Yeovil's Virtual Museum

james mullins

Glove Manufacturer

 

James Mullins was born in Yeovil in 1817, one of twins, and the son of glove manufacturer Isaac Mullins.

The 1841 census listed James, described as a glover foreman, living in Kiddles Lane, in one of only three properties there at this time. Living with him was his father Isaac, and presumably James had learnt his craft working in his father's glove factory.

As reported in the 9 August 1845 edition of the Sherborne Mercury James, together with brothers John, Joseph and Robert Seymour, were found guilty of poaching at the Borough Petty Sessions; James was fined £1 and costs.

James' father, Isaac, died in 1846. In the spring of 1851, at Yeovil, James married Mary Ann Edmunds and the 1861 census listed 47-year-old James as a glover living with Mary Ann, aged 33, at Clarence Place. Mary Ann died in the spring of 1866, aged 38.

In the 1875 addition of the Post Office Directory, James was listed as a glove manufacturer of Reckleford. This was the only occasion that he was listed in local trade directories.

By the time of the 1881 census James, listed as a 63-year-old widower, was living in Kingston with a housekeeper. He listed his occupation as retired glover. The same scenario was repeated in the 1891 census.

James Mullins died in Yeovil in the autumn of 1894, aged 77.

 

 

An interesting snippet from the Western Gazette's edition of 5 March 1869, in which James Mullins was a witness at the Borough Petty Sessions in the case against Harriet Drewitt, a female pick-pocket and described as an "elderly female". Drewitt received two months hard labour.