SHELVOCK ONS - Demise of the SHELVOKE Family Name

There are probably only a few family names that can be documented as becoming extinct in modern times - the SHELVOKE family name is one of them. Exactly when the last person bearing that name died has yet to be determined, but is believed to be a widow in the 1960's. There were apparently none alive in 2000, however interestingly one reference reappears shortly after this on the 2007 Electoral Roll, a Ms. Edythe SHELVOKE in Kingsbridge, Devon.. This story is almost complete.

As described below, the SHELVOKE name lives on in only three company names: Accles & Shelvoke, Shelvoke Ltd (Shelvoke & Drewry, Dennis Shelvoke / Dennis Eagle) and Shelvoke Pickering & Janney, all founded by members of the family.

How this name variant came about is probably that prior to the C18th the place of Shelvock was actually pronounced SHELVOAK - closer to the Old English origin of the name. The only supporting evidence for this is the pirate and author George SHELVOCKE who, in his 1729 book on artillery, was referred to as SCHELVOUKE or SHELVOKE. If this is correct, then the spelling of Shelvock as a name was kept remarkably consistent, however it was pronounced. Dialect may have also had a part to play and spellings are clearly interchangeable, connecting these families to the greater SHELVOCK family.

As far as family records are concerned the name SHELVOKE only starts to appears in the early C18th. The geographical limitation of the name to the Wolverhampton & Willenhall areas of Staffordshire, before spreading to the western parts of nearby Birmingham, and further afield, strongly suggests the family origins back in Shropshire as SHELVOCK. Exactly how, where, and when has yet to be determined, but other spelling variants are noted in the Kinnerley/Osbaston districts, one of the homes of the family. It could even be a variation started by one family line by pronouncing the name in a now forgotten but traditional way.

The first family so far recorded was in 1722 at Eccleshall in Staffordshire, NW of Stafford. This group is possibly related to a Shropshire SHELVOCK family (see separate story). The family was probably there from the C17th since a Mary SHELVOKE married Joseph HODGETS in October 1722, the same year that a Thomas SHELVOKE married Jane WOOLRYCHE in July. Thomas & Jane remained and had at least the following children: William (c1723), Elizabeth (c1726), Anne (c1729), Thomas (c1733), Jane (c1735) and Mary (c1738). While no other records are identified, the descendants of this family were in the area for at least a further 60 years for a Mary d/o William & Sarah SHELVOKE to be baptised there in 1798. There is no proven link between this and any other family so far.

In the C18th/C19th there are a small number of SHELVOKE & SHELVOCK references in the Wolverhampton area (including Tettenhall (c1843-72), north Wolverhampton). Although currently unconnected they are probably related. The main group, however, is to be found in Willenhall, east of Wolverhampton, headed by Samuel SHELVOKE & Sarah ROBINSON (m. 1777 St. Giles, Willenhall). It is not clear when and how the family arrived, however they are recorded from 1778 to 1836. Samuel may be descended from the Clent families. This is an area famous for small manufacturing and engineering workshops. Their 12 children were:

    i. Elizabeth (c1778)
    ii. Fanny (c1780; m. 1810 = Joseph PERRY)
    iii. Prudence (c1782)
    iv. William (c1785; m. 1803 = Phebe TONKS; children Sarah (c1804; m. 1825, the first wife of Richard KNOWLES), Nancy (c1807; m. 1827, the second wife of Richard KNOWLES) & Mary (c1819)) - an extinct line
    v. Samuel (c1790; m. 1811 Elizabeth HADLEY; children Enoch (c1815), William (c1818) & Mary (c1819)) - two potential continuations of the family name
    vi. Nancy / Ann (c1792; illegitimate daughter Fanny (c1810), but later m. 1815 = John ASH)
    vii. Susanna (c1794)
    viii. Martha (c1795)
    ix. Mary Ann (c1795)
    x. Henry (c1796) - possible continuation of the family name
    xi. Susanna (c1801)
    xii. Amelia (c1803)

Only Henry above could be the father of a Samuel SHELVOKE (n. by 1818), unless it is a remarriage of Samuel (who had a daughter Amelia (c1836) in Willenhall), although all three sons could be the head of subsequent families of that name. From the uncertain period the story moves into the known period with much more recorded history.

James SHELVOKE (n. by 1815) heads the family centred in nearby West Bromwich and Aston, part of Birmingham. It is possible James & Samuel, above are brothers, however this remains unproven. What is in keeping is the engineering tradition.

