Gorham Roster of Craftsmen

Needham, George to Price, William

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Needham, George
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
6 Dec. 1865	employed as silversmith; from London	20.00		Indenture #14 (2:

Nicholds, Henry S., silversmith; foreman
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
23 June 1861	infant son Frederic W. Nicholds died, age 9 months, 11 days, of pneumonia; born in England; mother Mary			PDR 61/988/28
	Thus Henry S. & Mary had come to America within the past nine months.
30 Jan. 1865		35.00		PBk. B; PCD*
1866		40.00		PBk. C 16, 42, 112; PCD*
1867	under 'Nicholas, Henry'		12 Steeple St.	PCD 146
17 Jan.	#70 'Soup or Oyster Tureen' 'made by Nickolds'			Hollowware Cost Book 2: 13
5 May	set up with three others			PBk. C: 319 line 38; also pp. 16, 42, 112, 296; PCD*
Sept.-Dec.				PBk. C 296 line S; 318 line S
1868	under 'Nickolds, Henry' silversmith		12 Steeple St.	PCD 154
28 Aug.	married Amanda M. Olney: had Mary died? Prov. Marriage Records Bk. 65: 626 count 28
1869			h. 53 Ocean	PCD 169
5 May	set up with three others			PBk. C 319 line 38
1870	'Nichols' silversmith		h. Pavilion near Broad	PCD 182
Jan.	new rooms assigned. Nickolds foreman room 44, 25 employees			PBk. D 104; Shaw 50: 106, 358
1872			h. Pavilion nr. Broad	PCD 202
18 March	last pay; replaced by H. Clulee			PBk. D 80
1873				PCD 201
1874	under 'Nickolds, Henry' silversmith		h. 125 Pavilion	PCD 225
15 June	returns to room 44 (William Hughes, head of 50)			PBk. E 14; PCD*
10 Jan. 1875	gone again after 13 weeks of declining hours			PBk. F: 130
1871-1880	Index to Deaths; 1875 Index to Census

Nock, Leo Frank
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1876	born, son of Stephen Leith Nock & Emma Marsh
21 Oct. 1884	certificate from Boys' ModelI School
1897			lived 70 Sackett Street, Prov.	PCD 568
13 Nov. 1899	hired	15.00
1 May 1902	left			emp. card
28 May 1904	became U. S. Citizen
18 Aug.	works on a 'by the day' basis
1910	modeler at Gorham		h. 109 Reservoir	PCD 490
30 April	left			emp. card
1914	married Elizabeth Hill
1915	modeler		h. 109 Reservoir	PCD 545
1916 - 1920	PCD*; worked for Electra Alloys, Elyria, Ohio; lived at 207 Denison Avenue.
1929	remarried Ann Elizabeth Hill in Erie, Pennsylvania
1934	exhibited, Cleveland Museum of Art
1949	died

Nock, Rupert A.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
20 Jan. 1874	born, London, son of Stephen Leith Nock & Emma Marsh
4 Feb. 1896	employed, Room PP
1901	silversmith		h. 163 Reynolds	PCD 659
1903	silversmith		h. 163 Reynolds	PCD 595
4 Feb. 1905	left Gorham (his father died 20 January, 3 weeks earlier); removed to Newark, New Jersey (Kerr Silver)
ca. 1930	prepared a notebook on Gorham procedures which compares practices of units within the company
1931	manager of Kerr/Gorham toiletware
4 Dec. 1943	merchandising manager, East Orange, NY; died on the train to New York; obit. NY Times 10 Dec. 1943 23: 3.

