My Gt. Gt Gt grandfather was a button maker his name was John Jukes born about 1770. They must have made some money at it, because he sent his sons to King Edwards, the first was my line in family his name was John. John became an Enginer within the Ashted area of Aston, the second was the second son, who was Sir Joseph Beete Jukes 1811 to 1869 he was a Geologist his name is in the geographicals, he was a friend of Darwin, they worked together, and he went to Cambridge I have a painting of him!

I also have a marraige cirtificate, 1850, for him stating his father was a button maker, he had no children so all he had came to our side of the family.

The next line down was another John Jukes 1826 who became an Enginer on the trains in Birmingham, he owned most of Lawley Street. He had a son George, who was a wine, women, and song man. George was left £40,000 in 1900 from his father and spent it.

George's son Leonard was my Grandfather who was brought up in Small Heath by his Irish Mother Kathreen Jukes, nee Burns daughter, of a farmer in Ireland. Leonard married Ellen Sherlock, who lived two doors away, they went to live at 28 Bordsley Green, then to the house next door to Tilton Rd School. My grandfather Leonard, was an artist he painted the signs on vans and carts and did most of the pub signs in Brum.

Leslie my dad was born in 1915, he was a commercial artist and had his first office over the Post Office at Derritend. "Jukes and Curiton Advertising" they did most of the adverts for Birds Custard, and many more in Brum. The name Jukes Jewkes Dukes Jux Jus Dewkes comes from the names Jocelyne and Duke being put together after the Catholics were being hounded in 1538, they were Flemish familys, the Jocelynes being related to the Kings of France and the Dukes being merchants and bankers. One was Lord Mayor of London, they always kept close to the Bauchamb Family, as they were one of the richest families, and had to pay their taxes to the crown through the Dukes, up until then most French familys lived on the East side of the river, after which they started to mingle with the farming families on the west side for protection.

The new rich were the Spencers Foleys in the 1600 then we get the Industrialists of Brum in 1750 most of these came from the Educated Norman familys, that had had it rough, in the 1600's. Some went America in 1650 and others left 1850 onwards. One of the Jewkes became 2nd Leader to the Mormon church his name was Samual.

If you help with any info regarding John Jukes Button Maker, it would be help to my history of this family.
S.Ybert@btopenworld.com