James SHELVOKE married Catharine HARPER in Aston in 1833. They had three children:

    i. James (c1834; m. 1854 = Kate; children Elizabeth (c1859), Florence (c1867) & Kate (c1869)) - an extinct line
    ii. Mary Ann (c1837)
    iii. George (c1838; m. by 1868 = Emma; children Annie (c1869), Charles (c1871), George Edwin (c1874), & Harry (c1877)). They were living in Trinity Road, Handsworth in 1881 and Shenstone in 1901. Emma died in January 1921 at Kingsbury Road, Birmingham.

George Edwin married Charlotte and had Gwyneth (born in Cape Colony, South Africa c1900) & William George (c1907; who is believed to have married but had no issue). In the Midlands, 1907 appears to be the last birth year of a SHELVOKE.

The company historian notes that there is only one reference for SHELVOKE in the Birmingham Central Library concerning a C. SHELVOKE who died in 1955; an old boy of Bishop Vesey's School. G. E. SHELVOKE's son and daughter both died without issue and his son's surviving widow did not respond to the historian's letter. The Talford Street Works has two photographs; the first showing Gordon Edwin SHELVOKE on a Works outing in 1941, lighting his pipe (in the narrative he was accompanied by his second wife), and the second showing William George SHELVOKE, his son, in the 1960's (above).

"As early as 1924, the Association travelled to Greece and Italy to press for improvements in animal welfare. In 1950 a member of the HAS (Humane Slaughter Assoc.) left £6,000 to help introduce humane slaughter in Canada. A joint project was set up between Miss Sidley, General Secretary of the HSA and Mr. SHELVOKE, then Managing Director of Accles and SHELVOKE, a major firearms manufacturer. Slaughter demonstrations were arranged and carried out at Canada Packers by an expert slaughterman. As a result, the Canadian Parliament passed regulations enforcing the use of humane methods."

Possibly William Charles, s/o Charles, above, was the founder of SHELVOKE Pickering and Janney. Information (based on a long serving partner since sometime in the 1950's) was that Mr. SHELVOKE was already dead when he arrived at the firm. The firm was originally based in Birmingham and Mr. SHELVOKE used to 'commute' between the two. The firm was established sometime in the 1920's. The Birmingham office was closed after a takeover and no records exist in Cannock. In the 1940's Kelly Directory of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire - SHELVOKE Pickering Janney & Co, were Chartered Accountants at Cromwell House, Mill Street, Cannock.

A Brief History of Accles & SHELVOKE Ltd.
(information kindly supplied by the Eley Limited archives and their website)

The firm Bennett's Successors Ltd., was formed on 1.10.1903 by J. G. ACCLES and 6 other persons, and was funded by 6000 individuals each owning a single 10 shilling share. At an Extraordinary General Meeting on 14.1.1914, at the company's registered office of the Talford Street Works, Aston, Birmingham, the company name was changed to Accles & SHELVOKE Ltd., (A&S). In 1993, Eley Limited, a subsidiary of IMI plc, acquired A&S and still resides at the above address. No one of the SHELVOKE family name is connected with the new company. Some archival material was transferred at the time of acquisition.

According to the firms own website Accles & SHELVOKE was formed in 1913 to commence the manufacture of cartridge-powered captive bolt stunning equipment (a world leader in humane animal killing). The Company is now the world's leading manufacturer of this type of product and exports to more than 60 countries. Within the Company's portfolio is a range of consumable products for the meat industry, and the recently launched Cash Electrical Stunner. Accles & SHELVOKE also manufacture a range of cartridge-operated tools for other industries, such as the Electricity Industry; Marine Salvage and Repair; and Law Enforcement (including the Warrior air pistol). They have also developed an underwater gun for divers.

It is unknown what the company produced in the early C20th. Gordon Edwin SHELVOKE (s/o George SHELVOKE, below) in the notes he wrote after J. G. ACCLES death only refers to "experimental work". In the deeds of A&S a Mrs. Emma SHELVOKE (earlier historian assumed was Gordon Edwin's mother - now confirmed by census records) leased houses in Phillip St., (nos. 49, 51 & 53) to Bennett's Successors Ltd. The deeds also mention a house in Mansfield Road, Birchfield that at one time belonged to the SHELVOKE family. The only known pictures of the family are above. GES is pictured lighting his pipe on a Works outing.

Harry Clifford (c1877) was of two SHELVOKE families that settled in the Croydon area, south of London in the early C20th. He worked for the Lacre Motor Company of London. He married Minnie SINIGAR in Aston in 1901. She died aged 60 in Hitchen 1837 . In Croydon three daughters were born ( Dorothy Edna (c1903), Lilian Brenda (c1906) & Eileen Nora (c1908)). These girls married in 1929, 1931 & 1937 respectively, which ended the SHELVOKE name for that line. A possible brother of Harry, Frank H (or N) married in 1911 Croydon and had one daughter Barbara M (c1914). The line became extinct with the death of Harry in 1962. His second (or third) marriage took place in 1940 Hitchin after the death of Minnie. As seen elsewhere in SHELVOCK families, there was a genetic tendency towards more girls than boys.

