This is a joint Silverly / Buckler effort
The hard work was Pat’s , all the errors are mine !
A Birmingham Toyman and Jeweller with a substantial branch in London at Holborn
He is not listed in Holdens Triennial Directory 1805, 1806, 1807 under Birmingham although there is a listing for "George Bower, Fine Gilt Toy Manufacturer at No 2, New Hall Street , Birmingham " in Bisset's Magnificent Guide or Grand Copper Plate Directory for the Town of Birmingham, 1808
30 January 1811
Registered 4 marks at Birmingham Assay Office. Trade given as "Toy maker"
1 February 1813
Entered his first, and only, mark at Goldsmiths Hall, London as a smallworker
Address given as 17, Thavies Inn, Holborn
c1818
Wrightson's Triennial Directory of Birmingham, 1818 gives him as
Bower, George, Silversmith, Gilt Toy Mkr, Newhall St.
September 1818
Signs his will - see below
12 August 1827
Old Bailey Trial Reference Number: t18270712-242
"THOMAS WOODRUFF . I am servant to George Bower and Son, who are Birmingham warehousemen , and live in Thavies-inn, Holborn . . ..
BENJAMIN DAVIS . I am shopman to the prosecutors; the prisoner came and inquired for goods; I took out two papers of bracelets - he looked at some, but did not decide; he asked if we had any thing else; I showed him some chains, rings, and ear-rings. . . There is a small balance on the ledger, perhaps you will settle it now . . . it was for things we had regilt for him
GEORGE BOWER, JUN. I am in partnership with my father.
03 July 1834
Death of George Bower who was buried 7 July [TNA/RG/4/3113 - WARWICKSHIRE: Birmingham, Bond Street (Baptist): Burials
England & Wales Non-conformist burials]
26 July 1834
Will of George Bewer [sic], Gilt Toy Maker and Jeweller of Birmingham , Warwickshire proved at PCC [PROB 11/ 1833/ 353 ]
Long complicated will, made and signed back in 1818.
It is clearly states that Bower had two establishments, one in Birmingham and one at seventeen Thaves Inn , London.
For some reason the inventory of stock etc of the Birmingham business was pre-agreed at £500, although a proper inventory was to be taken of the London premises. It appears that the intention was for the wife to run the business in Birmingham, his sons George and Manoah running the London premises
There is a very telling clause that any decision of the wife and two trustees over the trade is final and binding "and I particularly direct that my sons George and Manoah shall abide by it "
Wife was Mary,
Sons were George , Manoah, and Enoch (the latter being under the age of 21 at time of the will)
Daughters Mary Ward (married by 1818) Hephzibah, Rachel, Ruth and Hannah.
Executrix - his wife
Trustees and Executors
- my said friends
Richard Brinton , Pork Butcher of Birimingham and James Sprigg , fire-iron and fender-maker of Birmingham
[ Wrightson's Triennial Directory of Birmingham, 1818 gives a Brinton, R, Original Pork Shop,, Spiceal St and Sprigg, William & Son, Mfr Of Fenders & Fire Irons, Birchall St]
Witnesses were Thomas Webb, Attorney and Jane Webb his daughter !
MARKS of George Bower - all on miniature buckles
Note that one has no assay marks . This might be because the Silver Plate Act of 1790 had specifically excluded Shirt buckles from items that required assay. The miniature buckles ( only about 2 cm wide) which George Bower produced in vast quantities, may well have been Shirt buckles (no-one knows for sure) and thus assay was optional - although in practise very much a selling point
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TWO BUCKLES photographed side by side
The left buckle is silver with the G B mark of George Bower, Lion Passant, George Head, Anchor , and the Birmingham date letter W for 1820/21
The right buckle is gilt metal and almost certainly made by his works in Birmingham
.
GILT METAL MINIATURE BUCKLES — almost certainly some , if not all, of these are by George Bower
