BUTT OF GLOUCESTER - W. George Cole

John Michael Butt was born at 'The BIJOU' on Kingsholm Road, Gloucester and was baptised at St Nicholas Church, Westgate Street, Gloucester on 24th April 1817. He was the son of Richard Butt a soap boiler, with premises almost opposite St Nicolas Church. The Kingsholm Iron Works was originally entitled Cooke and Butt and John Michael took control of the firm in the early 1840's.

 

The Iron Works was situated in Sweetbriar Street, Gloucester adjacent to Foundry Row. The firm also manufactured Railway Carriages ( recorded as the first in the city ) Drain and Cellar Covers, Gutterings and Down Pipes plus more than 65 Pillar Boxes ( No.1. Butt Type ). There are still a number of original Butt Celler and Drain covers in situ in the city but alas no Butt Pillar Boxes. At the entrance to the South Porch of Gloucester Cathedral can be seen a drain cover cast at Butt Iron Works, combining the really ancient with the fairly old!

 

As mentioned by Wayne Cox in his article, Anthony Trollope was revising the rural parts in Gloucester and Western Districts and was influential in suggesting the installation of Pillar Boxes at Gloucester in 1853-4 following the successful introduction of a Pillar Box at Botchergate in Carlisle. At this time Trollope was living at 5 Paragon Buildings on the Bath Road in Cheltenham. The exact location of the first box in Gloucester is not previously known and much research in this respect was undertaken by Peter Copeland a very early member of the Group who sadly died at the age of 90 years earlier this year.

 

However from studies by the late Andrew Smith in the newspaper room at the British Museum regarding early Post Boxes, which was subsequently collated together by Chris Marcus, mention is made of two No.1. Butt Boxes being installed in Worcester street and adjacent to the Garden Wall of the Magdalen Hospital at Wotton in London Road in the City both dated 12th August 1854. Possibly the first boxes to be introduced? Now both sadly gone.

 

John Michael Butt was a most interesting man and was a Church Warden ar St Marks Church in Worcester, he was also a Sheriff of the City and a Governor of the City Schools. He had six sons and the first son John Acton Butt became a painter of some note and he presented one of his paintings to the Duke & Duchess of York in 1893 which hangs in Buckingham Palace. The Iron Works covered a fair area in Sweetbriar Street with Pattern Shops and Warehouses in the nearby Colombia Street. The works however were demolished many years ago and the site now is occupied by Kingsholm Primary School.

 

John Butt died 10th March 1885 and his funeral took place at St Catherine's Church in Gloucester. 

2005