We do know that Harry SHELVOKE (1878 - 1962) and James Drewry (1883 - 1952) are given as employed by the Lacre Company that moved to Letchworth Garden City in 1910, where SHELVOKE was General Manager, and a Drewry as Chief Engineer. Between them they conceived an ingenious lorry and built the prototype in Harry's barn. As the Lacre Company wasn't interested in this enterprise, they set up Shelvoke & Drewry in October 1922 to manufacture their design. Some of their engineering heritage can be seen below.

There are many references to SHELVOKE & Drewry Ltd of Letchworth (link to an external specialist website for this company); makers of refuse collection vehicles, heavy duty fork lift trucks, and other specialised commercial vehicles. In 1966 S & D merged with W.P. Butterfield Ltd., the well known road tanker makers. And in 1971 a further merger with G.A. Harvey Ltd., of Greenwich took place to form the Butterfield-Harvey Group of companies. S & D was the largest subsidiary of the group and accounted for 37% of the share capital. This may have been the forerunner of SHELVOKE & Dempster who were in existence in 1976 & 1986. There are many references to commercial vehicles for S. D. and SHELVOKE & Dempster Municipal Refuse Vehicles.

SHELVOKE & Drewry operated a number of maintenance depots throughout the U.K. Glasgow, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bradford, Kings Lynn and Exeter all had depots. It is probable that, with the demise of the company, these depots continued to provide service under the names of previous competitors such as Dennis and Eagle.

Some time after 1980 (by 1986) the American Dempster Company became involved, and later an individual investor bought the company, but did not make a success, so that by the early 1990's the company had ceased trading.

The following information was kindly provided by Russ POWELL of Dennis Eagle Ltd., in Merthyr Tydfil.

SHELVOKE Dempster Ltd., ceased trading as a company in July/August 1991.
Dennis SHELVOKE at Cannock is no longer trading.
Dennis SHELVOKE at Merthyr became Dennis Eagle around 1992/93.
The Dempster name was incorporated into the business in the early eighties.
The company was later owned by Krug International.
A management buyout in 1990 changed the name to SHELVOKE Limited.

There are numerous references to firefighting appliances - Shelvoke ladders & platforms, fire engines, emergency tenders & support vehicles (under the Dennis label). A firm called Dennis Shelvoke was also mentioned which suggested S&D are still part of a larger firm. From 1975 Shelvoke & Drewry was active in the production of fire appliances in collaboration with Carmichael. These vehicles displayed the logo ,"Shelvoke" as by then Drewry's involvement with the company had ceased some forty years previously.

The picture below shows Harry in his home 'Melverley' in Pixmore Way, Letchworth
(the use of the Melverley name for the house and the baronial nature of the internal decor suggest a certain amount of romanticism for the family's historical past, even though land ownership by SHELVOCKs has never been proven)

The following information about Harry SHELVOKE is mainly taken from "Kaleidoscope of Shelvoke & Drewry" by Nick Baldwin and William Negus:

"Harry SHELVOKE (1877 or 1878 - 1962) came from Melverley in Shropshire. He served in the Boer War (1899-1902) with the Staffordshire Light Infantry. He worked with Herbert Austin in the early years of the Wolseley Motor Company. In 1911 he joined Lacre Ltd., who were an important early commercial vehicle manufacturer, as General Manager. In 1910 Lacre moved from Long Acre in London to the expanding Letchworth Garden City. Along with James Drewry he designed and built an ingenious lorry. When Lacre were uninterested in producing this vehicle, Shelvoke & Drewry left to form their own company in 1922. In 1937 the Company became a public company with Harry Shelvoke as Managing Director. He held this position until 1949 when he became Chairman. He remained as Chairman of the company until 1957. He died at Letchworth in 1962 at the age of 84.

His home was a mock Tudor house named Melverley, where he lived until his death surrounded by armour and swords. Similarly the boardroom at the works, in Icknield Way, was wood paneled to resemble a baronial hall. Mr. Shelvoke drove the ex-Prince of Wales' Daimler Double Six motor car. He is represented as: "a fiercesome gentleman of the old school, with a flair for showmanship." He expected high standards from his employees, but many remained loyal to the company over many years."

[The reference to Melverley, above, is interesting. Although Harry's birth was in Birmingham, this may be a clear clue back to their family roots - perhaps to the head of family, James (n. c1815). Melverley is right in the SHELVOCK heartland, particularly the earliest proven descendants of today's SHELVOCKs, and not very far the place itself.]

