J. W. Evans Silver Factory

J. W. Evans is situated in Birmingham’s conservation area of the Jewellery Quarter. Jenkin Evans set up the business in 1881 in number 54 Albion Street. He started the business as a die-sinker for cutting and designing patterns from steel blocks as part of the manufacturing process for the production of jewellery and silverware.

By 1901, Mr. Evans was able to move his family into the suburbs of Birmingham and passed his company onto his two sons. By this point J. W. Evans was producing stamps and pressings for silverware. Jenkins’ grandson, Anthony Evans, started working at Evans in 1955 until he retired in 2008. After becoming Grade II* listed and making the heritage at risk list, J. W. Evans was acquired by English Heritage in 2008. A major project which followed the radical ‘conserve as found’ method, has allowed this factory to retain its authentic roots as a small scale factory but additionally conserve and protect one of the best known archives of its type.