yeovil people

john pickford

Glove Manufacturer of Middle Street and Vicarage Street

 

John Pickford was born in Yeovil in 1805, the son of James Pickford (1780-1862), who was originally from Wedmore, Somerset, and Bridget née Foot (1781-1851). On 8 November 1833, at the age of 27, he married Flora née Hull of Yeovil at St John's church. They had a daughter, Ann, born in 1834 but she died when she was only 15 years old.

John, his brother James and Joseph Hammond were in partnership as glove manufacturers and the  firm of glove manufacturers called Hammond & Pickford was listed in Pigot's Directory of 1830 as operating at Townsend while Hunt & Co's Directory of 1850 and Slater's Directory of 1852 listed Hammond & Pickford at Vicarage Street.

In the Somerset Gazette Directory of 1840 John was listed as a glove manufacturer of Middle Street and in the 1841 census John, Flora and Ann were listed living in Rotten Row (today's Market Street). He listed his occupation as glove manufacturer.

Flora died in 1842, aged just 36, and in the 1851 census John was listed living in Brunswick Street as a 46-year old widower. He was living with his father, by now a 70-year old annuitant, his brother James, sister Mary and his nephew John H. Both John and James listed their occupations as glove manufacturers.

In 1851, John was noted as an investor in the South Western Railway Company.

Joseph Hammond died in early 1854 in Yeovil but partnership between him and the Pickford brothers was not officially dissolved until August 1856.

In the 1861 census John was living on his own in Brunswick Street with just a domestic servant. He listed his occupation as 'Leather Glove Manufacturer employing 14 men & 3 boys'. The 1871 census entry was similar.

John and his brother James' company, J&J Pickford, was listed in the 1866 Post Office Directory as glove manufacturers of Vicarage Street. Their partnership was dissolved in December 1867

By the time of the 1881 census John had retired and listed his occupation as 'Retired Glove Manufacturer'. He was still living on his own in Brunswick Street with a domestic servant.

John Pickford died in Yeovil at the beginning of 1891. He was aged 86.