The Drinkwaters
Jane Drinkwater, Nanas maternal grandmother, married Charles Holden in 1875 and she was the daughter of Isaac and Mary Drinkwater. Isaac was born in 1832 in Manchester and Mary, (nee Eckersley), was born in 1834 in Manchester and they married on 20th October 1851 at Manchester Cathedral. Mary was the daughter of John Eckersley who was a Carter and Isaac was the son of James Drinkwater who was a waterman.
A Waterman
A waterman was responsible for ferrying passengers or goods across water, usually a river. Their traditional open boats were known as 'wherries' and were often double-ended with seating for passengers. Wherries had pointed bows so that they could get close in to shore and let their passengers off without them getting their feet wet. Covers could be raised to protect the passengers from rain and sun. A waterman would usually start an apprenticeship at the age of 14, for a period of 7 years. In most cases the apprentice was bound to his father. If the father died during the apprenticeship period it was not unusual for the mother to be named in his place. The apprentice was not formally allowed to marry before completing his apprenticeship. The masters' responsibility was both to teach the skills necessary for a life on the river and to provide board and lodging to his apprentice.
Informal racing between watermen has always been a river tradition and these races were the beginnings of competitive rowing, which has now become a national sport with annual events such as the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race, and the Henley Regatta. Success in races helped to build a reputation for superior rowing skills, which in turn would lead to more passengers for the waterman.
Isaac Drinkwater was a corn miller when he married Mary Eckersley, but by the 1860's he changed trades and owned a painting and decorating shop until his death in 1891, at the age of 59. His shop was at 3, Robert Street, Hulme, Manchester, and it was here that they brought up 7 known children, and his 3 sons worked for him from his shop. His 2 younger sons changed trades after they left home, but William, his eldest, carried on in this trade for the rest of his working life.
Painting and Decorating in the 1800's
With the relatively simple interiors and labour saving materials we have today, it means that most people do their own house decoration. Even if professionals are employed, one or two people can decorate an entire house. In Victorian times, with every surface decorated and embellished, with no non-drip paints or ready pasted wall papers, there was more need to specialise. Some people would specialise as a painter while a 'paper hanger' would specialise in hanging wallpapers. Some would combine trades, for example, a Grainer, Painter & Paperhanger, as well as painting and hanging wall paper, would have created grain effects using thin 'scumble' paint.
Large numbers of people were moving from the countryside into towns like Manchester due to industrialisation during the 19th century. This meant that many builders and decorators would have been required and to cater for this massive influx in population and Isaac reaped the benefits of this, and had enough trade to keep him in business for over 3o years.
The use of wallpaper
The first users of wallpapers were people trying to create the effect of tapestry and textile hangings on their walls and they tended to be used the wealthier middle classes. However by the mid-18th century it was used by royalty and the upper classes and was regarded as fashionable for the first half of the 19th century. Wallpaper was still expensive in the early Victorian years until cheaper roller-printed wallpapers were available in the late 1830s. This was possible due to the repeal of wallpaper taxation in 1836 and the development of a printing machine in 1839. A printing firm in Lancashire developed a printing machine for wallpaper, allowing the printing of endless lengths of paper, and as production increased, prices dropped. As the prices dropped, more and more people were able to buy it for their homes and this eventually led to it being available to nearly all households and was no longer restricted to the upper and middle classes.
Victorian interior decorating
During the mid-Victorian era, interiors were ostentatious, cluttered and heavily patterned wallpapers and fabrics were used throughout the house. The Gothic appearance of the outside of the house was reflected in very ornate plasterwork and all sorts of detail throughout the interior. Wallpaper was recommended for use in the better rooms of the house, especially the parlour and the best bedroom. Householders would use the higher quality papers in more impressive styles in public rooms with cheaper papers and designs used in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. The dominant colour in the wallpaper was then used for the woodwork.
