Seanor Match Works
A Memory of Rothwell.
Actually this memory via my father and grandfather go back further than 1860. My great-great-grandfather, Richard Seanor, got interested in match making and went to London to find out the process etc. He then came back to Rothwell and started his own matchworks factory. He then went on to make the small match that we use today and of course the match box, which was made by children around 10 years of age.
Quite a few times the factory burnt down, and later when his son Jabez took over, he opened a factory in Bootle, Liverpool, but in 1904 or thereabout Jabez sold the business to Bryant and May, the match makers we all know but who have now moved to Sweden.
I have been to Rothwell a few times and met some of the people there who knew of my great-grandfather (Jabez) and of course Richard my great-great-grandfather. I have also been to the old church to visit their grave sites, and found out about the adopted son (Andrew Marshall) who ran the Rothwell Times newspaper. I am still finding out more and more of this history but would like to meet anyone who could pass on more information, so that I can visit the site and build on these memories of my past ancestors lives, and so would appreciate hearing from anyone who could help. I also know that my ancestors had connections with Abbotford and Hunslet but I am not sure to what extent, and I would like to find if there are any grave sites in these two towns which may contain some of my ancestors. I also would like to contact anyone who may have some history on the arrival of my ancestors into England as I have received info from "Genubase" stating that they could have arrived in Britain around the year 970, probably in what is now Derbyshire. I also would like to hear from lost relatives, and any info on the Seanors (Seyner or Saynor, or Sayner) who arrive in Britain around 1740 from Europe and went to Rothwell, to stay with their relatives, as I have found that they moved on to USA with a King's gift of 390 acres of land in Pennsylvania, and I have met some of them over there, still on this land. I also believe that my great-great-grandfather Richard can take credit for discovering the "Safety Match" which from what I have heard was by accident. And I would like to get more details about this.
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Comments & Feedback
Thanks for this info,
I don't know if you're still alive or interested. Have you read 'History of Rothwell' by John Batty (1877) - it includes a chapter on Seanors' matches and some of it is about his mother (Ann) and her recollections of early Rothwell. It is available for free online. I'm in the process of writing a book based on Andrew Marshall's parents, and am including somethings about Richard Seanor as Elizabeth Marshall married him on 25 April 1855.
Unfortunately, Eric is no longer with us. I've visited Rothwell on a couple of occasions with Eric after we found each other through family history research. Richard Seanor is also my great-great grandfather via his daughter Elizabeth Hannah Seanor, Jabez' sister.. I would greatly appreciate a link to your book on the Marshalls! Richard Toms
I found a book in Rothwell or Leeds Library by Gwyn Smith, published in 1989, all about the Seanor matchworks. Foolishly, I didn't get the exact title when I was there (I live in Cornwall). This is typewritten and monochrome, but has lots of images of matchboxes - all in B&W. I think you will find it interesting. My email is gwynnethdrabble@gmail.com.
Finally, a request: Do you have any images of the matchboxes I can use without fear of infringing anyone's copyright?