Button Screw Thing dated 1903 on Back

[SaginawIan]

I found this at 4" in the woods near an 1850's foundation. It says "Fowne" on the front and says, "Made in France, 1903" on the back. It looks like a button with threading to be screwed into something else. Any clue?

Ian

 

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[dg39]

Looks like a very early snap button to me. Nice!
DG

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Fowne's

About Us
The name Fownes derives from John Fownes, the man responsible for originally building the Victorian Glove Factory in 1882. The firm called Fownes Gloves was established in London in 1877 and moved to Worcester in 1887. At that time the Fownes Glove Company employed more that 1,000 people and was one of the world’s leading glove makers with offices and factories in many parts of the world.


Following the decline of the glove industry due to fashion, the business and manufacture of gloves was transferred to Warminster in Wiltshire in 1974 and the building became derelict.


In 1985 Christine and David Hitchins acquired the site and developed plans to convert the building into a city centre hotel catering for the needs of the local business community.


-------------------------------


Over 150 years ago the doors to the Fownes Hotel were first opened to the workers of the Fownes Glove Company. The Fownes’ were an old Norman family who were descendants of Sir William Fownes, a Norman Knight, who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. They settled in Saxby where the family name survived for many centuries. In the early sixteenth century a branch of the family settled in Onslow in the West Midlands. John Fownes, a barrister, who was born in 1682 had a son also called John. He had three sons, the youngest being George Fownes and he lived his life in Hanbury, Staffordshire. John Fownes, the founder of the glove business, was the second son of George Fownes.


John Fownes was married in 1782 to Lucy Jane Dymock at the church of St. Lawrence in the City of London. He had a large family of eight sons and three daughters. Henry, Thomas and Edward all came into the business and the children of Mary, one of his daughters also joined later.


The Worcester Factory opened in 1877 but John Fownes also set up an office in Ryders Court, Leicester Square, London. In 1808 the factory was moved to Battersea and Thomas and Edward became partners in the business which changed its name to John Fownes & Sons. John Fownes died on the 20th September 1827 and was buried in the church of St. Lawrence Jewry in London. After his death, the firm became Fownes Bros. And it was under this name that it opened in Cheapside in 1848.


Thomas and Henry Fownes died shortly afterwards and as the only survivor was Edward, he formed a partnership with Mr. S. J. Urwick, the son of Mary Fownes, and Mr. J.W. Spall, an associate in the fabric trade. They carried on the business as Fownes Bros. & Co.


Edward Fownes married and his daughter Lucy Jane, married Gardener Ridger in 1869. On their marriage William became a partner.


The factory moved a number of times in the late 19th Century but most of these were to different locations in the City of London, all close to the church of St. Lawrence Jewry.


In 1884 building work started on the Worcester site and it took three years to complete. Shortly after the establishment of the new factory, the sons of Mr. S.J. Urwick and A.J. Spall joined the firm. The family connection has been maintained right up to the present day where the great grandson’s of Edward Fownes, Mr. A.J. Spall and William Gardener Ridgden are partners.

 

[SaginawIan]

Thansk Gypsy! It must be a snap off of an old glove! How cool is that. It's cool that you found that history so quickly. I was searching for "fowne" and didn't realize that the "S" was missing from the button. Thanks again,

Ian

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Gloves designed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.

The gloves are beautifully made and even the buttons have the Queens head stamped on them. Fownes kept a record of the hand sizes of the Royal family and it is likely that all of the female members were sent a complimentary pair.

 

[Montana Jim]

Nice work Gypsy!

 

[SaginawIan]

Awesome! It's amazing how a little find like that has enough info. on it for you guys to identify it! It makes this hobby much more exciting with this forum and all of your ability to identify these things. If it wasn't for you guys I would throw it in a box and never actually know what it is. I actually now look forward to finding unidentifiable things to challenge you all!

Ian

 

[Kas]

Excellent work on the ID Gypsy

 

[spartan69cs]

wow gypsy u really got that one.

 

[Cowgal]

Hi, I came accross a pair of gloves with Fownes Own Make on the buttons. I have traced it to a patent despute in Brittian from 1899 to 1905. If you seach online "fownes own make" you can see the document. Thought you might like to know.