| Administrative History | The following information was prepared by W A Gibson in March 1987 while the material was at Chesterfield Library. It is unclear if he was a member of staff or a researcher, though he may have typed or even catalogued pages 203-236 of the original Chesterfield Library list as this is typed on different paper using a sdifferent typewriter than the rest of the list, and does primarily relate to Liverpool which is the main subject of the following text:
John Gorell Barnes, of Ashgate, Chesterfield, had six sons and two daughters; four of the sons were at some time involved in business in Liverpool. The collection includes some 200 Liverpool items, mainly letters from Joseph Lyne to Edmund Barnes, enabling the compilation of the following summary of their Liverpool activities.
William Barnes (1814-1890) was in 1832 apprenticed to Moon Brothers of Tithebarn Street, shipowners; later his brother Henry (1817-1865) joined William Cater & Nephew. In 1838 they set up their own merchants business as Barnes Brothers in Brazil Buildings, Drury Lane; two years later they decided to open a ‘mercantile establishment’ in Port Philip (Melbourne). William went out to put this into effect, accompanied by Charles (1818-1886) who had been apprenticed to Andrew Taylor & Co. William returned to Liverpool in 1842, and Edmund (1820-1870) joined Charles in Australia in 1843. The Australian venture was abandoned circa 1851, Charles returning to Liverpool and Edmund to the family seat at Ashgate (their father having died in 1850), joining Alfred (1823-1901) in the management of the family business interests, mainly the developing and successful Grassmoor Colliery Company. Meanwhile, William had left Liverpool and taken up farming in County Durham in 1846.
Whilst Charles continued to live in Mossley Hill, nothing is revealed of his business activity; the business now traded as Henry Barnes & Co, operating from 5 Rumford Place, and financial statements clearly show the major interest was held by Henry. The business was apparently thriving and owned a number of vessels.
Henry, of Anfield Cottage, Walton, died in 1865, his grave in Anfield Cemetery being marked by a ‘broken column’ monument sculpted and erected by Edwin Stirling.
Following Henry’s death, the business continued to operate under the direction of executors, Edmund Barnes and Joseph Lyne, a partner in Cotesworth Lyne & Co of 21 Tower Buildings (owners (?) of vessels ‘Badrhyddan’ and ‘Polestar’). Lyne supervised the day-to-day operations, frequently writing to Edmund for approval of action taken, or for the resolution of problems, on such matters as customer relations, staff, etc. He also sought Edmund’s decisions concerning the investment of funds, usually conveying the recommendations if R & R Healey & Co of 7 Dale Street, apparently stockbrokers. The funds available for investment included the proceeds of the sale of the company’s vessels, which mainly were placed in Railway Debentures. The business was apparently being deliberately contracted, becoming solely a forwarding agency, despite the fact that the ‘Adam Sedgewick’, valued at £4000, made a voyage profit of £1300 (1869).
In 1869, Henry’s son John Gorell (later Lord Gorell), eldest of four children, attained his majority and took over the business in partnership with W J Arrowsmith, hitherto office manager. Each invested £1000, and it does appear that the executors removed all assets from the business on behalf of Henry’s estate.
- Vessels owned by Henry Barnes & Co.: Adam Sedgewick (Captain Stobie), Vanda (built by Hall & Co, Aberdeen. Sold for £4625. Captain Carne.), Eden, Norseman, Eclipse (share), Deogaum (share), Chepica (sold for £5800), Leichhardt (sold for £3700), Evangeline, Eivir (sold for circa £10000)
- Liverpool firms mentioned: Smith, Preston & Killick, Bateson, Robinson & Morris (Solicitor), James Starkey (Loading Broker), Adam Scott & Co, Lyons (supplier of a Phaeton), John Seymour (Shipowner?), Cameron (Railway Agent), Warren & Co (Ship Broker), Ismay, Williamson, Balfour & Co, Imrie, Tomlinson & Co
Charles and Alfred Barnes were executors of Margery Wilson (died 1874), who lived with her sister Isabella at Oakfield Cottage, Elmswood Road, Aigburth. They were two of the seven daughters of Thomas Wilson, a trustee of whose estate was Reverend T H Pain of 50 Faulkner Street, Liverpool; Pain’s wife Mary was one of the daughters. The estate included three houses in Wheatland Lane, Seacombe.
Other Wilson daughters were: Margaret, of Warton Vicarage, near Carnforth, and (possibly) the wives of Edmund and Charles Barnes, named respectively Sarah Ann and Charlotte. Pain addressed Edmund and Alfred ‘my dear uncles’.
Firms mentioned in this connection: Branch & Leete, 60 Hanover Street (Auctioneers etc.), Pears, Logan & Eden, 3 Harrington Square (Solicitors), W F Black & Son, 7 Rumford Street (Stockbroker), J Gregson, 12-14 Berry Street (Milliner), Thompson & Capper, Bold Street etc. (Chemists), Mills & Fletcher, 49 Hamilton Square, Birkenhead (Property Valuers)
Agnes Smith left the benefit of her property to her sister Caroline, then to be divided among relations; her property included a share in the ‘Orient’ (lost in 1869). Her connection with the Barnes family has not been traced, but it is noted that Henry’s wife was a Smith. |
| Custodial History | These records were transferred to Derbyshire Record Office by the Local Studies Librarian Chesterfield Library in September 2016. They were originally deposited with the Chesterfield Library and Borough Records Committee in 1947 (a time when the Library was run by the Borough Council rather than the County Council). |