From "Hertfordshire Countryside" for Summer 1957, page 19:-

Modern Oak Carving for Church

FEW craftsmen in the country today can compete with the exquisite workmanship of the beautiful ambry reproduced on this page. Made of oak, with hand-wrought iron fittings, it was designed in detail by Mr. Harry Shelvoke, of Letchworth, a lover of fine craftsmanship, and given to St. Mary’s parish church, Letchworth, as a memorial to his first wife.

Some of the intricate carving was executed in the West Country, the decorative iron hinges and lock plate were wrought locally, and the actual building and fixing in place were entrusted to Mr. Kenneth Smith, of Baliol Road, Hitchin. The ambry bears a metal plate inscribed: "In thankful memory of Minnie Shelvoke (née Sinigar), wife of Harry Shelvoke, born 18th May, 1877. Died 9th June, 1937," and stands in an alcove formed by the building up of a doorway in the north wall of the aisle opposite the south porch. The east window of the church, also given in memory of Mrs. M. Shelvoke, was designed and executed by the well-known stained glass artist Mr. Donald Taunton, N.R.D., of Hardmans Studio. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Bedford in 1950.

At the turn of the C20th the 1901 census reveals that the Birmingham family are all accounted for, with no suggestion of other families. The future of the family name at that time was in the hands of Harry & George the younger, but they were unsuccessful in producing male offspring to continue the line.

Given Name	Age	Birth County	Birth Place	County	Civil Parish	Occupation	Notes & Observations
Charlotte	27	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Shenstone		assumed w/o George Edwin
Elizabeth	41	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Handsworth	Nurse Obstetrical	unmarried d/o James
Emma	56	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Shenstone		w/o George
George	26	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Shenstone	Engraver	George Edwin
George	63	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Shenstone	Retired Manufacturer
Gwyneth	1	South Africa	Cape Colony	STS	Shenstone		assumed d/o George & Charlotte
Harry	23	WAR	Aston	STS	Handsworth	Superintendent Engineer	unmarried s/o George & Emma
James	66	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Handsworth	Brass Good Manufacturer	widowed f/o Elizabeth & Kate
Kate	30	WAR	Birmingham	STS	Handsworth	Nurse Obstetrician	unmarried d/o James

It is understood that William George also died by the 1960's, which may have left his widow as the sole surviving SHELVOKE by name. The year of her death has not yet been confirmed, but with it a family name became extinct.

The sudden reappearance of a Ms. Edythe SHELVOKE in the 2007 UK Electoral Register is a bit of an enigma.

Found at an antique auction site: "A very unusual Shelvoke & Drewry triple slide rule with ivorine scales held by 35 brass screws to an aluminium base plate. The rule shows the cost of manpower to load freighters and contains 8 non linear and 1 linear scale. The rule dates from late 1920's."

A Carmichael 'Jet Ranger' 2000, built on a Shelvoke and Drewry 4.725 mm, 4 x 4 chassis, powered by 12.07 litre Detroit Diesel engine. The Jet Ranger 2000 carries 8,100 litres of water and 900 litres of foam concentrate, applied through a C7000, 3,364 litres per minute, self aspirating roof monitor and 2 sidelines with 450 litres per minute foam branchpipes.

EBB847W is an Operations Support Tender (OST) based upon a Shelvoke and Drewry WX SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) chassis which was introduced in 1980 specifically for fire appliance type vehicles.

A Shelvoke and Drewry Tramocar, based on the S & D Freighter chassis which originated under a Truro Dustcart. A replica of one of the vehicles which operated in Worthing in the 1920s and 30s before the company was taken over by Southdown. Here the bus is seen shortly after completion at Amberley Bus Museum garage.

Shelvoke and Drewry 1934 Dust Cart BPL73: This vehicle was used in the British TV series "Dad's Army" by Capt. Mainwaring and his men to hitch a lift back to Walmington-on-Sea after a disastrous weekend exercise. The filming took place outside St. Mary Magdalen church Shepperton.

A restored Shelvoke & Drewry lorry. New July 1924, Scrapped after mid-1941.

Shelvoke N-type Refuse Lorry

1989 DAF 2,500 8x4 DEMPSTER: Fitted with Shelvoke front end loader equipment, ex National Plc.

Warrior 1st model pistol. This sidecocking British pistol was made in the early 1930's by Accles and Shelvoke, latter of Acvoke fame. There's a wonderful plumed knights helmet on the black hard rubber grips. No serial numbers on early pistols.

How a Family Name Became Extinct in Modern Times