In 1851 James Tangye, aged 25, born in Illogan Cornwall, engineer, was with his parents in Broad Lane, Illogan.
In 1861 James Tangye, aged 35, born in Illogan Cornwall, engineer, and wife Catherine Tangye, aged 35, born in Illogan, were living at 2 Summer Hill Ter., Birmingham Warwickshire. Present was James' sister Anne Tangye (30) of Illogan, unmarried.
In 1871 James Tangye, aged 45, born in Illogan, mechanical engineer, and wife Catherine Tangye, aged 45, born in Helston Cornwall, were in Fair Field, Crocket Rd., Handsworth Birmingham. With them were James' sister Ann Tangye (40) of Illogan, unmarried, annuitant, nephew John H. Tangye (8) of Birmingham, and nieces Winifred Price (3) and Ursular Price (1), both born in Birmingham.
In 1881 James Tangye, aged 55, born in Illogan, mechanical engineer, and wife Catherine Tangye, aged 55, born in Illogan, were living at Place House, St. Anthony in Roseland, Cornwall. With them were niece Alice Tangye (7) of Handsworth Birmingham, and cousin Jane Provis? 34) of Illogan, unmarried.
In March 1884 James Tangye was present at the marriage of his sister Anne Tangye to Richard John Connock at Falmouth Society of Friends.
In 1891 James Tangye, aged 65, born in Illogan, mechanical engineer, and wife Catherine Tangye, aged 65, born in Illogan, were living at Avery Cottage, Illogan.
In 1901 James Tangye, aged 74, born in Illogan, widower, retired engineer living on own means, was in Ivy Cottage, Illogan. With him was niece Helena Tangye (26) of Redruth, single.
In 1911 James Tangye, aged 85, born in Illogan, widower, engineer (retired), was in Avery Cottage, nr Redruth, Cornwall.
------------------------------
James Tangye died aged 87 years. 3
------------------------------
DEATH OF MR. JAMES TANGYE.
Family Engineer and Inventor.
Mr. James Tangye, one of the original partners in the famous firm of engineers, passed away shortly afternoon on Friday at Aviary Cottage, Illogan, at the age of 88 years. He had been in failing health for some time.
James Tangye was born at Illogan on October 6th, 1825, one of the eldest of nine children of Mr. Joseph Tangye. After leaving school in 1837 he went to Copperhouse Foundry, and assisted in building the suspension bridge which eventually spanned the Avon at Clifton. He went for a short while to a wheelwright at Pool. His wages at that time were 4d. a day, although he could match in speed and quality of work any of the skilled wheelwrights whose wages were 18s. per week. Before seeking another situation, he spent a little time in making for his father wheels and ploughs and other things needed upon the farm. Then he was employed by Wm. Brunton, senr., at Pool, to make some hydraulic pumps ; then for a year at the Redruth Foundry, during which time a locomotive was built for the West Cornwall Railway, and in 1848 he went to Devonport, and was engaged by Distin and Chafe at the dockyard. Work becoming slack, James voluntarily gave up his place in favour of a fellow-workman, and joined his brother Joseph, who was then employed by Wm. Brunton, jun. Both remained with Wm. Brunton unto the fuse works had been thoroughly established. The younger brother, Richard (born 1833), and George (born 1835) had meanwhile obtained situations in Birmingham with Thomas Worsdell, who had a small works at which certain railway requirements were manufactured.
In 1855 James accepted the post of works manager, and Joseph was soon afterwards engaged with the object of introducing a better class of workmanship. In 1857 James and Joseph invested all their savings in a little workshop, and Richard began to canvass for orders for the busy little concern, George subsequently joining too. They sent for Edward, who was in America, and he came to them (John had died in 1848), and so was formed the little firm consisting of all five brothers, and the name and style of James Tangye and Brothers, Machinists, 40, Mount Street, Birmingham, to afterwards become Tangye Brothers, and then Tangyes Limited. The firm became known to an ever-widening circle of customers, and the concern soon reached a position of flowing prosperity.
