Robert Hutton (1862- )
c.1862 Born son of Robert Hutton
1899. On the death of his father, Robert, with his brother James took over the foundry business, Batts Foundry, which was renamed Robert Hutton and Sons. [1]
The prospects and financial performance of the business had declined by the time that the sons inherited the business. James's and Robert's housing reflected much about the challenging finances of the foundry. For Robert, junior, his house reflected the straitened times. The 1901 Census indicates that Robert and his wife, Catherine, were (what is presently, [2013]) a three-bedroom terrace house at 5 Scoresby Terrace, with 7 children, as well as Catherine's sister, Margaret. In 1911, the year that the foundry closed, the Census recorded that Robert and Catherine and 12 children were living in another terrace house at 20 Elgin Street; in 2016 the property was described as having four bedrooms. In other words, fourteen persons were lodged in a very modestly-sized dwelling.
1907 was a pivotal year in the foundry's business, with James and Robert agreeing to dissolve the partnership, with Robert taking over full control of the business. Sadly, two months later the foundry's viability was further undermined by a major robbery of leather used in the foundry; the foundry operations had to cease and workers were laid off until the parts could be replaced. [2]
As indicated in a Whitby Gazette article (31 May 1907), James Hutton, then aged 55, left the business to seek to establish himself in Canada. The postcards that James sent back to Whitby during June 1907 provide some insight into his travels. His quest to “try his fortune” (as phrased by the Whitby Gazette) ranged from visiting Ontario (Cookstown and Toronto), Manitoba and Quebec. As his sister, Jenny, later noted, James sought to migrate so as to improve the prospects for his son, Bob. It would seem, however, that James did not find sufficiently-positive prospects to trigger the family's migration to Canada.
1911 Robert Hutton 49, iron founder, employer, lived in Whitby with Catherine Hutton 44, Theresa Hutton 20, Annie Hutton 19, Margaret Hutton 18, James Hutton 16, moulder (iron), Catherine Hutton 14, Augustine Hutton 11, Arthur Hutton 10, Edward Hutton 8, John Hutton 7, Robert Hutton 5, Jean Hutton 8, Mary Hutton 1[3]
1911 The foundry closed; it is not known what work Robert undertook following the closure and sale of the foundry.
1928 Died in Stockton[4]
See Also
Sources of Information
- Based on information compiled by Peter Kain with some assistance and resources of the Whitby Library & Archive. Peter Kain - With his kind permission his written work is now published on Grace's Guide (January 2018)</ref>