Nock, Stephen Leith
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
9 Sept. 1845	born, Birmingham, England (obit. says 9 Aug.)
	wife Emma Marsh
	'A noted worker in art metal and was an authority in the ecclesiastical branch of this art. He was also a skilled construction engineer' --Bicknell, History of the State of Rhode Island Vol. 5 part 1, p. 155 (in the biography of his son Frederick).
before 1884	'...he learned his trade of art metal work under James Powell-- and worked for Elkington & Sons, London, for a number of years. He was in the employ of Cox & Sons, Ditton, Surrey, England, up to the time of their failure. One of his first large jobs was the making of the Crystal Palace Cup, in silver, given for music. He was superintendent of the Stone Iron Works in London for a time'-- obit., Manufacturing Jeweler, 1905, p. 100A
1885	'In 1884 he came to this country, entering the employ of the Gorham Mfg. Co., with whom he continued until within three years ago, when he had to resign on account of ill health. At the time he became employed with the Gorham Mfg. Co., they had never made any church plate work, and, in fact, very little ecclesiastical work outside of some work in silver, and to his ability the company owes the credit of having established an ecclesiastical department second to none in the country. Not only were such articles as small candlesticks, crucifixes, chalices, and desks manufactured, but pulpits, lIecterns, Prie Dieus, large sanctuary lamps, tomb and vault doors, heavy bronze work of all descriptions, as well as the bronze statuary for which the company has become famous. Of course, all these things took time to bring to their present state of perfection'-- obit., Manufacturing Jeweler, 1905, p. 100A
7 Sept.	hired by Gorham
1893	foreman, Ecclesiastical Dept., room Q (34 men); 35.00			PBk N #14
1897	foreman		70 Sackett	PCD 568
1901	foreman, Gorham Mfg. Co.			PCD 659
1 Sept. 1902	pensioned	60.00
20 Jan. 1905	died, age 59 years 4 months 11 days, Providence, Rhode Island			1905 PCD 575; PDR: 134

Nodon, A.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
10 Jan. 1870		20.00		4:
1870, 1874				PCD*

Norton, Henry
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1 Jan. 1877		8.00

O'Dowd, Michael
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1860				PCD*
1 Jan. 1866		8.00		2:
1866				PCD*

Orpwood, R.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1880, 1882				PCD*
2 Jan. 1882		18.00
1 Jan. 1883	room 62	20.00

Orr, Francis B., chaser
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
Nov. 1877	born, Rhode Island, son of James E. Orr, burnisher
1900			55 Crescent St.	PCD 622
	Census, Ward 7, E. D. 64, sheet 8: living with father
1901	household includes Carl E., silversmith; Charles S., letter carrier, boarding with James E.			PCD 677
1903	'removed to Newark, N. J.'			PCD 559

Orr, James E., burnisher
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
13 Dec. 1842	born, Scotland
25 Oct. 1868	hired
1882	silversmith		h. 721 No. Main	PCD 313
1883	silversmith		h. 721 No. Main	PCD 335
1892	silversmith		h. Crescent, n. Sibley	PCD 482
1896	silversmith		h. 55 Crescent	PCD 513
1900 Census E. D. 64 sh. 8 line 8			h. 55 Crescent St.
20 July 1912	pensioned			pension list
1915	silversmith		house 55 Crescent	PCD 559
21 Oct. 1916	died

Orton, John E. (Jack)
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
29 Nov. 1866	born, England
13 April 1886	hired by Gorham
2 July 1887	left
18 May 1888	returned
28 Mar. 1895	left
15 Nov. 1900	hired
31 July 1918	left
3 Mar. 1919	rehired
1932	silversmith; wife Elizabeth M.		h. 19 Kipling	PCD 1054
1939	silversmith; wife Elizabeth M.		h. 19 Kipling	PCD 899
1 Nov. 1940	pension roll	26.61/mo.
8 June 1941	died			PCD 607
1945	Elizabeth, widow of John E.		h. 19 Kipling	PCD 516

