Bradbury-Baker-Rogers

1891
William Hamlet (Organ Builder aged 23) was boarding together with his
brother Frederick at the house of John Lord (53 Vicarage St, Walsall).

1894
William Hamlet Rogers (Organ Builder) married Eliza Agnes Burton 7 Aug 1894 at Church of St Clement Longsight, Gorton, Lancashire.
William's father was listed as Hamlet John Rogers. Eliza's was Richard Burton.

1901 (census)
36 Chatham St, Hanley
William H. Rogers Head M 33 Shop keeper (Grocer), born Staffs, Shelton
Eliza A. Rogers Wife M 34, born Lancs, Manchester
Alfred H. Rogers Son S 5, born Staffs, Walsall
Norman R. Rogers Son S 3, Staffs, Shelton
John R Potter Visitor M 37 Organ Builder
Albert James Visitor S 15 Organ Builder

[Note John R Potter is William H Roger's brother in law. John Robert Potter married William's sister Elizabeth Ann]

William Hamlet Rogers and his brother in law John Robert Potter must have entered into a partnership, Organ Builders of St Mark's Street, Hanley at some point because there is a legal notice in the Staffordshire Sentinel of 3 September 1908 announcing the disolution of the partnership by mutual consent. William Hamlet is taking on the debts owed and owing, so, as he is still an organ builder in 1911 it appears the business continued but without John R Potter.

1911 The family was living at 1 Rectory Road, Shelton.
William Hamlet Rogers, married, 43 organ builder, born Staffordshire, Shelton. Identified as an employer.
Eliza Agnes Rogers, married 44, born Manchester. They had been married 17 years and had 5 children, one of whom had died.
Alfred Hamlet Rogers, 15, born Walsall, Staffordshire
Norman Richard Rogers 13, born Shelton, Staffordshire
William Frederick Rogers, 9, born Shelton, Staffordshire
Harry Burton Rogers, 2, born Shelton, Staffordshire

1921 William Hamlet Rogers, now 53yr 10mth is living at 12, Rectory Road, Hanley, Staffordshire, with Eliza A, 54yr 10mth, his wife and their children Alfred H 25yr 5mth, Norman R 23yr 3mth, William F 19yr 8mths and Harry B 12yr 9mths. Harry is a school boy. The other men are all organ builders at St Mark's Shelton (and employers of others).

1939 William Hamlet Rogers (dob 10 August 1867), widowed organ builder retired was living at 113 Oxbarn Avenue, Wolverhampton, with his son Norman R (dob 18 March 1898) a handicraft teacher in a public elementary school and his wife Lillian (dob 22 December 1902) unpaid domestic duties and two of their children.

According to an article in the Evening Sentinel in 1983 the WH Rogers and Sons organbuilding company was sold in 1941 when business declined. It was run in its later years by William Frederick Rogers.

A William Hamlet Rogers died in 1957, registered in Wolverhampton
ROGERS, WILLIAM HAMLET 89
GRO Reference: 1957 J Quarter in WOLVERHAMPTON Volume 09B Page 769