Doyle - Bootle Glassworks

[Karen]

Reading this month's 'Your Family Tree' magazine and the feature on glass workers reminded me of one of my brick walls that I haven't looked at for a number of years.

My 3x great grandmother, Margaret Doyle, was, according to her baptism, born on 30th March 1814. She was baptised at St. John's Church on 7th April 1823 (some time after her birth!) Her address was given as 'Bootle Glassworks,' and her parents were William & Ann Doyle - William was a glass blower.

I've found two marriages of a William Doyle to an Ann in the right timeframe but am unsure which, if any, is the right one as there are no clues:

1) William Doyle, a Tin Man from Liverpool, married Ann Robinson, a widow on 15th July 1808 at St. Peter's.
2) William Doyle, a Labourer from Liverpool, married Ann Davies, a widow on 25th May 1811 at St. Peter's.

I've also not been able to find William in any Gore's Directories.

Margaret married Archibald Irwin on 23rd June 1835 at St. Paul's Church and on the 1851 & 1861 Censuses, recorded her place of birth as Bootle:
1851: Piece: 2190; Folio: 369; Page: 47
1861: Piece: 2717; Folio: 117; Page: 42
Following censuses have her as being born in Liverpool.

Would anybody know the location of or any information about Bootle Glassworks?

[MaryA]

Was it St John's Liverpool or one in Bootle? which would make more sense.

Hoping somebody has heard of this, but wonder if an enquiry to the glass museum in St Helens might produce any results?

[Karen]

It's the one in Liverpool in Old Haymarket. I think that might be my best option - I'm just amazed that I've never been able to locate anything about it online or in any books.

[Hilary]

try Sefton Local History Unit at Crosby Library. They cover Bootle history as Bootle is in Sefton MBC. They have a great deal oif information on Bootle so maybe able to help. I'd also have a look on old maps to see if you can locate the glassworks that way. The 1st edition 6 inch to the mile maps were done in the late 1840s so may show it.

[Karen]

Thanks - I'll give that a go!

[VicMar1]

Not a revelation to assist you in finding your GGM but you may just find some point of interest in the document below.
It would appear that there was a source of spring water somewhere near the Mons pub (would you believe it), and on it there was a pumping station, if I followed the description right. I am thinking it just might have been a useful area to have a bottle source to supply the city with drinking water ? The Bootle area was also noted for its sand apparently,which is a useful resource when making glass I believe. Might be worth noting ?
It was 1840 before the docks and heavy industry made any appearance so it would have been a far different place to what it is today.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report ... mpid=41285
There are also maps at this site for the period.

[n3ttl3]

Hi Karen

Just to add to the other replies - Bootle had an underground lake (may still be there) which was highly prized as spring water (move over Evian)!. As well as Well Lane and Waterworks Street in Bootle (near Derby Park), there is Springwell Road which is higher up the hill, however, there was never any trace of a spring when I used to walk down there to school! St Johns Church was situated on St Johns Road, Bootle.

Unfortunately I don't know of any glassworks, however, that's not to say there weren't any.

Good luck in your research
All the best
Annette

[Karen]

Thank you VicMar1 and N3ttl3. Some very interesting info!

[VicMar1]

Could be of interest to you.? Whilst looking through some of the very large scale maps of this city held at the library last week I came across a map that was dated 1839 and showed a "Bootle Glass Works" surrounded by Blackstock Street,Ford St,Limekiln Lane & Vauxhall Rd and there was also a "Vauxhall Vitreous Works" next to the "Bootle Water Works" nearer to the docks area,and on the opposite side of Vauxhall Rd in Eaton Street.
Intriguing because they are all central to the area I would now call Vauxhall or Kirkdale at a push,certainly not Bootle?
In spite of my earlier post's musings this map shows a very heavily industrialised area in and around Vauxhall and the Docks for that year. Maybe your ancestor was from that area ?
Reference to find map @ Central Library = Drawer 15 /Sheet 19 in map cabinets.3rd Floor.

[Karen]

That's brilliant, thanks! First time I've ever seen an actual reference to Bootle Glassworks. Next time I'm at the Record Office, I'll have a look at the map. It makes complete sense as Margaret was baptised at St. Johns which wouldn't have been that far away.