Gillott, Joseph |
| PEN MANUFACTURER (ENGLAND) |
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BORN 11 Oct 1799, Sheffield, South Yorkshire - DIED 5 Jan 1872, Birmingham: Westbourne Road, Edgbaston GRAVE LOCATION Birmingham, West Midlands: Key Hill Cemetery, Icknield Street, Hockley (plot 374-375.E) |
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Joseph Gillott worked as a cutler in Sheffield before he went to Birmingham in 1821. There he worked in the steel toy business. In 1827 he founded his company Joseph Gillott's that sold high quality steel pens that were produced by machines. Gillott married a Miss Mitchell who was the sister of John and William Mitchell, steel pen makers. His company still exists in Birmingham and is now part of William Mitchell Ltd. He was also a patron of the arts and among the first art collector to value the work of Turner and bought his work before it became popular. For many years he lived at The Grove in Edbaston. He had purchased it in 1853. His houses in both Birmingham and London were crowded with paintings and after he died in 1873 his collection of paintings was sold for 173,310 pounds. He also left a collection of violins that was sold for 4,000 pounds. |
| Images |
 The grave of Joseph Gillott at Key Hill Cemetery, Birmingham. Picture by Androom (11 Aug 2011) |
Sources • Joseph Gillott - Wikipedia |
