Silversmiths and Goldsmiths of Church Lane, Hull
#SUBHEADING#Church Lane#SUBHEADINGEND# Many of Hull's best known goldsmiths who worked between the sixteenth and late eighteenth century were based in the same location, in premises on Church Lane, Hull (now demolished). This was on the north side of Church Lane close to the junction of the market place. The first goldsmith to acquire the building was John Harrison during the reign of King Henry VIII. #IMAGE# Peter Carlill worked from Church Lane. He was a successful gold and silversmith who obtained his freedom to trade in 1556. This was a different time on account of the Reformation when much silver plate was seized. In later years however, his trade increased as did that of other silversmiths, when Elizabeth I called for the replacement of chalices with communion cups. He made cups for six parishes in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. His son James Carlill also became a silversmith and made a communion cup for Holy Trinity Church, Hull and in due course he inherited his father's workshop. After James's death the premises was leased to another goldsmith, Robert Robinson who bought his freedom in 1617. Very few items survive by him, although twelve communion cups that were made by him still remain in parish churches. During the civil war many goldsmiths faced a decline in trade as silver and money was being seized and in Hull it was used towards the cost of maintaining the Garrison. Robinson was wealthy so this didn't affect him. He took on a new apprentice in 1645 James Birkby. After his apprenticeship Birkby bought his freedom in 1651 and established his own business in premises very close by. The premise on Church Lane was left to Robinson's wife in his will and then passed to Birkby's son Peter. #SUBHEADING#Edward and Katherine Mangie#SUBHEADINGEND# Around the 1660s a silversmith, who had been trading in York came to Hull and bought his freedom and established his own business. Mangies' premises was at the centre of the busy market place and both high quality domestic and church pieces were made. Mangie produced maces for both Hull and the Grimsby Corporations. When he died his wife and son also called Edward took over the business. Mangie stamped his pieces EM and those produced while his wife was in charge stamped KM. #IMAGE# However, it is not known whether she made the silverwares herself or she was solely the proprietor of the business. Katherine's marker's mark initials are to be found on communion cups, an oval tobacco box, and spoons and are stamped seven times on a small walrus ivory and silver jewel casket. The Mangies remained in business on church lane until the 1730s, but after 1697 very few pieces by them are known. This suggests that after this time they were perhaps trading mainly as retailers and repairers. Katherine Mangie died in 1725 at the great age of 88 and her son Edward continued to trade as a goldsmith at the Church Lane premises for the next nine years and then he probably retired and in 1739 he died. Records show that by 1748 the Church Lane premises were leased to another goldsmith named Robert Jones. Jones used the premises as a retail shop but he also made repaired and engraved plate for the Hull Corporation between 1740 and 1750. In total eleven gold and silversmiths were known to have either worked or served an apprenticeship at the Church Lane premises. Two other important Hull silversmiths were Thomas Hebden and Abraham Barachin. Thomas was an apprentice to Edward Mangie at the Church Lane premises, but after his apprenticeship he set up his own business on the south side of Church Lane and became strong competition for Katherine Mangie. He traded there from 1681 until his death in 1695. He made both church and domestic plate and also a fine peg-tankard for the Corporation of Hedon in around 1690. #IMAGE# Abraham Barachin worked with Hebden and after his death in 1695, he married his widow. Barachin was the last Hull silversmith to use the town mark of the three ducal coronets in pale on a communion cup and a ladle of around 1708-1710. After this date, silver that was produced in Hull was sent to the York assay office. Barachin was also the only Hull goldsmith who obtained his freedom of trade in Hull after the introduction of the Britannia standard. This standard denoted a purer form of silver than was used in sterling silver coinage. However, it seems that Barachin must have used sterling silver instead as Britannia standard marker's mark had to show the first two letters of the maker's surname and Barachin simply used his initials A B with a crown above and a rose beneath. #IMAGE# Hull silver pieces stylistically have a simple shape that is embellished with engravings or repousse decoration on the more significant items. Some of the pieces appear to have been influenced by Scandinavian or Northern German style, for example the peg tankards. Many pieces are ornamented with inscriptions and armorials that represent the person to whom they were made and or presented at that time. These well-cut engravings catch the light and emphasize the surrounding polished surface areas.
