 son in law cycle maker who was married to their daughter Rosa 23 and they had their children Daisy 3 and Lionel 1 and they also had their grandchildren Ada Breton 14, Percy 11 and Cyril 9. (Ref 13/2803)

In recent years, the British Mlls buildings have been converted into residential properties.

Information about census and most of the Births/Marriages/Deaths obtained from Ancestry.co.uk