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Born on the 7th of May 1823 in Barnsley Yorkshire, Carnelley began his working life under the tutelage of his uncle, who was a linen manufacturer with his own small business. It was here that he obtained valuable experience that would aid him in his future with Rylands & Sons. In July 1840, Carnelley set off from Barnsley towards Manchester. On arrival, he secured a position with the firm of Rylands and Sons, but had to return home to Barnsley shortly after this due to a family illness. On his return to Manchester, he discovered that his position had been filled by someone else, and was subsequently transferred to the Wigan branch of the firm. Here he was promoted to a higher position within the company, being placed in charge of the handloom. In addition to this, he was also made responsible for the company's material costs and expenses. His responsibilities were increased further when he became head of Manufacturing in Wigan.
In 1842, the managing partnership of Rylands and Sons was dissolved and John Rylands was left in sole control of the company. Choosing to work under the leadership of John Rylands and stay with the firm, Carnelley transferred to a mill at Ainsworth, then to a mill in Gorton. From Gorton, Carnelley eventually returned to the Manchester Warehouse. Here, in 1847, he was entrusted with the management of the Fustian Department. Carnelley's promotion came at a time when Rylands and Sons were rapidly expanding, acquiring numerous mills, offices, and warehouses, both in Britain and abroad.
1873 was an important year in the history of Rylands. On 25th October Rylands and Sons Ltd was incorporated as a joint stock company. Carnelley was nominated by John Rylands to be one of the nine Directors on the company board. After the death of John Rylands William Carnelley displayed his continued loyalty and devotion to his former employer and friend through his contribution towards the construction of the John Rylands Library, which was created by Enriqueta Rylands as a memorial to her late husband. Like John, Enriqueta held Carnelley in great esteem, both professionally and as a friend of the family. She describes him as
In 1901 Carnelley was appointed chairman of Rylands & Sons Ltd, and he held this position until 1916 when he officially retired from the company. However, refusing to disappear from the professional scene in his retirement, he continued his affiliation with the firm and was given the title of Honorary Directorship in 1916. William Carnelley died on 8th October 1919, aged 96, at his residence in Fallowfield, Manchester. William Carnelley was married twice, but died a widower. He had at least 3 children, Thomas (1852-1890), Matthew, and Ellen Carnelly. Thomas Carnelley studied at Owens College and became professor of chemistry at Aberdeen University, but died suddenly at the age of 38. William Carnelley is buried in Southern Cemetery in Manchester, in a plot facing that of his employer and friend John Rylands.
The collection stayed within the immediate family of William Carnelley, and was given to the library by Willliam Carnelley's granddaughter, Miss E. C. Austin of Bromley, Kent. Miss E.C. Austin was the daughter of George Beesley-Austin [?1881-1936],a theologian whose work can be found in the JRL Methodist collection. It is presumed that George Beesley-Austin married Ellen Carnelly, William Carnelley's daughter.
The William Carnelley Collection was donated to the John Rylands Library by Miss E.C. Austin. She gave seven items in 1968 and in 1984 a further twenty one items were donated.
Extant papers of the Manchester textile businessman William Carnelley. This artificial collection consists of twenty eight items, covering a broad range of documentary evidence. There are letters patent, newspaper articles, photographs, presentation volumes, amongst other interesting material which could prove a useful resource for research in a number of different areas. The material may be considered as both a representation of William Carnelley's professional role with Rylands and Sons Ltd, and in a broader sense, the life of a business man in Victorian/ Edwardian England at a time when Industry was at its most prosperous. There is rich possibility in studying the items that make up this intriguing little collection.
There are also papers concerning Enriqueta Rylands which either announce her death, or provide information about the creation of the Rylands Library and its' collections. These particular items provide an insightful look into the life and work of a woman with significant ties to both the Rylands Library and the city of Manchester. Items within this collection represent both a professional and personal relationship with William Carnelley: as a business figure and advisor in the public arena, but also as a valued and trusted friend of the Rylands family.
The collection is arranged into 3 series:
William Carnelley Collection, WCC/2/3 (etc.), University of Manchester Library.
The collection is open to any accredited reader.
Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.
A number of items within the archive remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study.
Prior written permission must be obtained from the Library for publication or reproduction of any material within the archive. Please contact the Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH..
The John Rylands Library also holds material relating to William Carnelley in the Rylands and Sons Archive (
D.A. Farnie, 'John Rylands of Manchester', from
D.A. Farnie, 'Enriqueta Augustina Rylands (1843-1908), Founder of the John Rylands Library', from
This Series consists primarily of cuttings, but there is also a personal letter and a presentation scroll from Mrs Rylands. The cuttings relay information about the purchase of various collections for the JRL, including the purchase of the Althorp library in 1892, or announce the death of Enriqueta Rylands in 1908.
