milner safe factory

[runcorn_lad]

hi everyone

does anyone have any pics of the milner safe factory in liverpool.
the reason i want a pics is that the milner's are my part of my family. or any info would be good.

thanx

runcorn_lad

[redjed1]

Hi
My grandad worked for Milner's about 1920-30's (I think). They had a factory in Smithdown Road. On a 1928 map there is a Milner Street, off Aigburth St, next to the factory. It got bombed in 1940 and they moved (see article about "Pearsons" on this forum (about page4) in 2007.
They also had a shop in Lord Street (a photo of the front of this shop is in Paul Bolger's book "Postcard Photographers Pt3" on page31).

John

[Waterways]

The Milner safe factory is in the background.


http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4412&d=1192044569

[runcorn_lad]

thanx for that the only part of the milners safe factory i knew was in speke. mr gr gr gr grandfarther was henry d milner and he was manager of the liverpool branch. and also my uncle's the dobies worked there till the end. anyone else who knows any more info that would be good.

cheers runcorn_lad

[Cadfael]

The Pearsons Book is still in progress. I spoke to the MD not too long ago who has been in and out of hospital with serious heart trouble. Other members of his family have also had serious personal problems too so I wished them all a speedy recovery.

The website is still work in progress but I have some very hi res pictures of the whole area which I am unable to show due to copyright. Once the book is out, and copyright is lifted, I may be able to get permission to send you a hi-res picture of the factory.

[johndog]

I wonder whether anybody can direct me to a history of Thomas Milner & Son? I first became interested because I am descended from Thomas Milner, through his son William, then William's daughter Jane, who married Daniel Ratcliff. But now that the genealogy is established I find the Milners so interesting that I want to know more.

It appears that William, who presumably must be due a lot of the credit for building the company up, died in 1874 and may well have retired from the business before that. Did he have a son and, if so, did that son take over the company? If not, who ran it after William?

Another question is whether Daniel Ratcliff, who was making safes in Liverpool in the 1860s, was working for Milners or for another company.

Any help very much appreciated.

[Kev]

At Croxteth Hall

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/3016160233_261b1b42d6_o.jpg (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/3016160233_261b1b42d6_o.jpg)

[Norm NZ]

thanx for that the only part of the milners safe factory i knew was in speke. mr gr gr gr grandfarther was henry d milner and he was manager of the liverpool branch. and also my uncle's the dobies worked there till the end. anyone else who knows any more info that would be good.

cheers runcorn_lad

I think, if my memory is correct, that Milners factory was on Speke Boulevard, and later became The Metal Box factory!.

[Ged]

There was but I think the Milners/Phoenix safe factory brother cad is interested in was the one near Mason street in Edge Hill.

[raymman]

I am almost certain that Milners factory became the No1 plant for Standard Triumph, later BL.

[robbiedog]

I remember the Milners safe company was in smithdown lane liverpool 7. when I was a kid I played in or next to the factory which housed hundreds of american tanks and jeeps in the early fifties. we had great fun, even finding live rounds inside the tanks ,the site was cleared and entwistle heights was built on it.

[Waterways]

The factory is in the background with the chimney:

http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4412&d=1192044569

[johndog]

I have been told that Milners were themselves making motor car parts at their Speke factory after WWII, before selling it to Standard-Triumph around 1960.

I wonder whether runcorn-lad could put any dates to his gr gr gr grandfather Henry D Milner?

The picture of the seal at Croxteth Hall is magnificent.

[runcorn_lad]

i sure can johndog Henry was born 1827 in hull and died 1906 Liverpool. now i think he father was a John T Milner and his mother Mary ann.

cheers runcorn lad

[johndog]

Thank you, runcorn_lad.

As I understand it Thomas Milner, the founder of Thomas Milner & Son, was born in 1781 and died in 1849. William, the Son in the company name, was born around 1805 and died in 1874. I am sure William ran the company while he was alive. I have been trying to find out who took over from him.

William had a daughter Jane (my great grandmother) but I have found no evidence of a son. runcorn_lad's ancestor Henry D Milner is of about the right generation (22 years younger than William) to have taken over. Henry D came from Hull, whereas Thomas and William were from Sheffield, so the family connection may not have been very close, but for him not to be related to William would be too much of a coincidence.

