Bristol District Super-Aeration Limited
& Margrate's Super-Aerated Mineral Waters.

Aerated Water Manufacturers


Super-Aeration Limited was a London franchise, formed in 1899, using particular patents for draught equipment etc., that spawned many subsidiary companies across the U.K., most of which had very short lives, as can be seen from the above. The popularity and usefulness of the product seemed to be hugely over-hyped. A lot of subterfuge seemed to abound in the formation of companies that may or may not have had entirely wholesome motives. Cash flow always seemed to be an issue. Super-Aeration Limited based in London were the original enterprise, incorporated in 1899.

From the London Gazette - 26 November 1901, page 8342: "Special Resolution (pursuant to Companies Act, 1862 to 1900) of Super-Aeration, Limited. (Incorporated 21st August, 1899.) Passed 29th October, 1901. Confirmed 21st November, 1901. At an Extraordmary General Meeting of the above named Company, duly convened and held at Winchester House, Old Broad-street, E.C., on the 29th day of October, 1901, the following Special Resolution was duly passed; and at a subsequent Extraordinaiy General Meeting of the Members of the said Company, also duly convened and held at the same place on the 21st day of November, 1901, the following Special Resolution was duly confirmed, viz.:—"That the Company be wound up voluntarily." And at such last mentioned Meeting Mr. Patrick Adam Glegg, of the firm of Messrs. Welton Jones and Co., of 5, Moorgate-street, E.C, was appointed Liquidator for the purpose of such winding up, at a remuneration not exceeding 100guineas. EDWARD DALSELEY, Chairman of both Meetings." Super-Aeration Ltd. were at 88 Bishopsgate Street, London Wall.

From the London Gazette - 7 November 1902 page 7107: "SUPER-AERATION Limited. (Original Parent Company, Incorporated 4th August, 1899.) , ...NOTICE is hereby given, pursuant to section 142 of the Companies Act, 1862, that a Meeting of the Members of the above named Company will be held on Thursday, the 11th day of December, 1902, at 11.15 o'clock in the forenoon, at the offices of London Super-Aeration, Limited, 4-6, Crinan-street, King's Cross, London, N., in order that there may be laid before the said Company an account, showing the manner in which the winding up has been conducted, and the property of the Company has been disposed of, and in order that the said Company may hear any explanation that may be given by the Liquidator.—Dated this 5th day of November, 1902. P. A. GLEGG, Liquidator."

The prospectus of the Cardiff Disrict Super-Aeration Limited illustrates how these companies were set up, involving other localmineral water manufacturers. From the Western Mail - Friday 29 March 1901 page 1: "THE CARDIFF DISTRICT SUPER AERATION (LIMITED). Capital £15,000, divided into 15,000 Shares of £1 each. Issue of 11,500 Shares of £1 each, of which 5.500 Shares will be allotted as fully paid to the Vendors, in accordance with the terms of the licence, as part payment. The remaining 6,000 Shares are now offered for Subscription. payable—2s. 6d. on Application. 2s. 6d. on Allotment, and the balance as and when required, by calls of not more than 2s. 6d., at intervals of not less than two months. The balance of Shares is reserved for future Issue.
DIRECTORS:—Herbert J. Hill, Esq.. Britannia-buildings, Bute Docks, Cardiff:J. Anthony Basker, Esq. F.C.S. (Chairman, Basker and Elliott Limited, Mineral Water Manufacturers', Ashbourne, Weston-super-Mare; J. W. Hall, Esq. (Director, Basker and Elliott, Limited, Mineral Water Manufacturers), Glen Cottage, Cowbridge, Glamorganshire; James Radley, Esq. (of Edmunds and Radley), 66, Merchants' Exchange, Cardiff; and one other Director to be nominated by Super Aeration, Limited, London, after allotment.
BANKERS.—London City and Midland Bank (Limited), Bute Docks, Cardiff.
SOLICITORS—Shirley and Sons, High-street. Cardiff.
AUDITOR —To be appointed by the Shareholders at the Statutory Meeting.
SECRETARY and OFFICES (pro tem.)— Thomas Evans, 67, Penarth Road, Cardiff.
The Prospectus has been duly filed with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies.
Prospectuses and Forms of Application may be obtained from the Bankers and Solicltors, and at the Offices of the Company. Cardiff. Dated 22nd March. 1901."

