| John Perks,
Iron master, of John Perks and Sons was born in 1798. He
married Harriet Baker and they had a son, Robert Perks, born
in 1820. He later married his second wife, Ann Hollis, who
died in 1833. In 1830 they had a son, Samuel Hollis Perks
followed by a daughter, Ann Hollis Perks. John Perks later
married for a third time. She was Louisa Hartley. They had a
son, John Hartley Perks. John Perks died in 1875. In
1851 John Perks, age 53, was listed as an iron master and
edge tool manufacturer, employing 120 men, living in Wolverhampton with Louisa Perks,
age 36 and Samuel H. Perks
age 20, John H. Perks age 9, Emma Perks age 5,
and Eliza Perks age 3.
John Perks died in Wolverhampton in
1875. In
1878, the partnership between Robert Perks and
Samuel Hollis Perks, Edge Tool Manufacturers, trading as John Perks and Sons,
ended. All
debts that were owed to, and by the firm were received and paid by
Robert Perks.
The location of the firm's
factories in Wolverhampton. Perks & Son 1 is the
original factory in Commercial Road, dating from
the late 18th century and Perks & Son 2 is the
later additional factory, built on the former
site of the Wolverhampton Union Workhouse, in
about 1910. |
In the 1892 Wolverhampton Red Book, the firm is listed
under Edge Tool Manufacturers as John Perks and Son,
Commercial Road. In 1906, the factory still contained some
extremely old tilt hammers, which were still in use. At that
time the factory also had some more modern Nasmyth steam
hammers.
In
1932, John Perks and Sons (1920) Limited was in liquidation.
From around 1945 the company appears to have been divided
into four divisions to oversee the sale of products
to Africa, the far east and South America, while the
fourth division, The Monmore Fork and Hoe Company, dealt
with the home market. In
1948 the firm was acquired by British Plaster Board Limited,
to join one of their companies, Gill Stampings Limited.
An advert from 1965.
An advert from 1953.
In
1957 the firm exhibited axes, hoes, pickaxes, mattocks, plantation
tools, crowbars, wedges and hammers.
An advert from 1965.
The firm acquired premises at Lye,
Stourbridge and around
1965 the firm left Wolverhampton.
Products from 1963.
More products from 1963. |
