BORN:

21st January 1797, Warrington

MARRIED:

Jane Ellis

KNOWN CHILDREN:

Grace (c1817) - in Warrington.

Thomas George (1820) - baptised at St. Elphin, Warrington

Maria (1822) - baptised at St. Elphin, Warrington

Jane (1825) - baptised at St. Elphin, Warrington

Thomas George (1827) - born in Manchester.

DIED:

29th April 1873 at 25 Richmond Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester.

Profession on death certificate - "formerly a glass manufacturer"

Buried 2nd May 1873 in Manchester General Cemetery

Biography

Thomas Webb was born into a family of glassmakers who were based around Warrington Bank Quay. He was the last born and only he and his siblings Jesse and Maria survived childhood. Jesse went on to be a glass blower at Molineaux & Webb. Maria married Thomas Percival, a family line that leads to the Ancoats glass company of Percival & Vickers.

An 1820 baptism record from the church of St. Elphin Warrington lists Thomas as a glass maker, living at Bank Quay. This is our best proof that he once worked at the Perrin & Geddes glass works - he was living right next door to it.

In 1824 Perrin & Geddes dissolved their partnership and many members of the Webb family moved to Ancoats over the next few years. By 1827, Molineaux & Webb, initially going under the name of Maginnis, Molineaux & Co., was up and running in Ancoats. Thomas Webb was a co-founder along with Owen Ellis, William Maginnis, Boulton Molineaux and Thomas Molineaux. In an article by C.P. Hampson in 1932, the Webbs were described as "businessmen and practical glass blowers." As Thomas' brother Jesse was a glass blower, it is likely that Thomas was the business brains in the family.

By 1831, Thomas had got the Webb family name into the title of the company, and it became Molineaux, Webb, Ellis & Co. From clippings that survive in the papers, Thomas Molineaux was the senior figure, contributing to public works, fighting the Corn Laws and being elected to public bodies. Thomas Webb to some extent followed in his wake, appearing in tandem with Molineaux on later documents.

The first sign of Molineaux & Webb acting together outside of the company is in a list of railway investors from 1837. Molineaux was very heavily committed to rail shares, but Webb only bought into one line; the London, Salisbury, Exeter, Plymouth and Falmouth railway. Webb invested £500 and Molineaux invested £1250.

By 1842, Webb had joined Molineaux as a commissioner for "cleansing, lighting, watching and regulating the town of Manchester." Later on in the 1840s he joined Molineaux in activities against the Corn Laws, contributing £20 to a fund in 1846, and being on a committee in 1849 which was set up to organise a banquet after the Corn Laws were repealed.

In other news clippings, Thomas Webb can be found appearing in cases for Molineaux & Webb in court, when they felt compelled to legally pursue employees who had broken their terms of contract or who had stolen items from the factory.

Retirement

By the late 1850s, Thomas Molineaux had died and Webb was running the company with business partner David Wilkinson. Up to this point, Thomas Webb had been living at Mill Street in Ancoats. In 1859, he retired from Molineaux & Webb and a large banquet was held in his honour. A vellum presented to him on his retirement is shown in Chapter 6 of the History section.

Additional personal items presented on his retirement are shown here.

Silver cigar case - retirement gift

Image courtesy of R. Dodsworth

This image was taken in the 1970s when the cigar case was owned by descendant Pamela Webb. After her death the object was transferred to the Manchester Art Gallery.

Inscribed jug presented to Thomas Webb

Image courtesy of R. Dodsworth

On his retirement, Thomas Webb moved to Richmond Grove in Longsight, a mile or two out of central Manchester, whilst his role in the firm was taken by his son, Thomas George Webb. On the 1861 census, Thomas Webb was living on the same street as his nephew, Thomas Percival.

Thomas Webb died in 1873. Here is his entry in the National Probate Calendar:

Effects under £25000

10 July

The Will of Thomas Webb late of the City of Manchester Gentleman who died 29 April 1873 at Manchester was proved at Manchester by Edward Webber of Richmond House Fallowfield in the Parish of Manchester in the County of Lancashire Merchant William Edmondson of Charles Street in the said City Engraver and Thomas George Webb of Kirby Street in the said City Glass Manufacturer the Son the Executors.

The will included leaseholds that he had held for many decades on roads around the glass factory, which provided him with an income in retirement.

The rest of the will is largely legal jargon, but did reveal a little about his possessions:

I give and bequeath the silver tea and coffee service with cigar case presented to me, also all my watches, jewelery, guns firearms books papers of science and philosophical instruments unto my son Thomas George Webb absolutely.

Grave of Thomas Webb, wife, and son Thomas George Webb, at Manchester General Cemetery

1841 CENSUS:

Missing, but his family were living at Mill Street, Ancoats.

1851 CENSUS:

Job Title: Glass manufacturer

Address: 25 Mill Street, Ancoats, Manchester

Others: Living with wife, three children and one servant.

1861 CENSUS:

Job Title: Retired glass manufacturer

Address: Richmond Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester

Others: Living with wife, one daughter, and one servant.

1871 CENSUS:

Job Title: Income from dividend

Address: Richmond Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester

Others: Living with daughter and two servants.