Education
When he returned to Birmingham he completed an apprenticeship with Benjamin May, a Birmingham-based plater, and set up a buckle making business with his brother Joseph.
When he returned to Birmingham he completed an apprenticeship with Benjamin May, a Birmingham-based plater, and set up a buckle making business with his brother Joseph.
This proved unsuccessful so James Luckock turned his hand to the jewellery trade and eventually his business in Street Paul"s Square, Birmingham thrived having made a profit of £2000 in 1813. Luckock became well known in Birmingham for his activities in political and educational reform. During the late 18th and early 19th Centuries Birmingham was globally renowned for button making which was considered part of the jewellers art at the time.
Luckock was not an exception in this respect.
Birmingham Museums describe him as a "Jeweller and button maker" As well as making buttons he also collected them, accumulating 500 buttons of different styles, sizes and materials. Most of the buttons in Luckock"s collection were made for men"s coats or waistcoats as women"s garments did not normally use buttons at the time.
The collection was donated to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and many can be seen on display.
He was also a founding member of the Birmingham Society for Constitutional Information.