[Bell Historians] William Blews and Charles Carr

[Chris Pickford]

Blews died on 30 January 1887 - the obituary in Bell News Vol.5 p.383 (Feb.1887) says "We regret to announce the death of William Henry Maxwell Blews, of Birmingham, which took place at his residence, Wylde Green, on Sunday, January 30th, aged 59 years, after two months severe illness" ... There are a few Blews bells believed to have been cast in 1889, 1890 and 1891 - but all undated (supplied through clockmakers and approximately dated on the evidence of the clocks with which they are associated). His widow, Frances, died in December 1894. They do not seem to have had any children (the title of Blews and Son refers to previous generations) and so there was no obvious successor. 

The bellfounding side of the business was acquired by Carr in 1891 - "The bellfounding plant of Messrs. Blews of Birmingham has recently been purchased by the Messrs. Charles Carr, of Smethwick, who will in future carry on the business of Church Bell Founders and Church Bell Hangers" (Bell News 11 July 1891 p.182).  There are some Carr bells of this period inscribed in the Victorian gothic lettering previously used by Blews.

As has been stated, Charles Carr also died in 1891 - actually on 16 January (before the acquisition of Blews's plant etc). The bellfounding side of the business was really developed through the efforts James J.W. Carr, rather than by Charles Carr himself. His father's death gave James the opportunity to give increased attention to the firm's bell work, as well as maintain Carrs' wider interests

CP



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Hayden Charles 
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 12:19 PM
  Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] William Blews and Charles Carr


  Bill Hibbert wrote on 09/09/2007 11:42:
  > I was reading up on these two founders, as you do, and noticed a 
  > discrepancy between the historical details in a couple of books.
  > 
  > Sharpe on page 18 of Church Bells of Gloucestershire says that William 
  > Blews & Sons was bought by Charles Carr in 1887 when William Blews died.
  > 
  > On the other hand, John Ketteringham on page 289 of Church Bells of 
  > Lincolnshire says that Carr bought Blews in 1891 but also goes on to 
  > say that Charles Carr died in 1891.
  > 
  > It's a minor point, but I was wondering which was the correct date for 
  > the purchase of Blews by Carr.
  > 
  > Bill H

  Bill Butler's 'Musical Handbells' (pp 98-99) states that following the 
  death of Blews, his wife continued the business, presumably with a view 
  to sale as a going concern. The brass founding was taken over by Henry 
  Bisseker in 1891 and the bell-founding by Carr (also 1891). Carr died 
  'shortly after'.

  Hayden Charles


              
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