Later in the Victorian era, picture rails became popular. This and the dado rail divided the wall into three strips, each of which would be decorated differently. A dark or painted textured paper would be used for the dado at the bottom. The filling below the picture rail and the frieze above would be filled with densely patterned wallpapers. These patterns fell into 3 general groups, the 1st consisting of shapes such as diamonds, squares and rounds joining together making geometric patterns. The second were papers depicting natural objects, such as flowers, foliage, and birds in a highly stylized manner and William Morris's designs were among the most critically acclaimed. The third style was papers with Japanese motifs using asymmetrical placement of common items such as fans, vases and kimono-clad figures. Tiffany, Dresser, Christian Herter and Walter Crane are among the well know designers who produced this style.
Painting and Decorating in the 1800's
With the relatively simple interiors and labour saving materials we have today, it means that most people do their own house decoration. Even if professionals are employed, one or two people can decorate an entire house. In Victorian times, with every surface decorated and embellished, with no non-drip paints or ready pasted wall papers, there was more need to specialise. Some people would specialise as a painter while a 'paper hanger' would specialise in hanging wallpapers. Some would combine trades, for example, a Grainer, Painter & Paperhanger, as well as painting and hanging wall paper, would have created grain effects using thin 'scumble' paint.
Large numbers of people were moving from the countryside into towns like Manchester due to industrialisation during the 19th century. This meant that many builders and decorators would have been required and to cater for this massive influx in population and Isaac reaped the benefits of this, and had enough trade to keep him in business for over 3o years.
The use of wallpaper
The first users of wallpapers were people trying to create the effect of tapestry and textile hangings on their walls and they tended to be used the wealthier middle classes. However by the mid-18th century it was used by royalty and the upper classes and was regarded as fashionable for the first half of the 19th century. Wallpaper was still expensive in the early Victorian years until cheaper roller-printed wallpapers were available in the late 1830s. This was possible due to the repeal of wallpaper taxation in 1836 and the development of a printing machine in 1839. A printing firm in Lancashire developed a printing machine for wallpaper, allowing the printing of endless lengths of paper, and as production increased, prices dropped. As the prices dropped, more and more people were able to buy it for their homes and this eventually led to it being available to nearly all households and was no longer restricted to the upper and middle classes.
Victorian interior decorating
During the mid-Victorian era, interiors were ostentatious, cluttered and heavily patterned wallpapers and fabrics were used throughout the house. The Gothic appearance of the outside of the house was reflected in very ornate plasterwork and all sorts of detail throughout the interior. Wallpaper was recommended for use in the better rooms of the house, especially the parlour and the best bedroom. Householders would use the higher quality papers in more impressive styles in public rooms with cheaper papers and designs used in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. The dominant colour in the wallpaper was then used for the woodwork.
Later in the Victorian era, picture rails became popular. This and the dado rail divided the wall into three strips, each of which would be decorated differently. A dark or painted textured paper would be used for the dado at the bottom. The filling below the picture rail and the frieze above would be filled with densely patterned wallpapers. These patterns fell into 3 general groups, the 1st consisting of shapes such as diamonds, squares and rounds joining together making geometric patterns. The second were papers depicting natural objects, such as flowers, foliage, and birds in a highly stylized manner and William Morris's designs were among the most critically acclaimed. The third style was papers with Japanese motifs using asymmetrical placement of common items such as fans, vases and kimono-clad figures. Tiffany, Dresser, Christian Herter and Walter Crane are among the well know designers who produced this style.
William Drinkwater
William Drinkwater, Isaac's eldest son, worked for his father as a painter and paper hanger and carried on with this trade after he left home some time in his early 20's. Between 1881 and 1891 William lived as a 'lodger' at 48 Bridgwater Street, with a lady called Elizabeth Evans who was 37 and a fustian cutter. Elizabeth was classified as a widow, and in 1881 had 2 children living with her, Emily, 6, and Henry, 12 months. William was 'married' but no family living with him. By 1891, Elizabeth was still a widow and a fustian cutter, and William was still her married lodger working for his father. Elizabeth's children living with her were Amelia, 17, who was a cap maker, Henry, 11 and strangely, for a widow of at least 10 years, she had a daughter, Elizabeth, who was only 7.
A Fustian cutter
Fustian was a sort of heavy duty corduroy and a fustian-cutter was a person who cut the pile in the fabric for velvet and corduroy type material.
The following extract from "The Labour Prophet" February 1895 describes the job of a fustian cutter.
