George
Hallam b. 2 Feb 1832 d. 28
Nov 1898
Longton, Pottery Manufacturer
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George Hallam
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photos of the Hallam family
Not too much is known about
George Hallam, who was born to parents Richard and Mary (née Burton) Hallam
in Longton, probably on York St (later Ebor St, now gone altogether in the
building of the A50). George lived here after his marriage to Ellen Brunt at
Stoke St Peters in 1857, and his early children were born here. He moved to
Normacot in the late 1860’s, following his father’s death, an area he
was involved in building.
George’s occupation in
1851 and 1861 was potter’s warehouseman.
From 1863, he started describing himself as a china manufacturer.
He
was a partner in several china factories, including:
c.1863-65
Burton, Wood & Co, china manufacturers at Mount Pleasant Works,
High St, having taken over the premises of Moore & Son, when the
latter built the St Mary’s Works opposite.
The factory had 3 ovens in 1956.
1873-9
or earlier - Hallam & Johnson, producing ordinary quality
china. The London Gazette of
21.6.1878 reported the dissolution of Hallam, Johnson & Taylor
partnership on the retirement of William Taylor.
Hallam & Johnson (William Herbert Johnson) dissolved the
partnership 17.8.1880.
1880-2
Hallam & Day (Joseph Day).
J & J Day (Day & Son) succeeded this partnership, so
presumably from this point on, at least for a while, George was not
involved in the Mount Pleasant Works.
1883-6
Hallam & Furber, Dresden Works, Stafford St. In 1883, Jewitt
described the factory as producing all the usual varieties of services,
etc., in china of good quality.
A chalice still in
existence, dated 1881, was given to him by a grateful workforce.
– he is said to have looked
after them when they were sick, etc. The inscription reads, “Presented to Mr George Hallam
by his workforce as a mark of esteem, Martinmas 1881”.
George was present at the
opening of Longton Cottage Hospital in 1890, and also at the Council meeting
in October 1889 to discuss starting up a relief fund for relatives of
victims of the Mossfield Colliery explosion, in his capacity of councilor
for the Longton St John’s ward.
By 1891, George appears to
have retired, and was living at 105 Upper Normacot Rd (now Dawson’s
funeral parlour). His daughters carried on the work, and the factory continued
until the 1st World War, when it was very difficult for the
company to import the colours for a pink ware which apparently dominated
production. A surviving
granddaughter recalls the site as being approximately on the site of the
current (2001) Chloride Shires factory.
George was also involved in
building houses in Normacot, leasing land on Upper Normacot Rd, Spring Rd,
and Meir Road from the Duke of Sutherland from 1868, the time of the
development of Normacot. Substantial
records exist of his mortgages from the Longton Mutual Building Society to
finance this activity.
He died 28.11.1898 of acute
broncho-pneumonia, and was buried in Normacot churchyard.
He was joined there in 1904 by Ellen
He
had 13 children, of whom 10 grew to adulthood.
His spinster daughters Lizzie, Liza and Nellie were well-known
figures in Normacot, being very well known in connection with their tireless
work for the church. The
embroideries destroyed in the fire at the church in 1997 were mainly their
work. Lizzie was headmistress
at Florence Girls’ School 1886-1927, and Nellie also taught there.
It is said that when anyone wished to arrange a burial at Normacot
Church, they would be advised to go to see the Misses Hallam, to arrange a
good burial site.
Here, a strange image of
George as a Victorian family man comes about.
His sons all seem to have had relatively menial jobs, instead of
going into their father’s businesses.
On the other hand, 3 of his daughters were trained as teachers
(including Harriet, his youngest daughter); Lizzie even went to a college
out of the area (Fishponds; we know that she studied French there).
When he died, his executrix was his wife, Ellen, and he left all his
money to her. A very early new
man?