This cutting is taken from
A cutting taken from the
From Enriqueta Rylands to Mrs William Carnelley. The letter is written from the Hotel Splendide in Lugano, and discusses a holiday which Mrs Rylands took there. The letter details her movement from place to place, various excursions that she took part in, and closes with enquiries as to the health of Mrs Carnelley and her husband.
Titled
This item describes the physical design of the casket, and reasons behind each element of the design. [ *Need to check against casket in JRL]
An unidentified cutting that provides information concerning the distribution of Enriqueta Rylands wealth. This item gives a detailed account of bequests made to relatives and servants of Mrs Rylands, amongst other various benefactions. William Carnelley is mentioned as an executor of the will.
Cutting taken from the
Taken from the
This series represents William Carnelley and his working relationship with Rylands and Sons Ltd. The series includes patents, presentation volumes, and articles from both newspapers and journals. There are also miscellaneous items such as an account/ shares book and a chart showing various directors of Rylands and Sons Ltd from the latter part of the 19th Century, to the early part of the 20th century. Although the series as a whole is artificial in nature the patents, articles, and presentation booklets provide an insight into William Carnelley and his place within the company, and the esteem in which he was held by both John Rylands and the firm.
The patent certifies Joseph Clegg (cotton spinner), John Smith (manager), and William Carnelley (warehouse man) as the creators of a method of
In a similar style to above item, this patent acknowledges the invention of
This volume contains a wide variety of investments and shares at their highest and lowest prices for each month beginning from October 1864 to 1904. The item also records the highest and lowest shares per year. This volume records shares [? held by either Rylands and Sons or William Carnelley] for many different companies, including Rylands and Sons, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation, Royal Mail Steam Packet, Union Steam Ship Co,amongst others. The shares for Rylands and Sons are completed from March 1876 to December 1904. There are a number of blank sheets at both the beginning and end of the volume.
The 3 loose sheets that are inserted at the beginning of the volume are a list of contents and page numbers for the volume. The list covers 1864 to 1903, but is not dated as an individual piece. The list is written in a different hand to the entries made for the shares.
The presentation book celebrates the Jubilee of William Carnelley in services rendered to Rylands and Sons [1840-1890]. Internally, the item contains illuminated pages congratulating William Carnelley on 50 years of service, with the opposite pages depicting various watercolours of factories/ warehouses in Manchester, London,Wigan, and Lancashire. The presentation is signed by members of the
Taken from an original copy of
This item, also taken from
This item is an acrostic poem in rhyming couplets, acknowledging and commemorating William Carnelley for sixty years of service with Rylands and Sons Ltd. The poem is accompanied by a portrait of William Carnelley in his latter years. The item is mounted on cardboard.
This volume commemorates William Carnelley for 60 years of service with Rylands and Sons [ 1840-1900]. On the Inlay, there is an illuminated certificate addressed to
The remaining pages of the volume are filled with photo reproductions of signatures of employees from various departments within the London branch of the company. This provides an interesting insight into the structure of the firm, as well as the number of individuals that were actually employed in each branch.
A [?printed] table that shows the names of various directors of the firm and when each entered into the service of Rylands and Sons, between 1873 and 1918. The table also provides information as to the length of each directors' period of service. The table was compiled by William Carnelley, a year before his death.
Article taken from
The sheet attached to this article contains handwritten notes giving details concerning how much money John and Enriqueta Rylands left in their respective wills.
This article, which is taken from the
Taken from
The programme was created in 1923 to honour 100 years of
The programme was designed and created by Benrose & Sons Ltd, Derby and London.
Apart from 2 items, this series is made up of either original or copy of photographs. These images are primarily of Carnelley, however, there is an interesting group photograph of Carnelley and John Rylands. This image in particular shows the personal as well as the professional relationship that these two men shared.
A black and white formal portrait of a younger William Carnelley.
A black and white group photograph of William Carnelley, John Rylands, [unidentified lady], Elen Carnelley, and Mrs William Carnelley.
An enlarged copy of WCC/3/2 mounted on card.
A black and white image of William Carnelley in later life. This photo has been altered to make it look like a drawing. The item is mounted on cardboard, and at some point may have been placed in an oval frame
A cabinet card depicting John Rylands. The black and white photograph shows Rylands seated and with an open book before him. The item is mounted on cardboard. The image was taken in
A postcard depicting a horse and carriage in front of the Glarnerhof Hotel. On the reverse of the postcard
A black and white image of Fernlea and its gardens. Annotated on the dorse of the photograph is