Hi Folks I am new to this list, although not new to the subject of Victorian Manchester. I am writing a book about some Victorian glassmakers who went from Britain to Japan c. 1873 to c. 1885, including my Scottish great grandfather. They went at the request of the Japanese government to help Japan establish its first Western-style glassworks. The first one was Thomas WALTON Jnr. He came from a large family of glassmakers and glass manufacturers by the name of WALTON, who had congregated in Lancashire from the late 1860s onwards. Originating in Stourbridge, they had been working and living in various parts of the country since about 1825. In Lancashire where they settled, they became heavily involved in pressed glass manufacture. As far as I can see, a major interest for them was Hulme. I have a few questions I would like to put to you, but just for now I need to ground the genealogy with reference to some Victorian-period street maps of Hulme. Okay, I know about the Godfrey Series but I don't want to spend money on those just yet. Are there some free online resources please? I know some local authorities put good maps online for free. Secondly for now, can anyone help me with directories? I don't need any census look-ups thanks. It is glass companies that I want, in trade entries. I am particularly interested to find any trade entries for Samuel WALTON, who may have either had his own small glass works, or more likely he was a manager perhaps working for the Derbyshire glassworks which were at first in City Road, Hulme (possibly known as "Bridgewater Flint Glassworks") and later at the "Regent Flint Glass Works", Regent Road, Salford. * 1861 Census, Samuel Walton is living 85 Clopton Street, Hulme and says he is a glass manufacturer * 1871 Census, Samuel Walton is living at 43 City Road, Hulme and says he is a glass manufacturer employing 24 men and 20 boys. Later I will visit the archives in Manchester. Should anyone come up with information about the Walton-owned glassworks which they had in Bolton and Newton-le-Willows, that would be welcome too, but I do have those fairly well covered. It is the Hulme area which I know little about. Many thanks! Sally in Yorkshire Researching Walton family in Stourbridge, Gateshead, Sunderland, Billingham, Bolton, Manchester, Japan and Newton-le-Willows

Hi Sally Have you explored http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/ ? From experience, I start with selecting an area Then sort the list by decade Once you open a suitable directory, then search for (in your case) GLASS Hope this helps Heather PS If you find that it isn't loading properly - try again later. The site is no longer actively maintained and sometimes it "falls over". Usually someone mends it but it can take an hour or so. Sally Haden wrote: > Hi Folks > > Secondly for now, can anyone help me with directories? I don't need > any census look-ups thanks. It is glass companies that I want, in > trade entries. > > Many thanks! > > Sally > in Yorkshire > Researching Walton family in Stourbridge, Gateshead, Sunderland, > Billingham, Bolton, Manchester, Japan and Newton-le-Willows > >