Otto, Gustave, desAeigner/draughtsman
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1863, 1865				PCD*
4 Dec. 1865		12.00		2: (14)
1866				PCD*
1867	'silversmith'		rooms 12 Winslow Place	PCD 150
9 Aug. 1869		18.00		4: 42 (19)
	room 12, through 15 Aug. 1870			4: 180
1872-77	'draughtsman'		house 13 Cargill	PCD
28 Feb. 1878	left			PBk. F 296
1878-79	'bookkeeper,' 115 Friendship		h. 241 Washington
25 Feb.	room 13	20.00		6: 296
1880	'bookkeeper,' 67 Friendship		h. 241 Washington
1992	Designer		h. 241 Washington	PCD 313
1883	designer 119 Orange		h. 241 Washington	PCD 336
1892	Designer		h. r. 415 Washington	PCD 483
	(Gustave Jr. removed to New Haven, Conn.)
1896	draughtsman		h. 33 Lester	PCD
1898	draughtsman		h. 76 Central	PCD 605
1899	draughtsman		h. 76 Central	PCD 627
1902	Gustave A., draughtsman		h. 117 Pocasset Ave.	PCD 560
1903	Gustave A., draughtsman		h. 117 Pocasset Ave.	PCD 560
1905	removed to Pawtucket			PCD 591
1906, 1907				PCD*
1907	removed to PrAovidence			Pawt. CD 428
1908	Gustav, Mrs.		bds. 72 Babcock	PCD 498
1912	Gustav, Mrs.		bds. 72 Babcock	PCD 538
13 July 1914	Gustave A. died, age 45 years, son of Gustave & Magdalene			1915 PCD 360

Paine, Nathaniel R.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1844, 47-48				PCD*
1850-53	jeweller, 12 Steeple		180 Hope	PCD
1852-53	jeweller, 54 Friendship		133 William	PCD
1854				PCD*

Pairpoint, Alfred J., chaser #20 (Dec. 1893); related to Thomas Joseph (brother?)
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1854-56	visits U. S. A., largely based in/near Boston
1857	published Uncle Sam and His Country; Or, Sketches of America, In 1854-55-56. London, Simpkin & Marshall, 1857
3 Jan. 1881		16.00
	room 62, #22			PBk. 7 G 16
	room L, #20			PBk. 7 K 34
1883, 1886				PCD*
1890	chaser; with Thomas		bds. 161 Friendship St.	PCD 436
1891	published Rambles in America, Past and Present. By Alfred J. Pairpoint. Author of 'Uncle Sam and His Country with Illustrations by Miss N. M. Pairpoint. Boston: Alfred Mudge & Son, 1891 Ms. note attached to flyleaf of copy iAn the John Hay Library at Brown University (it is part of the Rider Collection but probably a gift of the author): 'The author of the work is a 'chaser' in the employment of the Gorham Mfg. Co.-- He is an Englishman-- the publication was a flat failure, the author having expected buyers among the other workmen, which he did not get-- He had dabbled a little as a 'sub' newspaper reporter, and in this way got the notes which he reported.'
18 Dec. 1893	last entry; chaser #20			PBk. 14: 152
1895	last entry in PCD
	chaser		bds. 21 McKinley	PCD 548
1896	'removed from city'			PCD 577
1902	not mentioned as a survivor in Thomas's obit.