Dubious affairs in Kent. From the Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette - Saturday 7 May 1904 page 8: "JUDGMENT FOR THE PLAINTIFFS, On Tuesday in the Canterbury County Court Judge Sir W. L. Selfe heard the action of Messrs. Court Bros. v. the Kent Super-Aeration, Limited. This was a remitted action and the claim was for £29 0s. 5d. for office furniture, etc., supplied to the defendant company.
Mr. S. G. N. Goodman, instructed by Mr. Percy Maylam, Canterbury, appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. H. Broughton, of Canterbury, represented the defendants. Mr. Goodman said the claim was for £29 0s. 5d. but there had been a slight mistake of 14s. so that the claim was really for £28 6s. 5d. The claim was in respect of goods sold and delivered to the Kent Super-Aeration, The goods consisted of office furniture sold to the Company, who used it. The defence would be that the plaintiffs did not sell to the Company but to a man named Mirams and that Mirams sold the furniture to the Company, but he would show most conclusively that Mirams was the Company and no other. Mirams took the whole of the shares and he was the Company. The facts were very short. About the beginning of October, 1903, Augustus Mirams, who was trading as the Kent Super Aeration Company at 13a, St. Peter’s Street, Canterbury, as manufacturers of aerated waters, went to the plaintiffs and asked them to supply some office furniture for the Company he was forming, Mr. Court agreed to supply it to the Company, not knowing whether the Company was in existence or not. He supplied the goods to the office of the Company in St. Peter’s Street. It never became the property of Mirams at all. About January, 1904, Mirams formed a company called the Kent Super-Aeration, Limited, with the object of taking a licence from a London firm with reference to inventions in connection with aerated waters. The company was really a bogus company. The consideration money was £2,000, and all the shares were taken by Mirams. The agreement, although adopted at a Board meeting, had never been registered at Somerset House. The number of shares was 2,000 and that was the whole capital of the company. Mirams took 2,000 and the other directors took none. He paid all.
Mr. Broughton.—Are you going to produce Mirams to prove that?
Mr. Goodman.—We get that from Somerset House. An allottee present said he never paid his pound. He believed Mr. Mirams promised pay for him and it bad been paid for him. Two directors were appointed, but neither of them paid anything and bad not taken out their qualifications. Mr. Mirams was managing director, and two of the directors were a Mr. Berrington and a Mr. Charlton. About the middle of January or in the last week in January Mirams went the plaintiffs and they asked him when the company would pay the bill that had been sent in and Mirams said there would be a Board meeting in the following week and the company would then pay it. Mirams ordered some fresh goods for the company after it came into existence.
Mr. Broughton said the whole of his defence would be whether the contract was existing at the date of sale. They had paid a certain amount into Court. The question was, was not Mirams the proper person to be sued? The company had been formed since the contract was entered into for the goods.
Mr. W. H. Court, carrying on business as an ironmonger and furniture dealer in Butchery Lane, Canterbury, stated that in October last Mirams came to see him. He said he was about to form a company to be called the Kent Super-Aeration, and wanted witness to supply him with several articles required for the office. He (witness) replied "Yes, I presume the company will pay?" and Mirams said "Yes."  The goods were supplied October, November, December, and January.
Thomas Smith, cashier, in employ of Mr. Court, stated that between January 26th and 29th he telephoned to Mirams to come and see him about a cheque for £3 10s. which had been dishonoured. That £3 10s. was, however, paid ultimately. When he came the shop to see witness Mirams said a Board meeting would be held the first week of February and he would give their account their attention and that it would be paid. The goods were sold to Mirams for the company, and Mirams, who was never given credit for goods, had previously had a separate account.
Cross-examined, witness said it was by virtue of the fact that he had a private account that Mirams obtained the goods in question.
Arthur Edward Hammond, living at 19, Guildford Road, an assistant at the plaintiffs’ shop, stated that Miraras said the furniture was for the company. Mirams afterwards asked him to be one of the signatories to the memorandum of the articles of association, and he agreed to be, but he bad not paid his pound.
Mr. Broughton said as he had explained the whole defence lay In the fact that Mirams qua Mirams bought the goods.
Sidney Clark Eastes, Secretary to the Company, stated that his salary was to be £132 a year.
His Honour.—l hope you get it. (Laughter.)
Witness said he was also a shareholder. He held 250 shares, for which he had paid £150 to Mirams. It was a condition of his appointment as Secretary that he should pav £150.
His Honour. —Do you come from Canterbury ?
Witness. —No, your Honour.
His Honour.—You were out of employment and accepted this office as secretary?
Witness.—Yes.
His Honour.—Poor chap!
Mr. Goodman addressed the Court at some length on the legal aspect of the case, and
His Honour then gave judgment for plaintiffs for the amount claimed and costs."

