BORN:

1852 in Manchester

MARRIED:

No known marriage in the UK

DIED:

22nd January 1924 at Stockport Lunatic Hospital, Cheshire

Biography

Baden Webb, named after his great-grandmother, Grace Baden, was the eldest son of Thomas George Webb. As such, one would have expected him to take a lead role in the firm when his father retired in the late 1880s. However it was the second son, Duncan Webb, who was to control the firm. Duncan's position was perhaps strengthened a little by his marriage into the McGregor family, who had significant wealth.

Baden's whereabouts are a little mysterious for a good deal of the time. He is missing from both the 1881 and 1891 census. We suspect that he spent a good deal of his early life abroad. The only hard evidence is this photo taken in Germany, 1877, by noted local photographer E. Bieber. Like other glass manufacturers of the time, Molineaux Webb had representation in Germany, and it is likely he was acting as an overseas agent and commercial traveller for the firm.

Baden Webb, 1877

If Baden spent a significant part of his life abroad, he would not be the only child of Thomas George Webb to do so. His brother Colin Webb started a medical career and lived in Panama, Mexico, and finally Chicago. Another brother Malcolm was a talented doctor with an impeccable academic record at Manchester Grammar School and London University. Malcolm was house doctor at the Manchester Royal Infirmary for several years in the 1880s, before eventually settling in Adavale, Australia.

Passenger Manifests

There is strong circumstantial evidence that Baden Webb went to the Antipodes. On passenger ship manifests there is a "Mr. B Webb", of the right age, travelling to New Zealand in 1891, possibly in his work as a glass agent, or perhaps to check out the quality of sand for glass manufacture (sand to the north of Auckland had been recommended to the company). There is also a chance he was in Australia in 1914 sorting out his brother Malcolm's estate, after he died in Adavale Queensland in 1913, as he appears on a passenger list sailing to Southampton from Australia.

Share Registers

Although Baden largely avoids appearances on the census, the Molineaux & Webb share registers survive for 1888, 1898, 1908, and 1918 and reveal his addresses. In 1888 he was living in Ardwick, Manchester, and 1898 he was living in nearby Moss Side. In 1908 he was living at Bath Street, Buxton, Derbyshire, and in 1918 his address was given as the glass works in Kirby Street, Ancoats.

If anything these share registers make his life story a little murky. On the 1898 register, Baden, listed as the company secretary, held just 1 share whereas his brother Duncan, the managing director, held 183 out of 207 shares. How did Baden get marginalised to such an extent? Furthermore, whilst Duncan lived well, in a large house in East Manchester, Baden's addresses are somewhat transient. The only sign of him settling down comes in 1908, when his brother transferred another 29 shares to him, leaving Baden with 15% of the company to provide dividend income. However by 1918, Baden seems to have no address at all as the share register has him at the glass works in Kirby Street. Surely he wasn't living in the building? Perhaps he had moved abroad and this was a contact address...

A Sad End

The 1924 death certificate of Baden Webb places him at the Stockport Lunatic Hospital, Cheshire, today the Cheadle Royal Hospital. He had suffered from a stroke several years earlier and had probably been looked after at this small private hospital for some time. His was still listed as a glass manufacturer at time of death, and his address was given as "no fixed abode." Despite his nomadic existence, he did leave a probate of over eight thousand pounds.

Baden's brother, Malcolm Webb, circa 1880

1861 CENSUS:

Address: Ardwick, Manchester

Others: Living with parents, four siblings and three servants

1871 CENSUS:

Job Title: Student

Address: Abbey Hey House, Gorton, Manchester

Others: Living with parents, nine siblings, one other relative and four servants

1881 CENSUS:

Not located - may have been out of the country.

1891 CENSUS:

Not located - may have been out of the country.

1901 CENSUS:

Job Title: Glass manufacturer

Address: 94 Greenheys Lane, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester (Visitor to the property)

Others: Staying with two young ladies, one a visiting barmaid.