Joy Oil Merchants and Seed Crushers
Seed-crushing might be the most invisible, yet essential, industry of the Industrial Revolution. Without lubrication, the railway engines that transformed Victorian life would never have moved. They were lubricated by oil produced from crushed rapeseed. It’s not a stretch to say that the Joy Seed Oils lubricated the Industrial Revolution.
The original Joy Seed-Crushing company was built on the research of the chemist David Joy. His ‘claim to fame,’ which is long lost to posterity, was that his oils were used to lubricate the Stephenson Rocket, which in 1829, was the fastest engine of its day.
The Joys became quite wealthy with their seed oils for several generations. The two branches of the families had very different outcomes.
Unfortunately, William Thomas Outhwaite Joy’s grandsons drove the business into the ground, ending with Douglas Glover Joy’s declaration of bankruptcy in 1905.
Fortunately, for the grandsons of Edward Joy they thrived in the business, which operated until the 1970s.
The two brothers, William Thomas Outhwaite and Edward Joy, left very different legacies. One seems to have left a legacy of unhappy sons, the other a legacy studious, steady sons. That’s another story.
Read on for the timeline of the family business.
Timeline of the Joy Seed-Crushing Business in Leeds: Part I
1773
David Joy (age 25) sets up business in Leeds as a druggist and chemist. He will spend years of his time perfecting methods to extract oils from rapeseeds.
1807
David Joy (age 57) sets up his seed crushing business in Leeds.
1810
David Joy dies at age 62. His sons William Thomas Outhwaite (age 26) and Edward I (age 25) take over the business.
1826
William Thomas Outhwaite and Edward Joy I operate as W. and E. Joy, Oil Merchants of Albion St. and Thwaite Mills in Leeds.
1846
The W. and E. Joy partnership is dissolved. The brother Thomas William and Edward Joy I establish separate business.
Timeline of the Joy Seed-Crushing Business in Leeds: Part II
Timeline Part II. The Branch of William Thomas Outhwaite Joy
1841
William Thomas Outhwaite Joy’s second son, Edward Joy Jr. (age 25) leaves the family business to become a manager at Leeds New Gas Works. (In 1853, Edward Joy will move to Australia where he stays for 20 years.)
His first son, William Glover Joy (age 28) continues in the family business.
1851
William Glover Joy works as a seed-crusher and oil merchant in W. G. Joy & Sons. He employs 18 men and 6 boys.
1871
William Glover Joy works as a seed-crusher and oil merchant, employing 47 men and 18 boys. His second son, Charles, works with him.
His third son, Douglas (age 21), works as an engineer in Leeds.
1873
William Glover Joy’s oldest son, Arthur (age 28), who has been working as oil merchant in Liverpool, retires and dissolves his business partnership with William Henry Bradburne.
William admits his third son, Douglas Glover (age 23), into partnership of William Joy & Sons.
1876
William Glover Joy dies. W. Joy & Sons is passed to his son Douglas who lives in Hessle, Hull.
1905
Douglas Glover Joy (age 55) declares bankruptcy and dissolves W. Joy and Sons. The bankruptcy is not finalized until 1907.
Timeline Part II: The Branch of Edward Joy I
1841
Edward’s oldest son, David, enters his father’s works and learns the trade routine and the business of seed crushing and oil refining.
He finds the work distasteful and leaves to apprentice as an engineer. He becomes a prolific and celebrated inventor. (see photo and note below)
1858
Edward Joy I (age 70) dissolves his partnership in the business Edward Joy & Sons. His 3 sons: Walker, William Lomas, and George Outhwaite take on the business.
1888
Edward Joy & Sons is dissolved. The business shifts focus and is now Leeds Lubricants, headed by George Outhwaite Joy.
1900
George Outhwaite Joy reitres. His son, Alexander Outhwaite Joy, assumes managerial control.
1972
165 years after David Joy started his business, the Joy’s end their oil business.
In 1843 David Joy began work as a drawing office apprentice at the Railway Foundry Works of Shepherd and Todd in Leeds. His talent for drawing plans led to a quick promotion to chief draughtsman and it was in this capacity that he is credited with designing the famous Jenny Lind locomotive.