James Hapgood's metalwork business
Later in life
James Hapgood ran a small metalwork
business together with his sons. It is supported
by several pieces of documentary evidence:
- A business card, as shown below, describing the business and giving the address
as Slack Road in Blackley near Manchester. The card shows that the business was carried
on by James and his sons.
- The business is also mentioned in James' obituary
in the Blackley Guardian. This
notes that prior to his retirement in 1917, James carried on a brazing and welding
business in Slack-road, Blackley.
James' retirement in 1917, when he was aged 54, was relatively early by modern standards. But
pictures of James suggest that he aged badly - perhaps an aftereffect of the serious
accident
he suffered in 1892 (falling two storeys). The retirement may also have been triggered by
the absence of his three adult sons on war service - two (Arthur and Harry) in the army and
one (Bill) a skilled worker in munitions factories. Their absence may have made it impracticable
for James to carry on the business.
Last updated 22 August 2005