Sue Bucklow was the speaker at the April meeting of the Frome Family History Group.
Sue gave us a well-illustrated talk on the history of J.W.Singer and Sons using photos reproduced from glass negatives showing many of the substantial works undertaken by the company in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
John Webb Singer was born in 1819 and after his education at Bluecoat school he became apprenticed to a watchmaker and jeweller. In 1848 John Singer cast his first brass candlestick followed by more church ornaments using premises in Eagle Lane, later moving to a forge in Justice Lane.
John had two sons and a daughter all of whom were educated at the Kensington Art School. His daughter Amy chose to work in Paris but both Walter Herbert and Edgar Ratcliffe joined their father in the business.
In 1888 a new statue foundry was built where many of the famous statues were cast including Boadicea and Justice in London, King Alfred in Winchester and of course the statue of Charlie Robbins, the soldiers memorial, now outside the Memorial Theatre. For many years Singers was the only place in the country where very large sculptures could be cast.
During the First World War the 1916 Controlled Munitions Act meant that the factory had to be turned over to war work and the workforce, mainly women turned out shells in the now expanded site where the present Cheese and Grain is located. J.W.Singer produced around 23,400 tons of metal during the war. After the end of the conflict orders came in from all over the world for memorials and one of the best know is the sculptural group for the Paisley War Memorial by Alice Meredith Williams.
In 1914 Singers purchased Spital and Clark of Birmingham and in 1926 the art metal side of the business was taken over by Morris Art Metal Works later becoming the Morris Singer Foundry located in Basingstoke. In 1946 Singers were taken over by the Drayton Group and in 1949 amalgamated with Mansell Booth. Finally in 2000 Singers moved to Handlemaker Road in Frome where they now make water sprinklers.
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 30th May where members will be showing the audience their favourite online resources. If you are thinking of starting your family history this will be a great starting point. Our regular family history helps sessions continue on the first Saturday in the month 9.30 – 11.30am. Please book a place with the staff in the library.