A fustian-cutter, working ten hours a day, cutting 22 in(inch) slip velvet, is paid 3s. 9d (3 shillings and 9 pence) for cutting a piece 145 to 150 yards, but these pieces are often up to 20 to 25 yards longer. It takes a week to cut three pieces, so that in full work only 11 shillings can be earned in six days, and off this amount deductions for fire, light and cleaning, amount to about 9d per week are made, and to earn this paltry sum 150 miles will have to be walked, from end to end of the pieces. Besides the deductions named, the cutter is charged 1/2d(half penny) for each hole made in the cloth, averaging another 4d
per week, and these holes are mainly due to bad weaving than bad cutting. Women can only earn about two thirds the amount got by the men, as they become exhausted after walking 15 or 16 miles in a day.
William’s new household
By 1901, William still lived as a boarder at 48, Bridgwater Street, but he was now classed as a widower and the head of the house was another widower named Sarah Gough, living with 3 of her adult children and 2 grandchildren. It would seem from this limited information that William had a relationship with Elizabeth Evans and that the daughter Elizabeth Evans may have been his, although I am unable to verify this. If this is the case, why they did not marry, or why Elizabeth bore her mothers surname, I am unsure.
James Drinkwater
By the age of 14, James Drinkwater, Isaac's 2nd known son, was also working for his father as a painter and paper hanger. By 1891, James had married Mary, a charwoman, had at least 2 children, Caroline, 5, and Thomas, 3 and he was now a railway porter. In 1901, James was a labourer and had Catey, 15, Willie, 8, James, 5, Jane, 4 and Isaac, 1.
Harry Drinkwater
Harry Drinkwater, Isaac's youngest known son was 18 in 1891, a general labourer and the only child still living with Isaac and Mary. By 1901, Harry had married Elizabeth Ann and had 3 children - Harry, 5, David Arthur, 3 and Robert Edward, 2 months. Harry was a house painter and a journeyman, which meant he had finished his apprenticeship, but was not yet a master.
A Fustian cutter
Fustian was a sort of heavy duty corduroy and a fustian-cutter was a person who cut the pile in the fabric for velvet and corduroy type material.
The following extract from "The Labour Prophet" February 1895 describes the job of a fustian cutter.
A fustian-cutter, working ten hours a day, cutting 22 in(inch) slip velvet, is paid 3s. 9d (3 shillings and 9 pence) for cutting a piece 145 to 150 yards, but these pieces are often up to 20 to 25 yards longer. It takes a week to cut three pieces, so that in full work only 11 shillings can be earned in six days, and off this amount deductions for fire, light and cleaning, amount to about 9d per week are made, and to earn this paltry sum 150 miles will have to be walked, from end to end of the pieces. Besides the deductions named, the cutter is charged 1/2d(half penny) for each hole made in the cloth, averaging another 4d
per week, and these holes are mainly due to bad weaving than bad cutting. Women can only earn about two thirds the amount got by the men, as they become exhausted after walking 15 or 16 miles in a day.
William’s new household
By 1901, William still lived as a boarder at 48, Bridgwater Street, but he was now classed as a widower and the head of the house was another widower named Sarah Gough, living with 3 of her adult children and 2 grandchildren. It would seem from this limited information that William had a relationship with Elizabeth Evans and that the daughter Elizabeth Evans may have been his, although I am unable to verify this. If this is the case, why they did not marry, or why Elizabeth bore her mothers surname, I am unsure.
James Drinkwater
By the age of 14, James Drinkwater, Isaac's 2nd known son, was also working for his father as a painter and paper hanger. By 1891, James had married Mary, a charwoman, had at least 2 children, Caroline, 5, and Thomas, 3 and he was now a railway porter. In 1901, James was a labourer and had Catey, 15, Willie, 8, James, 5, Jane, 4 and Isaac, 1.
Harry Drinkwater
Harry Drinkwater, Isaac's youngest known son was 18 in 1891, a general labourer and the only child still living with Isaac and Mary. By 1901, Harry had married Elizabeth Ann and had 3 children - Harry, 5, David Arthur, 3 and Robert Edward, 2 months. Harry was a house painter and a journeyman, which meant he had finished his apprenticeship, but was not yet a master.