Joseph Musgrave
Joseph Musgrave (1812-1891)
1812 Born son of John Musgrave and his wife Hannah.
1841 Iron founder, living in Bolton, with Mary 35, John 4, William 3, John 1[1]
1851 Iron and brass founder, living in Bolton with Mary 45, William 13, Elizabeth H 11, Walter M 7[2]
1861 Iron founder, living in Bolton with Amelia 50, William Musgrave 23, iron founder, Walter Musgrave 17[3]
1864 After the death of his father, he became the head of John Musgrave and Sons
1871 Magistrate, master cotton spinner, employing 1590 hands, living in Bolton with Amelia[4]
1891 Died in Bolton[5]
1891 Obituary [6]
JOSEPH MUSGRAVE was born on the 10th of March, 1812.
He was apprenticed to Rothwell, Hick, and Rothwell, of the Union Foundry, Bolton, and when Mr. Hick left that firm and built the present Soho Ironworks, Mr. Musgrave went with him, in a responsible situation.
In 1838 was appointed Resident Engineer on the North Union Railway. He designed a skew bridge for the Lancaster and Preston Railway, consisting of a series of arches side by side, receding at the buttress or spring of the arch.
The Globe Ironworks, with which Mr. Musgrave’s name is mainly associated, were founded early this century by his father, the late John Musgrave, who had up to that time been engaged in a responsible position at the Soho Ironworks, then belonging to Benjamin Hick and Son.
In its initial stage the Globe Foundry was of comparatively small dimensions; but thanks to the earnestness of purpose, and the ingenuity and ability displayed by the head of the concern, aided materially in subsequent years by his sons, Messrs. Joseph, Jonathan, John, and James Musgrave, the firm gradually extended its operations until at the present time the works cover a tract of ground, extending from Kay Street into Waterloo Street, and constitute one of the largest engineering and millwright establishments in the country.
About a quarter of a century ago Messrs. Musgrave and Sons took up the cotton spinning business, beginning with the erection of the No. 1 Atlas Mil1, fronting Chorley Old Road, Halliwell, which was first put in operation about March, 1864; and the venture proving successful, fresh mills were added, the last extension to the spinning department being in 1887, when a sixth factory, for about one hundred thousand mule spindles, was constructed, which has been popularly called the 'Jubilee Mill.'
Since then, the firm has also embarked in the manufacture of cotton cloth. Including the employees at the Globe Ironworks and those engaged in their spinning and weaving concerns, the firm have now in their service nearly three thousand work people of all ages. Mr. John Musgrave, Sen., died on the 19th of December, 1864, at the age of eighty years ; and since then Mr. Joseph Musgrave acted as head of the establishment.
In the question of local railway-improvements, Mr. Musgrave greatly interested himself at various periods. He was mainly instrumental in inducing the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company to carry out the work of establishing and extending the Halliwell goods station many years ago, an addition which has proved of great benefit to the eastern and northern extremities of the borough.
One of his latest efforts in the direction of railway development was his project for the extension of the London and North-Western line by carrying it over the central part of the town, from the present terminus in Great Moor Street to a suggested new site in Church Street, Little Bolton, a distance of about 900 yards. Mr. Musgrave had plans prepared showing the route of this contemplated addition, together with other particulars; and he brought the matter before the Bolton Chamber of Commerce in November, 1887. The project was heartily approved by the Chamber, and strong representations were made to the Railway Directors to induce them to carry out the work, but they declined to accede to the suggestion.
Mr. Musgrave was for twelve years a member of the Halliwell Local Board, during three of which he was Chairman. When the incorporation of Halliwell with the borough was first suggested, he was strongly against the proposal, but afterwards seeing that the township must benefit from the change, he supported the project heartily, and gave evidence in favour of it before the Committee of the House of Commons.
He was made Justice of the Peace in 1867, and in the exercise of this function showed much discrimination and thoughtfulness.
In 1874 he was returned unopposed, as a councillor for the East Ward (in which the Globe Ironworks are situated); and in 1877, when that portion of the township of Halliwell which was within the Parliamentary borough became incorporated within the Municipal borough, Mr. Musgrave was chosen as one of the Aldermen for the new ward. The department in which he took most interest was the Water-works, for the development of which he, along with the other members of the Corporate Committee, had worked very hard. The last important Water-works undertaking which was inaugurated under the auspices of this Committee (of which he had been Chairman for several years up to his decease) was the new High Rid Reservoir, at Heaton, which is well advanced towards completion. It is calculated to hold about 100,000 gallons.
