JOHN ENGLISH OF FECKENHAM, NEEDLE MANUFACTURER.

The article focuses on John English who was a member of a family of needle manufacturer in Feckenham village. English was the most remarkable member of a family whose needle-making business survived at Feckenham, a village near Redditch, Worcestershire, for over 170 years. English had personal charge of it for more than half a century until his death on January 31, 1876 at the age of 88. The article is based on the original, unpublished source material in the English Collection at Redditch Public Library and the Gutch Archives, at Worcester Record Office. Together these form a vast collection of personal papers, deeds, business ledgers, correspondence, bills and many other items. Job English founded the business about 1750, at a time when the Needle District of East Worcestershire and West Warwickshire was becoming the most important centre of production in Great Britain for needles and fishhooks. London, England and subsequently Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire had been the important centres of needle making in earlier times.