The 1871 census shows William as employing 480 men, and I have read that by the end of the century Milners were about the biggest manufacturers of safes in the world. So whoever was in charge over that period was a very competent person.

Any information much appreciated.

[Tippo]

Hi,
Milners Safes where in Woodend Ave Hunts Cross, at the top of Edwards
Lane, Then it was Standard Triumph. Metal Box Was either part of Brown
Bibby & Gregory, or Between them & Evans Med supply'son the Speke
Boulevard.

Cheer's,:034:
Tippo.


I think, if my memory is correct, that Milners factory was on Speke Boulevard, and later became The Metal Box factory!.

[Norm NZ]

Hi,
Milners Safes where in Woodend Ave Hunts Cross, at the top of Edwards
Lane, Then it was Standard Triumph. Metal Box Was either part of Brown
Bibby & Gregory, or Between them & Evans Med supply'son the Speke
Boulevard.

Cheer's,:034:
Tippo.

Thanks Tippo! I stand corrected!!! It was Brown, Bibby & Gregory's I was getting confused with. Cheers:PDT11

[Elaine Salmon Beckett]

Hi

Re information about the Milner Safe Works. My grt grt grandfather
William SALMON (or sometimes he used the surname BECKETT) b. 1831 was a safemaker working in Wolverhampton until 1871 when he came to Liverpool to work at the Milner Safe Works. He had five sons, William, Samuel, George, Harry and Herbert who all followed on in the same profession and a number of them also later worked at Milners.

In the 1881 census my family lived at 169 Chatsworth Street,off Smithdown Lane, just a stones through from Milners. This was a Locksmiths shop. Later they moved and the premises was taken over by a John Milner, his occupation was given as Carter, (Gores Directories) and I am led to ponder on a couple of things.

!. Did my Grt Grt grandfather have something to do with the running of the business as it seems strange to come from Wolverhampton with a family of 8 young children, unless there was a good job in the offing. I believe that William Milner went off to live in the Isle of Man around this time.

2. Was 169 Chatsworth Street owned by the Milner family, and rented to
my grt grt grandfather.

3. Was John Milner of 169 Chatsworth Street a family member.

Just a few things to reflect on and may prove useful in your searches.

Best wishes

Elaine

[ItsaZappathing]

Here's a few pics of my mates safe...
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/itsazappathing/Liverpool%20stuff/DSC01128.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/itsazappathing/Liverpool%20stuff/DSC01126.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/itsazappathing/Liverpool%20stuff/DSC01129.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/itsazappathing/Liverpool%20stuff/DSC01130.jpg

[ItsaZappathing]

So what's with Withy Grove stores. I've not heard of em' before ?

[pablo42]

So what's with Withy Grove stores. I've not heard of em' before ?

Nice photies Zap. I think Withy Grove Stores was based in Manchester. Must have had a shop in Liverpool too.

[ItsaZappathing]

Nice photies Zap. I think Withy Grove Stores was based in Manchester. Must have had a shop in Liverpool too.

Thanx mate. I thought so too.
Anyone else have any ideas ?

[Johnny Robbo]

Nice photies Zap. I think Withy Grove Stores was based in Manchester. Must have had a shop in Liverpool too.

Withy Grove Stores was, as the safe photo indicated, at 24-26 Whitechapel, Liverpool. This was on the block between Richmond St & Leigh St, opposite the end of Stanley St. They sold safes, filing cabinets and office equipment. I'm fairly sure they also had a warehouse near the corner of Byrom St & Fontenoy St. They are still in business at their original works in Withy Grove in Manchester, still making safes.

[ItsaZappathing]

Thanx for that JR. Good info.:handclap:

[marky]

Milners Safe Works is mentioned at the bottom of this page (story about soldier with wooden leg):
http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/fallenheroes/stories.htm

A search of toxtethparkcemetery website reveals a Milner/Safe Worker:
MILNER Albert Edward 54 year Safe Worker 76 Troughton Street West Derby 27 February 1917

[runcorn_lad]

hi Marky

that albert edwad was my gr grandads uncle... my gr grandad was also called albert edward but with the second name dobie and he worked in the milner safe factory as did all of his sons and brothers..

cheers runcorn lad

[underworld]

I recently bought a safe from a company in Blackburn. They had all sorts of old safes. One was from the 1860s and the locking mechanism was a work of art. All reasonably priced too.