Charles James Valentine
Charles James Valentine (1837-1900) of the Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co
Born 19 Sep 1837 in Stockport, Son of James Valentine and Mary, née Bradbury.
1841 Census – living with maternal grandparents, Stockport, aged 3
1851 Census - living with maternal grandparents, New Bridge Lane, Stockport, aged 13. Errand Boy.
1861 Married Ann Kirk, 14 Mar 1861, at Stockport.[1] Charles was a "Mill Furnisher" of New Bridge Lane, Stockport. Ann was sister of Peter Kirk (1840-1916) who would later be Valentine's business partner in Workington.
1861 Census - "Cloth Puller's Furnisher", 9 Brunswick Terrace, Brinnington, Stockport. A later report[2] says that Valentine worked in a woollen mill belonging to his grandfather (C. A. Bradbury and Sons, mill furnishers and woollen manufacturers), engaged in hard manual work.
1863 (19 July) Mill Furnisher, resided Brunswick Terrace, Binnington, Stockport.[3]
c1863 moved to Workington where, it is said, he became cashier and confidential clerk to Kirk Brothers, iron manufacturers.[4]
c1867 Entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Peter Kirk, as iron manufacturers at Derwent Rolling Mills, Workington. Traded as Kirk and Valentine.
1871 Census – Iron manufacturer, employing 90 Men and 40 Boys. Resided 13 Belle Isle Place, Workington.
c1872 Founding partner, with Peter Kirk and others, Moss Bay Hematite Iron Company.
1873 Directory entry – Resided 13 Belle Isle Place, Workington. Kirk and Valentine, Iron Manufacturers, Stanley Place, Workington. [5]
1875 One of the promoters (with Peter Kirk and others) of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway.[6] Subsequently elected a director when the company was incorporated.[7]
1877 Initial subscriber, Moresby Coal Company Limited[8]
1880 Partner in newly constituted Workington Hematite Iron and Steel Company.[9]
1881 Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co converted to a limited company. C J Valentine and P Kirk joint managing directors.[10]
1883 Directory entry – Joint managing director, Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co. Resided Bankfield, Workington.
1883 Director of:- Cleator and Workington Junction Railway Company; Moresby Coal Company, Limited; Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Company, Limited (joint managing); Workington Hematite Iron and Steel Company, Limited.[11]
1885 Elected MP for Cockermouth. Did not stand again at 1886 General Election.
1886 Director of the Aireside Steel and Iron Company Limited, established to acquire as a going concern the assets of Aireside Hematite Iron Company and to add steel making facilities.[12]
1891 Census – Ironmaster. Resided Bankfield, Workington.
1891 Stepped down as MD of Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co and moved to London, where he acted as London and continental agent for the firm.[13]
Died 5 Nov 1900 at his residence in London.[14]
1900 Obituary [15]
CHARLES J. VALENTINE died in November 1900, at the age of sixty-three. He was a director and one of the original partners in the concern now known as the Moss Bay Haematite Iron and Steel Company of Workington.
Mr. Valentine was a native of Stockport. He started life as an accountant, and afterwards with his brothers-in-law, the Messrs. Kirk, established the Workington Iron and Steel Company, which was very successful.
In 1885 Mr. Valentine beat Sir Wilfred Lawson in the contest for the parliamentary seat of the Cockermouth Division. He took an active part in local and county affairs. He was chairman of the Local Board for Workington before the town was incorporated, and was a Justice of the Peace. He was a generous supporter of all religious and social movements for the betterment of the people.
He was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1874.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Parish Register
- ↑ Maryport Advertiser - 11 Jun 1886
- ↑ Daughter’s Baptism
- ↑ Maryport Advertiser - 11 Jun 1886
- ↑ Kelly’s Directory of Cumberland 1873
- ↑ Prospectus - Cumberland Pacquet - 23 Nov 1875
- ↑ - Cumberland Pacquet - 29 Aug 1876
- ↑ Cumberland Pacquet - 2 Oct 1877
- ↑ Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser - 13 Jan 1880
- ↑ Manchester Courier - Thursday 10 March 1881
- ↑ The Directory of Directors, 1883
- ↑ Prospectus - Manchester Courier - 10 Jul 1886
- ↑ Workington Star - 29 May 1891
- ↑ Obituary - West Cumberland Times - 7 Nov 1900; National Probate Calendar
- ↑ 1900 Iron and Steel Institute: Obituaries