Chapter 34 Austin Plant - Plant Family History Group

PLANT’S STEEL TOYMAKER BUSINESS
WOLVERHAMPTON
67
By Liz Plant – Member No. 104
I am not sure when my husband’s ancestors went into the Steel Toymaking Business, I have not managed to
find out anything earlier than 1841. However, I have a feeling the family had been in the business earlier as
Joseph is 50 on the 1841 Census.
The direct line for my husband, William Hugh Denis Plant, born 15 th February 1933, died 15 th April 2003 is
as follows:-
Joseph Plant b approximately 1790 m Margaret Green.
William Plant c 14 th June 1819 m Sarah Pool.
Stephen Plant b 6 th March 1854 m Sarah Louise Hart.
William Hart Plant b 30 th October 1879 m Emily Jane Brown.
Wilfred Harold Plant b 21 st September 1905 m Margaret Mabel Thomas.
William Hugh Denis Plant b 15 th February 1933 m Elizabeth Jean Brown.
See Charts 1, 2, 3 and 4, for more in depth information on the families.
Information gathered from the Census.
The 1841Census shows Joseph Plant, a Steel Toymaker aged 50, living with his family at St. James Square,
Wolverhampton with his wife, Margaret, aged 50. That makes them both born around 1790. (not yet proved)
The census tells me they had three sons, Joseph aged 19, Stephen aged 17, William Plant aged 10 and a
daughter, Elizabeth, aged 14.
On the same census in Steel House Lane there is another William Plant, a Steel Toymaker aged 20 and his
wife, Sarah, aged 25.
However, I do have proof this William was christened on the 14 th June 1819 and his parents were
Joseph and Margret.
William married Sarah Pool on the 19 th November 1840.
I wonder if the William Plant living with Joseph is his grandson or nephew, will investigate further.
According to Joseph’s will he had a daughter, Mary Ann, christened 25 th December 1811, married to Joseph
Garret and Sarah christened 21 st July 1815, married to John Ford. There were two other daughters, Phoebe,
born 9 th November 1813 and, Rebecca, born 1817.
The 1851 census tells us that Margaret Plant, aged 60, is now a widow living in Poole Street, Wolverhampton
and running the business, Corkscrew & Steel Toymaker, employing 12 men and 8 boys. Her son, Joseph,
now a widower, Steel Toymaker, aged 29 is there plus a servant and a lodger.
Next door to them is William Plant Corkscrew & Steel Toymaker, aged 31, with his wife, Sarah, aged 25,
and daughters Elizabeth, aged 8, Sarah, aged 4, Phoebe, aged 2 and son, William Joseph, aged 5 months, and
nephew, William Plant, aged 20, a corkscrew apprentice.
I wonder if this William is the same one on the 1841 census living with Joseph.
The 1861 census shows that William Steel, Toymaker, aged 41 is living at 105 Poole Street, Wolverhampton
and running the business employing 14 men and 5 boys. Sarah, his wife, is now 46, daughter Phoebe, aged
12, son William J, aged 10, Stephen his son, aged 7, plus his niece, Louisa Garrett, aged 16.
Next door at 104 Poole Street finds Joseph Plant, aged 39, Steel Toymaker, Mary Ann, his wife, aged 32, son
Joseph W, aged 12, and daughter, Clara, aged 2 monts.