The life of James Pettit, who ran Pettit’s in Mustow Street, Bury St Edmunds, and died at his Sparhawk Street home in 1931

SuffolkNews takes a look at the life of carriage builder James Pettit – a country boy made good who handed out gold sovereigns to the poor.

Born in 1843 in Glemsford, near Sudbury, James went on to become a well-known figure in Bury St Edmunds, running his carriage building business, Pettit’s, from Mustow Street.

His great, great grandson Andy Morley has spent months researching his relative and is keen to hear from anyone in Bury who might have heard stories about him.

Andy, who was born in Bury and now lives in Worcestershire, believes James was a Dick Whittington-type character, who worked hard and used innovation to become a successful businessman.

While looking into his family history Andy found an obituary for James published in the Bury Free Press, after his death in October 1931, aged 89.

It said the businessman, who died at his home Jesmond, in Sparhawk Street, was a genial and generous man and one of four brothers who lived to be over 80.

The obituary gives a glimpse of his working life, which he started at the age of eight.

Young James would walk 13 miles from Glemsford to Bury on a Saturday night, returning on foot the next evening.

Perhaps fed up of all that walking, James went on to make a bicycle from wooden wheels and iron rims – which Andy believes was one of the first to be made in Suffolk.

His obituary recalls a mishap that the keen cyclist had heading down Chedburgh Hill, which meant he needed a new suit.

Andy’s research suggested it was at this moment James met his first wife Alethea Ellingham, who was born in the village.

The couple went on to have eight children before Alethea died at the age of 36, after suffering from an infection of her jugular vein.

James went on to have two more wives – Maria, who died aged 50, and Mary, who outlived her husband by four years.

Following his misfortune on Chedburgh Hill, James made a three-wheeled bicycle in a similar way to his first, eventually switching to a steel tricycle when they moved to Bury.

His obituary said the even at the age of 84 he could still be soon riding through the town streets on his tricyle.

James was a religious man with strong links to the Gospel Hall and Garland Street Baptist Church, which still exists today.

Perhaps it was his religion that led to his sense of charity, which saw him handing out gold sovereigns each weekend.

As well as his premises in Mustow Street, James could often be seen on a stand at the Corn Exchange.

Though he created the first motor-car body in Bury, James worked as a carriage builder for 60 years. Pettit’s also made prams and invalid chairs.

Andy would like to hear from anyone that might have heard of James Pettit, or thinks they have seen his gravestone in Bury cemetery.

If you would like to get in touch with Andy email suzanne.day@iliffepublishing.co.uk with your contact details – which will be passed on to him.