Swain of Birmingham late 18th century

[magpie patrick]

I've been to St Johns Church in Frome today, renewing my acquaintance with the place as it was my regular church before I was so ill. Colin Alsbury, the vicar, always collars me for a chat after the morning service as he's a bit of a railway and history buff and likes a conversation about these things rather than matters of the parish or the cloth.

 

After several hints that one day he would ask me what I knew about (something) I finally got to speak to him with a notebook in my hand. the gist of it is this.

 

On Colin's paternal grandfather's mother's side of the family was an ancestor by the name of George Swain.George Swain was not only a coal merchant, but also became a successful canal boat operator, he and his family living in Worcester Street, Birmingham, within the shadow of the parish church, were he was buried on 15^th October 1787 having died on 11^th November, I belive the parish church was the one now in the Bull Ring. He has several children, one was Eleanor, baptised in 1787, and one was named Joseph.

 

Descendants of the family were coal mercahnts around Derby, these were Swain and Holt, the holts coming from Mamble and Rock in Herefordshire, but this isn't the main thrust.

 

Colin was asking what might be known of the boats and operation that George Swain once had. It was early days so the boat business would presuambly have been one of the first in the area, perhaps set up before the B&F had merges with the Birmingham Canal. Anyone shed any light on this?

 

George Swain made enough money to build two houses. Extract from his will

 

I likewise give and bequeath unto my wife Jane Swain all those two new erected dwelling houses with the appurtenances thereunto belonging situate and being in the Froggery in Birmingham in the County of Warwick to and for her own use and benefit so long as she shall continue sole and unmarried subject to the payment of Two pounds and one shilling yearly and every year for the Ground Rent to Lionel Colmore Esq. of the said premises but in case she shall at any time hereafter marry again then I give and bequeath the same unto and amongst all of my children to be equally divided between them share and share alike subject ot the aforesaid payment of the ground rent yearly and every year and I do hereby desire this to be taken as any part of my said last Will and Testament.

 

She also got the canal carrying business, which was clearly profitable.

 

I'll add more as I get it, anyone know any more?

Edited June 13, 2013 by magpie patrick

[RLWP]

St Martin's looks possible. I think Worcester Street disappeared under the BullRing

 

Richard

[Heartland]

Where do want to start Patrick,

 

I have various on the Swain family of Birmingham, one time of Friday Bridge, with the Generation of Thomas and his wife Elizabeth. Have linked George the father to Thomas and then Thomas's death with Elizabeth continuing the trade briefly. There was also an element of road and carrying.

 

I mention this on page 28, Working Boat Vol 2 the Birmingham trade, published in 2003. Thomas Swain died Dec 1813 and his wife married Richard Rudge.

 

Their carrying included East Midlands and Oxford.

 

Ray Shill

[luctor et emergo]

Buried in Oktober, having died in November? That was one hell of a wake then....

[Heartland]

I presume the burial was either at St Martins or St Philips, but these records are presently unavailable as Birmingham Archives is closed, so the date of death and burial is difficult to check, unless it has been recorded on an on line family search website

 

Ray Shill

[magpie patrick]

Thanks Ray, I had a sneaking suspicion that you might know something.

 

More info first

 

The church was St Martins

 

The date of death and burial are clearly wrong, possibly simply reversed, and this may well be Colin's mistake rather than a mistake in the records

 

George's children:

George's son, George Swain baptised 2^nd April 1775 at Merevale; became a Boatman of Colmore Street, Birmingham later of Lionel Street

George's son, Thomas Swain, born about 1770 became a canal carrier of Summer Row, Birmingham Buried St. Martin’s 15^th September 1813 aged 43

Grorge's son, John Swain Baptised at St. Martin’s 9^th September 1786 and buried at St. Martin’s 15^th May 1833 aged 47 years. was described in 1813 as a wharfenger

Georg'es grandchildren (by Thomas Swain):

Thomas's son, George Swain, baptised 18.12.1809 St. Martin’s became a Canal boat and fly boat carrier of the Old Wharf, Summer Row and of Lionel Street who died unmarried about 05.05.1862 aged 56

Thomas's son, Joseph Swain baptised 07.04.1813 St. Philip’s.became a carrier and coal merchant of the Parade, Birmingham. Joseph died 27.10.1853.

