Very interesting. I am researching Sydney Bigsby who lived in Fresham Surrey in 1881. The census refers to Mr Bigsby’s varnish factory. Could you tell me more about their sources of oil,? I assume Frensham provided oil from the numerous pines around here. What I also assume to be Sydney’s son, another Sydney, was born in russia. did they surce oil from Russia as well?
I hope you can help.
Gillian devine
I don’t know, sorry. i thought that in 1891 this varnish factory, along with others around Mitcham, would be using coal tar from the Mitcham Gas Works instead of oil.
Have a look at the post on Blume’s factory. When it was seized in 1916 its stock was auctioned off, and the list of chemicals sold may give some clues.
Use the Search box on this website and enter ‘Blume’ – the post is titled ‘Charles H. Blume’, and has source references in it and includes transcripts from council minutes held at the Merton Local Studies Library.
Mitcham History Notes 
Very interesting. I am researching Sydney Bigsby who lived in Fresham Surrey in 1881. The census refers to Mr Bigsby’s varnish factory. Could you tell me more about their sources of oil,? I assume Frensham provided oil from the numerous pines around here. What I also assume to be Sydney’s son, another Sydney, was born in russia. did they surce oil from Russia as well?
I hope you can help.
Gillian devine
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I don’t know, sorry. i thought that in 1891 this varnish factory, along with others around Mitcham, would be using coal tar from the Mitcham Gas Works instead of oil.
Have a look at the post on Blume’s factory. When it was seized in 1916 its stock was auctioned off, and the list of chemicals sold may give some clues.
LikeLike
Thank you. Where do I find the post about Blume’s factory?
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Use the Search box on this website and enter ‘Blume’ – the post is titled ‘Charles H. Blume’, and has source references in it and includes transcripts from council minutes held at the Merton Local Studies Library.
LikeLike