Rags and riches of two brothers
In 1900 Albert Henry Bynion was respected by his tenants as a wealthy pub landlord and governor of a Sandwell hospital. In 1900 Albert Henry Bynion was respected by his tenants as a wealthy pub landlord and governor of a Sandwell hospital. But while he lived in splendour at Bynion House his brother, Caleb, was a chainmaker living in poverty with his wife and nine children. Stan and Fredrick Bynion say that when they started looking into the history of their family they were astonished at the differences between the brothers. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
But while he lived in splendour at Bynion House his brother, Caleb, was a chainmaker living in poverty with his wife and nine children.
Stan and Fredrick Bynion say that when they started looking into the history of their family they were astonished at the differences between the brothers.
Fredrick, aged 75, from Kidderminster, said: "My brother-in-law Robert Bunn searched on the internet to find out as much as he could about our family because we have such an unusual surname.
"When we started looking into our grandfather's past we were surprised to see that his brother led a completely different life to him.
"They both grew up together in West Bromwich and their father, William, was a chainmaker.
"They were a real salt-of-the-earth family and both Albert Henry and Caleb followed their father into chainmaking – but that is where the similarity ends.
"Albert Henry, who was born in 1868, lived at 35 Great Charles Street in West Bromwich from around 1881 where he was employed making chains.
"But his fortunes changed when he became landlord at the Blue Ball Inn in Quarry Bank and married his first wife Florence Mobberley.
"His business did well and he went on to run the Crown and Cushion pub in Seager Street, West Bromwich."
Stan, aged 79, from Stourton, near Stourbridge, says there were stables at the back of the pub where Albert Henry hired out donkeys for children to ride on.
"He obviously had a fun side to his personality and he was well-respected, although not necessarily liked," says Stan.
"It is thought that his success went to his head and he was considered to be quite haughty after his rise from the iron foundry.
"We also believe that he didn't mix with the rest of the family. While his brother Caleb had nine children, Albert Henry didn't have any descendant.
"He lived in Bynion House, near Dartmouth Square, and was governor at Hallam Hospital, which is now Sandwell Hospital. Albert Henry was clever enough to invest the money he had made in houses near the Crown and Cushion pub and so his money just continued to grow.
"After Florence died he married Annie, who passed away in 1957.
"When Albert Henry died he left £29,000 to the Holy Trinity Church in West Bromwich for a stained glass window, which was a lot of money in those days."
Fredrick said: "Albert Henry was such a respected member of the community that I remember when I was a pupil at Hill Top School someone found out I was related to him. They asked if they could rub shoulders with me because they said it was the closest they would get to nobility."
Stan and Fredrick's grandad Caleb had a very different life as he continued to work as a chainmaker.
"Caleb was born in 1866 at Great Bridge Road in Great Bridge and married Betsy Allen in 1892," says Fredrick.
"We know that at 1901 he lived at 105 Oldbury Road, Greets Green in West Bromwich. His nine children, who were born between 1893 and 1910, were called Betsy, William, Alice, Laurie Annie, Edwin, Arthur, Albert Henry, Rachel and James Fredrick.
"Two other children, Olive and Caleb, died when they were young.
"We believe that Caleb was feared by the rest of his family because he liked a drink and, on the odd occasion, could get quite rowdy. But he was a family man who worked hard and was devoted to his wife and children."
