The Kettle Family of Die Sinkers

[constanius]

After much research I have pieced together the story of the Kettle Family business in Suffolk st. Birmingham, from its founding to its demise, this is something that appears not to have been done before. I have omitted some of what I discovered as it would be irrelevant to most. I do give the maiden name of Thomas Kettle's wife, Twist, as there is an interesting aside to the story, if anyone is curious about this I will add the info in a later post.

The Kettle Family of Die Sinkers.

After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes(1685) a French Huguenot glass stainer from Meaux emigrated and settled in Birmingham, England. His name was Henri Quitel, which at some point was anglicized to Kettle.

Henry Kettle took over the family business in the late 1780's and expanded it into the manufacturing of counters & medals.
Henry started making imitation spade guineas in 1793.

His two sons, Thomas & William join the firm early 1800's & in 1812 Thomas took over the company.

 

An advert in a book dated 1800 uses Kettle & Son.

 

A document relating to Thomas perhaps helping to expand the company 1802.

Indenture of mortgage by way of demise from Thomas Kettle of Birmingham, button maker, to Henry Hill of Birmingham, painter, of a messuage, land and appurtenances in Suffolk Street, Birmingham. Parchment. Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/45
Date: 25 May 1802

A couple of documents relating to Thomas Kettle financial dealings re his acquisition of his father's company in 1811.

Bond from Thomas Kettle of Birmingham, button maker, to William Ashbee, brassfounder, and Eleazar Ashbee, gilt toymaker, both of Birmingham to secure the sum of £300. Paper. Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/48 Date: 24 June 1811

Assignment of mortgage from Henry Hill of Birmingham, painter, by the direction of Thomas kettle of Birmingham, button maker, to William Ashbee, brass founder, and Eleazar Ashbee, gilt toymaker, both of Birmingham, of a messuage, land and appurtenances in Suffolk Street, Birmingham. Parchment.
Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/47 Date: 24 June 1811.

One for a property expansion(or relocation) in 1817,
Assignment from Thomas Kettle of Birmingham, gilt toymaker, to Thomas Willmare of Birmingham, dealer in metals, of a messuage, manufactory and appurtenances in Suffolk Street, Birmingham, Subject to a mortgage from the said Thomas Kettle to William Ashbee and Eleazar Ashbee. Paper. Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/50 Date: 15 July 1817.

In 1818 his address is, Kettle Thomas, 22 Suffolk-street

Another for a property expansion(or relocation) in 1825,
Assignment of mortgage from Eleazar Ashbee of Birmingham, gilt toy maker, by the direction of Thomas Kettle of Birmingham, button maker, to John Birch of Aston, gent., of a messuage, land and appurtenances in Suffolk Street, Birmingham. Parchment.
Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/51 Date: 28 June 1825

And one in 1826
Lease for a year from Thomas Kettle of Birmingham, button maker and jeweller, and Samuel Twist of Birmingham, victualler, to Patience Robinson of Kidderminster, co. Worc., widow, of a messuage, manufactory and land with appurtenances in Suffolk Street, Birmingham. Parchment. Reference: MS 3388/Acc 1933-008/57 Date: 29 August 1826

Thomas died in 1929 and his wife Mary became owner, her eldest son, Francis Thomas(or Thomas Francis as both are used) remained with her.

This 1838 advert shows the previous expansions to adjoining properties 97,98 and 99 Suffolk street and Mary as owner.


The 1851 Census had Mary Kettle(she died 1852) as fundholder, son Francis Thomas a Gentleman. In 1858 Francis is listed as 98 and 99 Suffolk street. So Francis owned the business from 1852 till selling it to Hobson c. 1860 who is listed in 1861 as only 99 Suffolk street.

Sir Rupert Alfred Kettle (9 January 1817 6 October 1894) was an English barrister and county court judge, involved in arbitration of trade disputes he was Thomas and Mary's youngest child(born 1817).

He was the sole executor for his brother Francis, the last owner of the Kettle family business, which had been founded by Henri Quitel the French Huguenot emigre soon after 1685 and remained in the family until c. 1860, leaving a legacy of interesting tokens as a lasting memorial to almost 200 years of existence.

Thomas' son, Sir Rupert Alfred Kettle who had been knighted in 1879, acquired a coat of arms showing a beehive surrounded by a laurel wreath with the motto "Qui Tel", showing the family had not forgotten their roots. It can be translated as "Who is such a man as this?"

[thedeadpoint]

Saving this to read for tomorrow night!

[ccg]

Interesting! I wonder if they made non-medallic items for retail sale themselves, or if they took work in on contract to others as don't seem to recall having coming across their name in hallmark references, though admittedly, info on maker's marks prior to the late Victorian era tends to be a bit sparse online.

[constanius]

The only thing I know for sure is that the censuses show many family members at the same address, or adjacent addresses, and some other relatives & the odd female servant(F.S.)

 

They had large families and they do appear to have lived and worked at the same premises or at least premises side by side.

 

Considering all the different types of items they made it seems a shame that the tokens seem to be the only things that survive that can be attributed to them. On the plus side, without the tokens they would seem almost not to have existed.

 

I would dearly love to find anything, besides the tokens, with the Kettle name on it.

[Jokerman]

Impressing. Loved to read it.

[constanius]

The 1841 census only lists occupants, ages, occupations & street names but not house numbers. But by cross referencing directory lists of publicans with the names and addresses of the inns on Suffolk st. & the census of Suffolk st. I have established that

 

William Kettle(son of Thomas & Mary Kettle & brother to Thomas Francis) & his wife and young children occupied 97 Suffolk st.

Mary Kettle(owner) & Thomas Francis Kettle(her son & future owner) occupied 98 Suffolk st.

99 Suffolk st. is listed as Unoccupied, so was used only for the business.

 

This explains why, when the business was sold to Hobson c. 1860 his company only occupied 99 Suffolk st., the Kettles still lived at 97 & 98.