Biography of Edward William BARRATT
[Ref. P.523]
Profile
Directories
Sweet factory
Index for BARRATT
Biography of Edward William BARRATT
[Ref. P.523]
Directories
Sweet factory
Index for BARRATT
Edward William Barratt was born at 9 Albert Place in Hoxton New Town, Middesex in 1854. He was the fourth of the thirteen children born to George and Sarah Barratt.
The census of 1861 shows the family now living at 9 & 10 Shepherdess Walk in Hoxton, Middlesex where his parents had started their confectionery business. When the census was taken in 1871, the family were at 30 & 32 Shepherdess Walk. The confectionery business that his father had started was expanding and George now worked there.
On 2 January 1878, Edward married Harriett, daughter of Richard and Emma Cranmer, Richard was a successful confectioner so it was most likely that it was through that connection that Edward met Harriett. Sadly, the couple were never blessed with children.
By the time the census was taken in 1881, the couple had moved house to 20 Snargate Street in Dover, where they had domestic servant Eliza Page. It would appear that the premises were also a shop as the census records baker and pastry cook Richard Walters and assistant Catherine Barden. Edward's profession is listed as confectioner.
Edward and Harriett had moved again before the 1891 census was taken. They are recorded as living at Grove Lodge in Broad Lane, Chertsey, Surrey. With them were cook Louisa Jones and coachman Francis Pique. Edward is shown a living on his own means.
By 1901, Edward and Harriett were living at 1 Tower Terrace in Wood Green,Middlesex. Their general servant was Charlotte London. directory for 1902 lists Edward at the same address.
Somewhere between 1905 and 1906, according to local street directories, Edward and Harriett moved to The Rise in Cold Norton, Essex. Also in 1905, he and his brother Frank together with John William Esser, formed the Esser-Barratt Repeating Arms Company Ltd with designs for a range of weapons. However, trials of the rifle were unsuccessful as it overheated with rapid fire and the company abandoned the project.
When his father died in 1906, Edward was bequeathed an amount of property to keep or sell plus the income from freehold ground rents held on further propeties.
The 1911 census confirms that address and that their servant was 16 year old Beatrice May Ward. Edward described himself as Expert Confectioner for the census.
Edward died in Westmister Hospital in Westminster on 2 June 1921 with his wife Harriett at his side. Probate on his estate of £4,060 7s 11d was granted in London to Harriett on 5 August that year. The probate register gives Edward's address as Beacon Lodge, Cold Norton, Essex. Pulling machines came into use towards the end of the period and those used at Barratts were the brainchild of Frank Barratt. The machine is described in the section devoted to rock manufacture. Frank had several ideas and is regarded as the inventor of the batch roller. Among his other brainwaves was a device, which enabled a one armed person to put on a coat unaided. He also was a part owner in a company which manufactured a repeating rifle (The Esser-Barratt Repeating Arms Co., Ltd.). The company was formed in 1906 but the rifle was not a success since, on tests, it overheated with rapid fire.