Pairpoint, Thomas Joseph, designer
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
2 July 1838	born, London, son of William & Marie A.			Rainwater, Encyclopedia
	apprenticed Paris			Rainwater, Encyclopedia
	worked for Lambert & Rawlings, London			Rainwater, Encyclopedia
29 Nov. 1869		30.00		PBk. 4: 64-65 line 24
1870	married Ellen
15 Aug.		50.00		PBK. 4:
1872	designer, Gorham MUfg. Co.		h. 58 Jewett	PCD 209
	The Jewett St. home is just around the corner from George Wilkinson's house on Smith St.
1874	room 11, through 29 June	60.00		PBk. 5: 360 line 42
1873	designer, Gorham Mfg. Co.		h. 58 Jewett	PCD
March	Pairpoint & Heller in the same room, through 18 Dec. 1876
1874	designer, Gorham Mfg. Co.		h. 144 Smith	PCD
1875	submitted design competition for William Cullen Bryant trophy. 'Pairpoint's design stressed Bryant's poetry.'
1876	Designed & modelled the Century Vase; spent 42 weeks at a labor cost of $4,000; see Rainwater
18 Dec.	Pairpoint & Heller in same room
1877	joined Meriden Britannia
Aug. 1879	JC p. 137 announces resignation from Meriden Britannia.
Sept.	JC 10: 161: Pairpoint is spoken of as 'one of the most skillful and artistic designers of the present day, having a reputation that is world wide.'
Mar. 1880	published 'Art work & Silver,' JC
1880	Pairpoint Mfg. Co., New Bedford, Mass.
1 April 1885	left New Bedford
June	JC 16: 191 announces that 'ThomaUs J. Pairpoint originally of Pairpoint Mfg., New Bedford, has severed his connection with the company and is going into manufacturing on his own account.'
1887				PCD
1893	with Alfred J. Pairpoint chaser, & Nellie M. (daughter, born 1865, died 2 March 1934; Prov. Journ. 3-3-34: 12)
			h. 161 Friendship	PCD
1895	with Alfred J. (bds.) & Nellie M. (daughter)			h. 27 McKinley
1897-99	no Alfred			PCD
	1900 Census E. D. 65 sheet 20 line 94
29 Aug. 1902	died, age 64 years 1 month 27 days, diabetes; obit. PJ 30 Aug. p. 3; res. 27 McKinley Ave. Prov.
1905	widow Ellen removed to North Attleboro, Massachusetts

Parker, George Francis, designer
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
9 Sept. 1872	born, Birmingham, England, eldest son of John Parker, manager at Hardeman's in Birmingham
1896	arrived in U. S.
10 Aug.	employed
	1900 Census E. D. 65 sh. 6 line 36: wife Ethel, married 1899
12 Mar. 1902	left
	Employed until 1916 by Reed & Barton
1916-31	Chief designer at Towle from 1916 until his death in 1931

Peck, Ambrose R.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1841	born
15 Nov. 1858	employed
28 Mar. 1863	left 'to go to war': Sgt. Co. A. 10th R. I. Volunteer Infantry
13 Feb. 1865	returned
1869	engraver		bds. 82 Elm	PCD 178
1886	engraver		h. 32 Carter	PCD 374
1899	engraving room, acting foreman May-June
1 Oct. 1914	pensioned	83.33/mo.
5 July 1927	died

Pendleton, John
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
8 Dec. 1865	employed as silver polisher; from London	18.00		Indenture #17 (2:
1866, 1867				PCD*

Pennell, Charles D.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
14 Feb. 1817	born, Portland, Maine, son of Charles & Dorcas
1836				PCD*
1838	silversmith, Steeple		42 Benefit	PCD
1844	silversmith, 12 Steeple		Meeting	PCD
1847-50	silversmith, 14 Steeple		8 Star	PCD
1850	in Carpenter's list of 14 employees
1853	silversmith, 113 S. Main		8 Star	PCD
			(113 S. Main = Budlong & Simon jewelers)
1862-70	silversmith		8 Star	PCD
1874	silversmith		h. 203 Pine	PCD 237
18 Dec. 1879	died, age 62 years 10 months 4 days			PDR 79: 1310: 28

Pennell, Stephen O.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1838				PCD*
1844	jeweller, 12 Steeple		Meeting	PCD
1848	jeweller, 14 Steeple		36 Meeting	PCD
1850	jeweller, 43 Canal		10 Wheaton	PCD
	(43 Canal = Church & Metcalf jewellers)
1853, 1860, 1870				PCD*
1880	jeweller		bds. 12 Quinae	PCD
1882	jeweller		b. 285 Friendship	PCD 343

Penno, Mark H.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
11 June 1872	born, Providence, Rhode Island
1888	employed
1901			h. 222 Friendship	PCD
1903-1912			bds. 118 Calla	PCD
	removed to Oakland Beach (Warwick)			PCD
1914			rms. 50 Vineyard	PCD
1916			bds. 133 Reservoir Ave.	PCD
1 Feb. 1946	pensioned
2 Aug. 1948	died