The Tangye Brothers premises in Birmingham to-day cover twenty-five acres, they employ 3,000 hands, and the capital of the firm is £500,000.
It is a saying in the Tangye family, "We launched the Great Eastern and the Great Eastern launched us." The largest ship in the world in those days, the Leviathan, afterwards, the Great Eastern, designed by Brunel, and built by Scott Russell and Co., was in November, 1857, lying on the slip at Blackwall an immovable mass. Every effort to get her off the slips failed. These efforts began on November 3rd, 1857, and last until January 31st, 1858. All the known lifting apparatus of the time had been tried upon the huge ship in vain. Without any knowledge of the Leviathan, Mr. James Tangye had invented a hydraulic "jack." Brunel, in his despair, heard of this piece of machinery, and bought a number of the jacks. The brothers showed the great engineer how they were to be used, and on January 31st, 1858, the Great Eastern glided smoothly down the ways into the waters of the Thames. The fortune of the Tangyes was made.
A few years later the firm began to make steam engines, James being still the engineer. His special addition to the iron horse was a new governor, and today the Tangye steam-engine and governor are the adopted models in many of the science schools of the United States. It would too long a story to tell how many novelties the firm introduced. One we must not omit. In 1862 Messrs. Tangye constructed one of the earliest road locomotives—a motor-carriage—with which they travelled many hundreds of miles. The fire-box was of copper, and there were nearly a hundred metal tubes in the boiler ; the engine weighed 27cwt., and attained a speed of twenty miles an hour. There was every reason to expect a great business in road locomotives, but the Tangyes were before their age. Parliament passed an Act that no road locomotive should travel faster than four miles an hour, and even at that dashing speed the machine must be preceded by a man carrying a red flag. Road locomotion was strangled for over twenty years, when the internal combusion engine and the motor-car road gaily through antiquated legislation.
In 1892 the initial founder of the firm became Sir Richard Tangye, and his son, Sir Lincoln Tangye, was created a baronet in July last.
The late Mr. Tangye, writes our Redruth correspondent, was referred to in well deservedly eulogistic terms by the Rev. H. Oxland at the morning service at Illogan Church on Sunday. Since Mr. James Tangye came from Birmingham, and took up residence in Illogan in 1872, kindnesses and beneficent acts towards his neighbours have been constant and many, and in referring to these and to his genial, kindly manner, the Rector said that what he had always been struck with was his simplicity and truly genuine character, and with his readiness ever to assist. It was an honour to the district that such worthy men should have gone thence as the Tangye Brothers. Although a great engineering business had been built up, Mr. Tangye in coming into the country was anxious to aid by practical improvements, and to this end was often for years busily at work in his Cornish workshop, beautifully fitted with every kind of tool, where he experimented and invented. Almost to the last he retained his interest, being daily kept informed by the Birmingham officials even when confined to his room for months. Within the past few weeks a change had been visible. A friend who saw him states he was perfectly serene, calmly awaiting departure in "peace, perfect peace." Unconscious at intervals, he rallied before his death, his last acts being devotional. Mr. George Tangye, his youngest brother, the only surviving member of the original firm, was in Cornwall and saw him every day during the past week. Mr. James Tangye leaves no children. His nearest surviving relatives are Mr. George Tangye, Mrs. Robert Price (sister), and sons and daughters of his sister Mrs. Price, and deceased's brothers Joseph, Edward, Sir Richard and George. Mr. James Tangye, who was always keen on astronomy, when a young man made a powerful telescope in rough case, which the writer well remembers, and finally after his return from Birmingham erected a useful observatory, where much of his spare time was spent. Like his father and mother, he was a member of the Society of Friends.
The Royal Cornwall Gazette, Thursday, 10 Apr 1913, p. 6
------------------------------
James Tangye of Aviary Cottage Illogan Cornwall died 4 April 1913. Probate London 2 May to John Henry Tangye, manufacturer, and Allan Tangye, solicitor. Effects £13,161 1s. 9d. 4
Research Notes: