Potter: Price / Bristol Image courtesy Miles Griffin.
Edwin Wigmore was born in Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire in 1851, baptised 19 Oct. 1851, son of George Wigmore, a coal miner, and Emma Parker. George, Edwin's father, was brought up in Coalpitheath by his widowed mother Emma and was working in the pits aged 15. Young Edwin found a trade as a carpenter and joiner. Edwin married Harriet Boobier in 1873, registered in Tiverton, Devon. Their sons William Edward Wigmore was born 1874 in Fishponds and Charles Wigmore was born 29 December 1878, two other children did not survive. By 1881 Edwin was running the Greengrocer's shop in Martin Street, St. Paul's. By 1891 he had reverted to his trade as a carpenter at 32 Wellington Road. By June 1894 Edwin had started a Hop Bitter Brewery at 35 Beaumont Street, off Stapleton Road, Bristol, he had a licensed carpenter's shop in a portable building there for the previous 18 months which he was now selling off. Some time during the 1890's he went into partnership with Hansford & Co. Mineral Water Manufacturers.
Western Daily Press - Saturday, 1 December
1900, p.10, carried the following notice: "NOTICE is Hereby Given that the
PARTNERSHIP heretofore subsisting between us, the undersigned ROBERT
FREDERICK HANSFORD, JAMES STENNER, and EDWIN WIGMORE, carrying on business
as Mineral Water Manufacturers and Hop Bitter Brewers at Grosvenor Road,
St. Paul's, in the City of Bristol, under the style or firm of "HANSFORD
& CO," has been DISSOLVED by mutual consent as from thr 30th day of
November, 1900, so far as regards the said Edwin Wigmore, who retires. All
Debts due to and owing by the said firm will be received and paid by the
said ROBERT FREDERICK HANSFORD and JAMES STENNER, who will continue to
carry on the Business under the style or firm of HANSFORD & CO.
Dated this 30th day of November, 1900." This was signed by all three
gentlemen.
Directly after Wigmore left the partnership rumours abounded that
Hansfords could no longer supply hop bitters, much to their chagrin, it
seems that Edwin was their hop bitters brewer and he had retired, but by
1901 Arthur Collinge was running the Beaumont Street Brewery. Edwin had
leased a factory and stables in Mina Road, St. Werburgh's in 1900 and he
and his son Charles had set up business as Wigmore & Son there.
Arthur Collinge was born in Middleton, Lancashire in 1876, baptised at Middleton St. Leonard on 31 December son of factory worker Abraham Collinge and his wife Eliza. Arthur married Mary Ellen Kay, daughter of John and Rachel Kay of Middleton, in Bristol in the summer of 1900. He took over the Hop Bitters Brewery at 35 Beaumont Street vacated by Edwin Wigmore at this time. He appears there in the 1901 census with wife Mary. In Wrights directory of 1901 he is at 24 Treefield Road, Baptist Mills, there is no 35 Beaumont Street listed in this directory. In Kelly's 1902 directory his name is listed incorrectly as Alfred Collinge, hop bitter brewer, 35 Beaumont Street. About a year after he commenced business Arthur sold the enterprise to the Andrews Brothers. By 1911 Arthur and his wife were back in Middleton, where Arthur is Clerk to a silk and cotton dyeworks, and Mary is a Weaver at a manufacturer of hat trimmings. They were still in Middleton in 1939 where Arthur has the same job. Arthur Collinge of 37 Bentley Avenue, Slattocks, near Castleton, Lancs. died on 3 October 1942 in Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, his widow Mary Ellen survived him and inherited his estate of £438 6s. 8d.
Herbert John and Cecil Andrews were born in Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire 27 Oct. 1872 and 11 Aug 1874 respectively sons of farmer John Andrews and wife Eliza Euphemia Lamb. The boy's births were registered in Newark, Nottinghamshire. They had two younger brothers, Percy (b. 1876) and Frank (b.1879). Herbert was Blonde with blue eyes and 5ft 2" tall. By 1891 Herbert and Cecil were Architect's assistants in Hunslet, Yorkshire. Frank remained at home on the farm, still there in 1911. In 1901 Herbert and Cecil were Timber Merchants at 26 Church Street, South West Nottingham. On 29 Sept. 1902 Herbert married Mabel Louisa E Hogg, in Beeston, Nottinghamshire. Mable was from here, born 1 Dec. 1879.
Shortly before his marriage, in July 1902, Herbert moved to Bristol with his brother Cecil
From the Western Daily Press - Thursday 3 November 1904 page 9: CREDITORS’ MEETINGS IN BRISTOL. YESTERDAY,—Before Mr F. L. Clark, Official Receiver... Herbert John Andrews and Cecil Andrews, 95, Chaplin Road, Easton, and Avonmouth, botanical brewers.—Mr F. E. Metcalfe appeared for the debtors, whose statements showed liabilities £117 10s 5d, and deficiency of £84 0s 5d. The Official Receiver’s observations were to the effect that the bankrupts stated that in July, 1902, they began business at Beaumont Street, Stapleton Road, botanical brewers, with capital of about £80 or £90, the business since 29th September last being carried on at Chaplin Road, Easton. Before coming Bristol in 1902 they appeared to have carried on business for five years at Lenton, near Nottingham, as timber merchants. On the day of the receiving order the Official Receiver found that a sale of the few trade effects was being held by auction under an execution. As the auctioneer estimated that only about £15 would result from the auction, and there was possibility of selling the effects by private treaty, the sale was stopped. The effects had since been sold by valuation for the sum of £23. The household furniture at Chaplin Road is claimed by Mrs H. J. Andrews as being left her by her father in April, 1902. Her claim was being investigated. The sheriff’s charges of execution amounting to about £10 had been omitted from the statement of affairs. As they were a first charge upon the assets, the amount available for dividend could be but trifling. The bankrupts attributed their insolvency to bad trade and a bad season last year. The Official Receiver is trustee.
Herbert emigrated to Canada with Mabel in 1907 as a carpenter, and then on to the United States on 3 Dec. 1915 from Vancouver via Seattle aboard the ship "President", eventually settling in Los Angeles, California. They had two sons: Herbert John, born 12 Dec. 1908 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Albert Edward, born 26 Nov. 1921 in Los Angeles. Herbert senior died in Los Angeles on 31 March 1947.
Cecil emigrated in 1906, by 1921 he was a fireman in Kootenay West, British Columbia, he never married and died 2 Dec. 1959 in Nelson, Central Kootenay Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. He is buried in Nelson Memorial Park Cemetary.
| Half Gallon Stoneware Flagon | |
| Printed:
ANDREWS BROS. / BOTANICAL BREWERY / BRISTOL / ANYONE ILLEGALLY USING
OR DETAINING / THIS BOTTLE WILL BE PROSECUTED. Potter: Price / Bristol Image courtesy Miles Griffin. |