Penno, Thomas H.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
18 Oct. 1841	born, Providence
9 Oct. 1865	employed
1883	silversmith		h. 151 Thurber's Ave.	PCD 343
	1900 Census E. D. 65 sh. 18 line 45
1901 - 1912			h. 118 Calla	PCD
1 June 1912	pensioned
2 June	retirement story			PJ., Section 2, p. 1
1912	removed to Oakland Beach (Warwick)			PCD
7 Feb. 1914	died

Perkins, Henry
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1 Jan. 1872	employed 1 week only	16.00		4:

Pettit [or Petit], Charles E., chaser, Room 62
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1 Jan. 1866-4 Jan. 1869		20.00		2: & 3:
1870				PCD*
1 Jan. 1872- 24 Jan. 1876		18.00		PBk. F 118 #3; 4:
Sept. 1874				PBk. F 20 #3 (of 3); PCD*
24 Jan. 1876	last entry

Pettitt, W"illiam				card
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
7 Sept. 1868	born, England
19 April 1887	hired, says pension list
30 May 1898	hired, W
26 Mar. 1901	left
4 Dec. 1905	hired
1925	chasers' photo, absent but listed: '36 years'			Silver Tongue
1928	worked on ETT set
1 May 1931	pensioned
25 April 1933	died

Pezzey, Charles Albert
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
15 July 1871	employed as silversmith; from London; 18.00			Indenture #47 (4: 354)

Pike, Austin Lemuel
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1849	born, Charlton, Massachusetts, son of Jonathan & Betsey
18 Sept. 1866	hired
1880	clerk, 12 Steeple		h. 6 West	PCD 297
1893	clerk		house 142 Ontario
	foreman, room S (15 men)	28.00		PBk N #16
1900	clerk, Gorham Mfg. Co.		h. 142 Ontario	PCD 648
1 Jan. 1901	pensioned	60.00
20 Aug. 1903	died, age 54 years 3 months 10 days, cerebral hemorrhage, Shawomet Beach, Warwick			PDR 21: 386

Place, Joseph Robinson
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
24 Dec. 1834	born, Warwick, Rhode Island, son of Robinson & Cynthia H.
1880	carpenter		h. 91 Richmond	PCD 298
1893	carpenter		h. 88 Laura	PCD 531
	foreman, room EE (16 men)	20.00		PBk N #16
1894	'carpenter'			PCD 552
1900	carpenter		h. 88 Laura	PCD 650
1909	'Case maker'		31 Mt. Vernon	1910 PCD 522
6 May	died, age 76 years 5 months 12 days			PDR 23: 152

Potter, Alfred Knight
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
27 July 1880	born, Providence, Rhode Island, son of Edward A. & Helen
1902	graduated from Brown University
1915	(E. a. Potter Co.) 36 Garnet		h. 280 Irving Ave.	PCD 586
1 Oct. 1918	treasurer at Gorham (took position from Edward Holbrook)
1932	wife Marjorie Ray		280 Irving Ave.
18 Feb. 1936	died, age 55 years, Providence

Potter, Frank
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
2 Feb 1850	born
9 Jan 1869	hired
1915
1 Apr 1916	pensioned, $30.00
16 May 1932	died

Potter, George W.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1844	born
20 May 1867	hired at Gorham
1900	silversmith		h. 138 Stanwood	PCD 654
1911	silversmith		h. 138 Stanwood	PCD 552
1 July	pensioned	29.00/mo.
1914	[no occupation]		138 Stanwood	PCD
3 Mar. 1918	died			pension records; not in RIDR

