John Ashbury (1806-1866)
John Ashbury (1806-1866) of John Ashbury and Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co
1806 January 31st. Born the younger son of Thomas Ashbury (1765-1810), a storekeeper and his wife Ann Hindley (1766-1821), shoe makers from Pits 'Oth Moor, Barton on Irwell. John's older brothers James Ashbury and Thomas Ashbury were also shoe makers and lived and worked in the south Manchester area. John's parents and brothers were buried in Barton Wesleyan Chapel Cemetery with other members of their family during the 19th and early 20th century.
He was residing with his uncle in Winton, near Manchester
1825 He was about 19 years of age when he bound himself as an apprentice to a wheelwright in Manchester where he became a skilled workman in wood and iron.
Having been entrusted with the building of some coal wagons for the Manchester and Leeds Railway, he commenced building railway wagons resulting in the large works at Openshaw for making railway carriages and wagons. A forge, rolling mill and puddling furnaces were also added to make iron for the manufacture of general railway plant.
1834 October 19th. Married Frances Lloyd
1834 Birth of son James Lloyd Ashbury
1835 March 15th. Birth of daughter Mary Ann Ashbury
1846 June 27th. Death of daughter Mary Ann age 11 years, only daughter of John Ashbury of Great Jackson street, Hulme [1]
1851 Living at Poplar Grove, Gorton Lane, Gorton (age 45 born Manchester), a Railway Carriage and Wagon Wheel Manufacturer. With his wife Frances (age 45 born Manchester) and their son James (age 18 born Manchester), an Assistant. Four servants. [2]
1866 September 2nd. Died at his residence in Sussex Place, Hyde Park Gardens, London, age 60 years following a short illness.
1866 November. Will Valued at £400,000 proved by James Ashbury. Leaves his nephew Thomas Ashbury £2,000, each of his other nephews £500, his brother Thomas an annuity of £100 and £100 to his housekeeper. The remainder to his son James. [3]
1867 Obituary [4]
John Ashbury was born on 31st January 1806, and resided with his uncle at Winton near Manchester, until he was about nineteen years of age, when he bound himself apprentice to a wheelwright in Manchester. His energy and industry soon obtained for him the position of a first-class workman both in wood and iron.
About 1840 he began business in a small way in Manchester as a wheelwright; and having been entrusted with the building of a few coal wagons for the Manchester and Leeds Railway, he subsequently entered upon the building of railway wagons, and in 1847 commenced the large works at Openshaw near Manchester for building railway carriages and wagons. A forge, rolling mill, and puddling furnaces were afterwards added, for making iron and for the manufacture of general railway plant.
The works became ultimately so extensive and complete that in 1862 a railway goods wagon was entirely constructed in a single day for the International Exhibition (with the exception only of the steel springs), the timber work being cut from the log and the whole of the ironwork made from the pig iron; the work was commenced at 6 a.m., and the wagon was finished, loaded with goods, and sent away to London at 7 p.m. the same day.
The works were disposed of to a Limited Liability Company in the year 1862.
Mr. Ashbury died at his residence in London on 2nd September 1866 at the age of sixty, after a short illness.
He was a Member of this Institution from 1848.
1852 AN IMMENSE WOOD PLANK.- During the last few days a plank, of enormous dimensions, has been brought from Liverpool (where it arrived per the ship Emigrant, fron Africa), on the canal, by Messrs. Jackson and Co's boats. The plank, which is of gumwood, is perfectly straight, and measures 144½ feet in length, is 20 inches broad, and 6 inches thick. It was purchased by Mr. J. Ashbury, railway carriage builder, Openshaw, and being in all probability the longest piece of timber ever seen in this part of the country, it is intended, we understand, to be kept entire, as a curiosity. Yesterday afternoon, an attempt was made to remove it from the yard of the Bridgewater Canal, Chester Road, Hulme. With this view, two lurries were prepared with cotton bags upon them, bearing a cross-piece of timber with chocks in which to hold the plank on its edge, The lurries had the shafts pointed in opposite directions, benig about twenty yards apart. The object of this was, that when the vehicles should arrive at the end of Deansgate, and be carried forward towards the Cathedral, the horses might be removed from the lurry which had been advanced, and be attached to the one in the rear, which would then become the first, and be thus in a proper position to go up Market-street without turning, and proceed to Openshaw. Before leaving the yard, however, the fixings of the second lurry gave way, and a stoppage was put for some time to its further progress. A large number of persons assembled to view it, some expressing a wish that they could have had a sight of it when growing. The tree is said to have been nearly 300 feet high. The wood is tough, and in some degree resembles oak. Another attempt was made to remove it, but the means were inadequate, and its ample length is now stretched upon the ground on one side of the yard, where it may probably remain for several days. We believe that lurries are to be substituted by three sets of rolls, or large wheels in pairs, to which the plank will be suspended. These will, no doubt, prove much more manageable than lurries; but we have heard practical men suggest that the safest, and most feasible method would be to engage one hundred men, and arrange fifty on either side of the plank, to carry it through the streets on the shoulders, a person being mounted at each end to give the requisite commands. In that case, the men would have to be placed according to their size, the tallest walking first and the shorter approaching the opposite end by degrees. Whatever be the plan adopted, it will, no doubt, attract a great deal of attention.'[5]
Perhaps they should have obtained advice from the people in Africa who felled the tree and shaped and transported the plank to the ship!
Later.....
'.... we are informed that it is the intention of its owner to make it into a sign, preserving its entire length, which, no doubt, exceeds that of any piece of timber previously seen in this neighbourhood, On Tuesday, a second, and successful attempt, was made to convey it to its destination. It was taken along Deansgate, supported by three pairs of wheels, and the motion having been reversed opposite the Victoria Bridge, it then proceeded up Market-street. The first pair had been, in a great measure, constructed for the purpose, so as to secure the plank firmly on its edge. It was suspended beneath the following pairs; and in the space between these supports there were about 50 men, who ranged themselves on either side to steady and guide its course. It rested for a short period, about one o'clock, near the Exchange, where, as well as in other parts of the route, a large number of spectators assembled to view it.'[6]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser - Saturday 04 July 1846
- ↑ 1851 Census
- ↑ Manchester Times - Saturday 03 November 1866
- ↑ 1867 Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Obituaries Minutes of the Proceedings
- ↑ Manchester Times, Wednesday 9 June 1852
- ↑ Manchester Times - Saturday 26 June 1852