As President of the Bolton and District Incorporated Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Musgave - who held the office from the formation of the Chamber in 1887 up to his decease - achieved much valuable work on behalf of the trading community.
He was elected Mayor of Bolton in 1880. His name has been associated for many years with the Bolton Infirmary and Dispensary, to which he contributed liberally. He died on the 12th of January, 1891. Mr. Musgrave was elected an Associate Member on the 2nd of February, 1869.
1891 Obituary [7]
JOSEPH MUSGRAVE, of Bolton, who died on the 12th January 1891, was born on the 10th March 1812. He was apprenticed to Messrs. Rothwell, Hick, is Rothwell, of the Union Foundry, Bolton, and when Mr. Hick left that firm and built the present Soho Ironworks, Mr. Musgrave went with him in a responsible situation. In 1838 he was appointed resident engineer on the North Union Railway. He designed a skew bridge for the Lancaster and Preston Railway, consisting of a series of arches side by side, receding at the buttress or spring of the arch.
The Globe Ironworks, with which Mr. Musgrave's name is mainly associated, were founded early in the present century by his father, the late John Musgrave, who up to that time had been engaged in a responsible position at the Soho Ironworks, then belonging to Messrs. Benjamin Hick Is Son. In its initial stage the Globe Foundry was of comparatively small dimensions; but thanks to the earnestness of purpose, and the ingenuity and ability displayed by the head of the concern, aided materially in subsequent years by his sons, Messrs. Joseph, Jonathan, John, and James Musgrave, the firm gradually extended its operations, until at the present time the works cover a tract of ground extending from Kay Street into Waterloo Street, and constitute one of the largest engineering establishments in the country. About a quarter of a century ago Messrs. Musgrave & Sons took up a cotton-spinning business, beginning with the erection of the No. 1 Atlas Mill, fronting Chorley Old Road, Halliwell, which was first put into operation about March 1864; and the venture proving successful, fresh mills were added, the last extension to the spinning department being in 1887, when a sixth factory, for about 100,000 mule spindles, was constructed, which has been popularly called the " Jubilee Mill." Since then the firm has also embarked in the manufacture of cotton cloth. Including the employees at the Globe Ironworks, and those engaged in these spinning and weaving concerns, the firm have now in their service nearly 3000 workpeople of all ages. Mr. John Musgrave, sen., died on the 19th of December 1864, at the age of eighty years; and since then Mr. Joseph Musgrave has acted as head of the establishment.
In the question of local railway improvements Mr. Musgrave greatly interested himself at various periods. One of his latest efforts in the direction of railway development was his project for the extension of the London and North-Western line by carrying it over the central part of the town of Bolton, from the present terminus in Great Moor Street to a suggested new site in Church Street, Little Bolton, a distance of about 900 yards. Mr. Musgrave had plans prepared, showing the route of this contemplated addition, together with other particulars; and he brought the matter before the Bolton Chamber of Commerce in November 1887. The project was heartily approved by the Chamber, and strong representations were made to the Railway Directors to induce them to carry out the work, but they declined to accede to the suggestion.
Mr. Musgrave was for twelve years a member of the Halliwell Local Board, during three of which he was chairman.
He was made Justice of the Peace in 1867, and in 1874 he was returned unopposed as a councillor for the East Ward (in which the Globe Ironworks are situated). In 1877, when that portion of the township of Halliwell which was within the parliamentary borough became incorporated within the municipal borough, he became an alderman, and at a later date, he was chosen president of the Bolton Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Musgrave held the latter office from the formation of the Chamber in 1887 up to his decease, and did good work on behalf of the trading community. In 1880 he was elected Mayor of Bolton. His name has been associated for many years with the Bolton Infirmary and Dispensary, to which he contributed liberally. Mr. Musgrave was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1871, and occasionally attended the provincial meetings.
1891 Obituary [8]
1891 Obituary [9]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1841 census
- ↑ 1851 census
- ↑ 1861 census
- ↑ 1871 census
- ↑ BMD
- ↑ 1891 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries
- ↑ 1891 Iron and Steel Institute: Obituaries
- ↑ The Engineer 1891/01/23
- ↑ Engineering 1891 Jan-Jun: Index: General Index