Poyton, Josiah
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
4 Mar. 1849	born
29 Sept. 1868	hired
1903	silversmith		bds. 30 Hawthorne	PCD 590
1920	silversmith		bds. 839 Broad	PCD 656
1922	silversmith		h. 10 Reeder	PCD 694
16 Nov.	pensioned	69.19/mio.		emp. card
1923	silversmith		res. 8 Rugby	PCD 728
1924			res. 14 Reeder	PCD 725
1925			res. 8 Rugby	PCD 1061
1926			res. 8 Rugby	PCD 1071
1927			res. 87 Rugby	PCD 1102
7 Mar. 1930	died

Price, J. [James] Russell
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
8 July 1907	born, York, Pennsylvania, son of Charles W. Russell & Ruth N. Sherfey
1930	as student at Maryland Institute of Fine and Applied Arts, won three first awards in the Gorham Design Competition
1934	taught jewelry design at evening school: RISD Year Book, 1934, p. 94; p. 118 describes Silverware Design II, III
1935	hired by Gorham as Director of Design
1937	instructor, Rhode Island School of Design
	wife Caroline A. Clarkson		h. 44 Sumter	PCD 858
1940	design of Lyric flatware pattern was based on his wife's hair style: source, Herman White via Cheryl Greene
1941	designer, Gorham; instructor, RISD		h. at Oaklawn	PCD
1952	designer, Gorham		r. Smithfield	PCD 544
	designed flatware pattern Golden Snowflake
28 Feb.	resigned effective 4 September but carried on as salaried conUsultant while at Royal Doulton
	Director of Design, Royal Doulton China Company, England
4 Dec. 1963	Director of Design, Gorham; PJ. 4 Dec. p. 29, 'rejoins company'
1964	designed set for the Shah of Iran; cf. Carpenter p. 268. Charles Brandreth told me (31 August 1997) that Price had him work the initials 'JRP' plus 'WGD' (for 'World's Greatest Designer') into the design near the Shah's head. Brandreth signed on the bottom.
	Ed Money worked as Price's personal modeller. Price could draw very well: he might be watching TV and doodle on a newspaper, bring in the newspaper and ask Ed to model it. It was so well drawn that Ed could easily produce a model. Price was proud of the fact that he could draw a piece of flatware and match both sides exactly. Ed said that JRP had an ego, could be pompous -- he sometimes wore a bowler hat, affected an English accent on occasion, and for a short period tried a goatee -- but that he was kind, fair, and considerate. Price also had a good sense of humor. At one time he complained to the manager of flatware production about the silver content of the flatware being produced and was unhappy with the response. So for one of his dinners for Gorham staff he had a sterling dinner fork in his pattern annealed until it was soft and had a coffee spoon stamped in a metal that melted at 180*. As the meal progressed, the flatware manager's fork kept bending as he tried to hold his meat and he would surreptitiously put it below the table and fold it back. Price went on as though he hadn't noticed. When the spoon melted in the coffee, Price couldn't contain his laughter. Price had a pacemaker for several years. He had a heart attack while still at Gorham. Ed Money says that he was told not to talk business while the boss was gone. When Price returned and saw athat Money had made a model for someone else, he was so angry that he wouldn't talk to Ed-- snubbed him for six months.
1969	named Vice President of Design, Gorham
1 June 1971	through 1 Oct., on sick leave after heart attack
	Among Price designs are Melrose, Camelia, King Edward, Gossamer, Hispania.
1973	retired, age 65
27 Oct. 1974	died, age 67 years 3 months 9 days, heart attack, Smithfield, R. I.; buried Swan Point Cemetery			PV 003; Dec. 1974 Gorham Perspective

Price, William G. jeweller; partner in Gorham, Webster before his death. Not in Arnold, Vital Records.
Date	Event	Pay	Address	Source
1830				PCD*
1832	jeweller, 220 North Main			PCD 101
1836				PCD*
	'In 1837 William G. Price, a jeweler, was admitted to the Company. The name was changed to Gorham, Webster, & Price. Price died in 1839, but the name apparently continued unchanged...' (Carpenter, p. 29)
1838	died
1838-39	Wm. G., jeweler, Steeple		56 Benefit	PCD 105
1841	William G., widow		40 Benefit	PCD 135

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