The Last Of The Nailers

[johndawsonjune1955]

Hi.

Been to see a very interesting person today.

Had a chat on Bedlington and the Furnace.

She has given me a photo of The Last of the Nailers.

She says it is Bedlington and on the back it is dated 1858.

This has got me puzzled as of the date but it is in her families photographs and she aint sure who it is of.

She is getting on in late life now and have to take that into my thinking.

Could this be the Gibson family of Bedlington and a previous family member have written this on the back of the photo ?

I don't know, what do you think. ?

Post something else later as soon as it is scanned. From the elderly lady too.

[johndawsonjune1955]

This is from Bedlington Furnace too.

Same contact and she has many pics too.

Can't say who she is as a couple of years back a certain person went to an elderly lady at Nedderton after finding out something from me and said he was from

our history group. He was out of order and i won't say anything about this one in case he sees it on here.

Mind you, i never have seen himon here, but you never know.

These photos are all interesting and i think they need discussing.

The pic of the first nailers could be the oldest of Bedlington i know of ?

And, there are more.

Lets know what the members think ?

[johndawsonjune1955]

Hi.

Been to see a very interesting person today.

Had a chat on Bedlington and the Furnace.

She has given me a photo of The Last of the Nailers.

She says it is Bedlington and on the back it is dated 1858.

This has got me puzzled as of the date but it is in her families photographs and she aint sure who it is of.

She is getting on in late life now and have to take that into my thinking.

Could this be the Gibson family of Bedlington and a previous family member have written this on the back of the photo ?

I don't know, what do you think. ?

Post something else later as soon as it is scanned. From the elderly lady too.

Looked at the photo with magnifying glass and its 1888. Its in pencil , faded but you can see it is 1888.

Was it taken at the Furnace or the side of Vulcan Place ?

Edited March 20, 2013 by johndawsonjune1955

[Maggie/915]

The people who are the Nailers look to be standing next to the photographers in Vulcan Place.

There faces look familiar.

[johndawsonjune1955]

Thats what me and Colin think.

We been looking closely at the pic again today.

However, with what was written on back of photo could they have been the last nailers at the Furnace ?

But still agree with Vilcan Place and the oldest man on the left his face is very familiar, I do think i seen him before on another photo.

[Maggie/915]

The lady who owns these pictures is a treasure.

They are more valuable than gold as a record of our little town.

[johndawsonjune1955]

and there are many more too.

sort them out very soon

[Maggie/915]

After a great deal of thought John I think the picture you start this thread with includes my Great Grandfather..

I can give you more information if you want just pm me.

[Maggie/915]

Opposite the entrance to the Smithy, on the other side of Front Street East

[Canny lass]

The Gibson's were an interesting family well worthy of a it of research. Here's the start of a few posts that may help you get acquainted with them and their business.

August 28 1753 a wedding, which will eventually lead to a blue plaque being placed on the house currently known as 34 and 36 Front Street East, Bedlington, takes place at St Cuthbert’s Church in the town. The house is the former home of the Gibson family – the last of the Bedlington nailers. The groom is 23 year old Humphrey Gibson, and his 21 year old bride is a Bedlington girl, Ann Stephenson.

In March the following year, 1754, the couple’s are once again in St Cuthbert’s Church, this time to celebrate the baptism of their firstborn – twins William and Henry Gibson. Very little else is known of Humphrey and Ann, though it’s possible to assume that Ann dies young as Humphrey remarries in 1766 when the twins are just 12 years old. His bride on this occasion is Isabel Moss.

Of the twin William I can find no information but Henry is raised in Bedlington. He later meets his wife, Stannington-born Hannah Jameson and they also marry at St Cuthbert’s in November 1784 when both are 30 years old. Together the couple have five known children: William born 1785, Philip born 1788, Henry born 1790, Ann born 1792 and Hannah born 1794.

November 19th 1808 their oldest son William, then aged 23 years, is lost on a passage from Corunna, Spain, where he is a mate on board the Providence, an army transport returning from the Peninsular War – part of the wider Napoleonic wars. Almost home, the ship and all hands are lost in a storm at Bolt Head near Salcombe, Devon and the master, Robert Denton, is the only survivor. (Source: McDonald, K., 1992, The Bolt-Whole, 84 (Article in Serial). SDV147889). William’s body is recovered but is not returned to Bedlington for burial. Instead, he is interred at Malborough, Devon. He is, however, remembered on his father’s gravestone in St Cuthbert’s churchyard.

It is left to Henry and Hannah’s second son, Philip, to carry the Gibson name forward and in doing so he leaves a lasting footprint on Bedlington. In 1812 at the age of about 24 years, Philip marries 20 year-old Ann Rutherford in her parish church at Stannington and just two years later, in 1814, he lays the foundations for a company that will become the last chain and nail manufacturer in Bedlington.

Fourteen years after the company’s founding Pigot and Co, in their county directory of 1828, describe Bedlington in the following manner: ”With the exception of the iron works here, which are supposed to be the largest in the north of England, this place contains nothing worthy of notice either to the inquisitive tourist or the man of business.”

This ”nothing of interest” included Philip Gibson who’s name is listed in two categories of traders: ”nail makers” and ”shopkeepers & dealers in sundries”. Philip, along with 5 further shopkeepers, 1 further nail maker, 4 blacksmiths, 5 boot & shoe-makers, 4 butchers, 3 cartwrights & joiners, 2 coal owners & merchants, 2 corn millers, 2 dressmakers, 5 grocers & drapers, 9 inn-, tavern- & public house keepers, 1 iron founder, 1 joiner, 6 stone masons, 2 tailors, 1 baker, 1 veterinary surgeon, 1 saddler and 1 ’clogger’, is part of Bedlington’s ’business sector’ at that time.

Of Pigot’s description to judge, none of them appear to have made any noteworthy impression during his inspection in 1828 yet the company founded by Philip Gibson had already survived into it's fourteenth year and would become a household name in Bedlingtonshire for well over a hundred years.

The Gibson’s appear to have been a family with a head for business and subsequent generations of Gibson’s would play an important role in developing and diversifying the business from the house on Front Street East.

Over the next few weeks I’ll try to relate what my research has discovered. Have patience though, the gardening season is in full swing here and I have to make outdoor use of any fine day that comes my way.