Page 6 - Partridge & Spencers

Redditch Heritage Partridge’s & Spencer’s

The Partridge & Spencer’s of Redditch

The Partridge Family’s

In the late 1930's Albert Partridge (1875 - 1961 ), had retired and passed the business - which
he had founded as A.E. Partridge & Sons in 1910 - over to his son Howard (Ted). Albert was an
astute businessman and skilled tool maker and was married to Elizabeth Johnson (1874 - 1956),
daughter of an inn keeper, in 1894 and they had eight children, five daughters and three sons.
His father, Joseph was born in 1857 and lived until 1940 As Albert's birth certificate shows,
Joseph was unable to write - a not uncommon situation for his generation - which is testimony
to the artisan status of the Partridge family over many generations. From the early 1800's the
Partridges had been fish hook makers based in Redditch working as employees or self employed
in humble circumstances. In the 18th century and earlier they were agricultural labourers, certainly
not tenant farmers in the area as parish records in Tardebigge and Redditch show. They, not
surprisingly, married women from the same status and locality: for example, a direct ancestor
Thomas Partridge, born near Feckenham in 1695 married Mary Bury from Chaddesley Corbett in
1715. But it was Albert who made the quantum leap from being an employee to an employer,
manufacturer and property owner and so began the family move towards what sociologists now
might recognise as middle class status.

Crescent Works, Mount Pleasant, Redditch - Home to
Partridges of Redditch

Ted Partridge, Albert's second son who had worked for Albert since leaving school, took over
the Crescent Works factory at twenty six. Through his energy he made the business internationally
known with many customers in Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK. During
the War years (1939- 45) since the factory was allocated crucial war work by the Ministry of
Munitions- such as making bullet casings as well as commercial hooks for trawlers Ted was not
conscripted and remained in charge.

In 1947 he bought 20 acres of land including an orchard and stabling at Webheath overlooking
the Malvern Hills and built a house there in 1949 when he moved his family from Plymouth Road.

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