Questions

 

What else is known about the family (generic one from Colin)

 

What is known about the business, for example, how many boats? What type? (open, day, long distance etc). Were they worked by families at this date?

 

What was the ultimate fate of the business? bought out, went bankrupt, moribund? Was it a legal entity anyway?

 

Ray, if your book answers these questions, I'll advise Colin to get hold of a copy.

 

Thanks all

[Heartland]

The Swaines had a long connection with canal carrying, which can be traced through the trade directories.

 

in 1808 Thomas Swaine and Co were trading from the warehouse at the Coal wharf, Birmingham with stage boats that conveyed goods to Oxford and Banbury with onward connections further south (by road?) and to Derby, Shardlow and Nottingham and links with R Wilson for Boston.

 

By 1812 their services had improved and left Friday Bridge

 

The list states Oxford, Southampton Portsmouth, Gosport, Banbury and Warwick stage boats every Monday & Thursday forwarding on by road to Reading, Basinstoke, Windsor etc- these many places listed may simply mean that stage boats travelled along the Warwick & Birmingham, Warwick & Napton, Oxford and met up with road transport

 

Boats loaded twice weekly for Derby, Shardlow Nottingham, Sheffield, Gainsborough etc again implying two stage boats on this service travelling a certain distance and exchanging traffic with Trent Boats and Road wagons

 

They added a third service twice weekly for Stourbridge, Dudley, Bilston and Wolverhampton.

 

At this time there might have been only 6 craft in the fleet

 

When Thomas died the trade passed to his wife Elizabeth who continued the similar trade from Friday Bridge. Interesting the Oxford trade was by John Deans boats.

 

So it remains to be seen how many boats Swaine actually had and how many were owned by this loose partnership that existed then.

 

Ray Shill

[hecla777]

As an aside the Birmingham Gazette for Monday 7th July 1851 has a notice that George Swain & Co Canal Carriers of Friday Bridge are retiring from the trade after 50 years and the business will be continued by James Sutton & Co of Shardlow. At that time they would appear to be serving the East Midlands.

 

Martin O'Keeffe

[Heartland]

Aris's Gazette during 1814 also mentions the dissolution of partnership between John Dean and Thomas Swaine, following the death of Thomas, though Dean still maintained the service to Oxford using Friday Bridge Wharf and Elizabeth Swaine's wharf. She remarried, but later George Swain & Co took over. They carried to the East Midlands and were subsequently listed as railway & canal carriers. Martin adds the final details about the way this service ended. John Dean decided to cease carrying in 1817.

 

Ray Shill

[Heartland]

To add further to the Swain Geneology

 

Birmingham Daily Post November 23rd 1901, mention is made of George Swain of Barr Street and yard back of 5 King Street where Swain had carried on the business of Mineral water manufacturer.

 

Ray Shill

[Grannie Sue]

I am a descendant of George Swain's family. In my researches I recollect discovering that one of my ancestresses Susannah Swain maried the Morton of the Fellowes, Morton & Clayton canal carrying company. The Morton family were subsequently found at Snitterfield, near Stratford on Avon. I wonder if this is where the Swain family business finally ended up by being amalgamated with F. M. & C.?

[RLWP]

That's interesting.

 

Welcome to the forum, Sue

 

Richard

[Guest]

FWIW,

 

The Froggery now lies beneath New Street Station - demolished in 1852.

 

S23

[Heartland]

It would be interesting to see the reference of Sussanah Swain married to Morton of FMC. Frederick Morton, I believe was a native of Hinckley. When he was living in Wolverhampton in 1871, the census recorded his wife as Mary.

 

George Swain, carrier, of 60 Lionel Street, died unmarried. His home was shared by spinster sisters Elizabeth & Ann. George had a neice Susan Jane who was the daughter of brother Joseph- Joseph Swain was married to Sussanah and he too was a railway and canal carrier. In 1851 his home was 77 Parade.

 

Ray Shill

[Grannie Sue]

Morton reference. It would seem that the information I was given is not accurate and many apologies for confusing the issue. There is a Morton/Swain connection somewhere but obviously it is another Morton strand and nothing to do with the canals.

 

I would love to know what happened the Swain businesses as so much seems to have been tied into the canals in and around Birmingham but with so many of them it is really hard to sort out.

 

Just as a matter of interest - the Froggery was one of Birmingham's worst slums so hopefully it was not lived in by any family members.

 

Grannie Sue