[John Compton]

Referring back to my initial post on this thread I have now found hundred(s) of newspaper articles relating to new organs built by the Halmshaw family in the British Newspaper Archives. I am still in the process of downloading all the relevant pages and then transcribing the information so this will take some time. Surprisingly, Joseph Halmshaw was building organs himself from as early as 1842 when one was erected in Flockton, Yorkshire, while he was living in Dewsbury. He built several more over the following years while living in Dewsbury until by early 1849 he moved to Birmingham, at 367 Coventry Road, Bordesley where he continued producing them until perhaps 1854 when the company was first registered at Camp-hill. Clearly, some of the reports are duplicated by different newspapers. While some reports contain very little information, simply saying a new organ was opened, or erected, others are very detailed, mentioning types of stops and keyboards, pedals and pipes with sizes, who the organist was and how much they cost.

I have added a copy of my working file which is still very much a work in progress and only covers the first two decades but does give an idea of what is out there. I don't know how many newspapers are still to be digitised but it is likely to take several more years, just as it is likely to take me a long time to complete my transcriptions.

Halmshaw Organ Newspaper clips.docx

[John Compton]

Very helpful Rowland, thank you. I had read somewhere of partnership talks but assumed nothing had come out of it. Henry had already retired due to ill health before the 1911 census where he was living as a boarder and for occupation had put retired organ builder. The legal wording of the administration letter quoted the manager of the firm which may have been Ebrall or a partner. From census records at least one worker was a nephew (surname London) living with the Halmshaw's. The London's were the children of Henry's wife's sister Anna. My Great Grandmother Hannah was John Halmshaw's daughter, so I am trying to write the history of their lives. Up to 1871 the Halmshaws were living at No 194 with the premises listed as 191/193 but by 1881 they were living at the other end of the road in No 12.

[John Compton]

I spoke with Valerie by telephone a while back but she was unable to add to what I had at the time but promised to call back if she found anything further. I have since found a little more on my own searches when I came across a letter of Administration dated November 5 1913; Following Henry Halmshaw's death in Selly Park Nursing Home on 9^th May 1913 he left the sum of £12 10s. to the Manager of Joseph William Halmshaw Organ Builders. This may imply that the company was still active at this time but I have not found any post war references at all. The last known address I have for the company was at 191/193 Camphill, Bordesley, Birmingham, Warwickshire. This from an 1879 gazeteer.

[John Compton]

Hi all, I stumbled across this thread while researching my family history as Joseph Halmshaw was my Great Great Great Grandfather and the founder of Halmshaw and Sons, Organ builders of Birmingham. Joseph (then a joiner) and 3 of his sons, John, William and Henry had earlier moved from Dewsbury to Birmingham and set up their factory in their home at 367 Coventry Road, where they can be found in the 1851 census. Son William was an Organ Pipe maker. When Joseph died in 1864 John took over and after his death Henry took over and took on John Compton as an apprentice. Henry retired due to ill health around 1911 and died shortly afterwards. It is assumed that the factory (by then it had moved to a new location) closed at the beginning of WWI due to conscription of all the workers. I have much fuller details, though still far from complete, if anyone wishes to know more.