Bristol Super-Aeration Limited. From the Western Daily Press - Tuesday 25 June 1901 page 3: "BRISTOL DISTRICT SUPER-AERATION, LIMITED. SUPER-AERATED WATERS as supplied in Cylinders and with all the many advantages of the SUPER-AERATION PATENT DRAUGHT ARM, can be SEEN and TRIED at the GRAND HOTEL, BROAD STREET, BRISTOL, BETWEEN 10am & 5pm. They are ABSOLUTELY PURE, MORE SPARKLING, MORE EASILY ICED, MORE CONVENIENT TO STORE & DRAW Than any other Aerated Waters. The PROSPECTUS of the BRISTOL DISTRICT SUPER-AERATION LTD. is available from Messrs LAWRENCE, WILLIAMS, & WATTS, Sharon Court, Corn Street, Bristol; of their Bankers, Messrs PRESCOTT, DIMSDALE, CAVE, & Co., the Old Bank; or at the Company's Temporary Offices, 62, Queen Square, Bristol." n.b. The new share issue took place Saturday 22 June 1901. Company No: 70568.

From the  Western Daily Press - Thursday 19 December 1901 page 4:  "IMPORTANT TO LICENCE HOLDERS. INTOXICATING LIQUOR (SALE TO CHILDREN) ACT, 1901. All those interested therein should Call at SUPER AERATION, LIMITED, MINERAL WATER MANUFACTURERS, LEWIN'S MEAD, BRISTOL, and INSPECT THEIR SIMPLE APPARATUS FOR SEALING THE CORK OF THE BOTTLE, and thereby complying with the Act."

In June 1904 the company was advertising for a Salesman and Driver, and again in November that year—From the Western Daily Press - Thursday 10 November 1904 page 2: "WANTED. VAN MAN. Mineral Water Trade; one with experience preferred.—Apply Super Aeration Co.. Lewins Mead. In October that year they were also advertising for an experienced Bottler.

From the London Gazette - 12 January 1904 page 283: "In the Matter of the Companies Acts, 1862 to 1900; and in the Matter of BRISTOL DISTRICT SUPER-AERATION Limited. At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the above named Company, duly convened; and held at the registered offices of the Company, Lewin's Mead, in the city and county of Bristol, on Tuesday, the 29th day of December, 1903, the following Extraordinary Resolution was duly passed:—"That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the Company that it cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business, and that it is advisable to wind up the same, and that the same be wound up accordingly." And at the same Extraordinary General Meeting it was resolved that James Cozens, of Carlton-chambers, Baldwin-street, Bristol aforesaid, Chartered Accountant, be appointed Liquidator for the purpose of winding up the Company. HERBERT WAITE, Chairman."

Bristol Super-Aeration Co. still appear in the 1906 Kelly's directory as Mineral Water and Cordial Manufacturers at Lewin's Mead. They disappear after this date and Margrate, Sons, & Co appear. The former company was not officially struck off the Companies Register until 21 June 1907.

Herbert Waite was the managing director of Bristol Super Aeration Limited.

Numerous adverts for properties for sale appear in the papers in the 1902-1903 period by Herbert Waite at Super-Aeration. For example, from the Western Daily Press - Tuesday 29 April 1902 page 1: "FOR SALE—HOUSES. PROPERTIES, &c.— 9 PER CENT. CLEAR.—For SALE, SHOP, Kingsdown.—HERBERT WAITE, Super Aeration, Limited, Lewin's Mead, Bristol."

Towards the end of 1903, however, the location becomes nearer his own premises: from the Western Daily Press - Saturday 10 October 1903 page 3: "Large factory floor, 72 by 34, to let, also Standing Room for Motors—Super Aeration, Lewin's Mead (Christmas Steps End)."

Stoneware Ginger Beer Bottle Super1.jpg
Printed: BRISTOL / SUPER / AERATION  - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles (either side) BREWED / BEER - (under) KEEP BOTTLE LAID DOWN



Potter: ? Price Bristol, all white glaze.
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

10oz Codd's Bottle Super2.jpg
Embossed:  SUPER / AERATION- (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles




Glassworks: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

6oz Codd's Bottle Super3.jpg
Embossed: SUPER / AERATION - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles




Glassworks: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

6oz Mineral Bottle Super4.jpg
Embossed:  SUPER / AERATION (in oval).




Barrett's Patent Screw Stopper.
Glassworks: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

6oz Mineral Bottle Super5.jpg
Embossed:  LONDON SUPER AERATION LTD (in oval); (centre) SAL monogram



Glassworks: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

Margrate, Sons & Co., 112 Ashley Road, Bristol:

William Richard Margrate was born in 1878 in Montpelier, Bristol, baptised 12 Jan 1879 at St. Michael the Archangel on the mount without, Bristol, son of George Edwin Margrate, Licensed Victualler, and wife Sarah. He married Kate Florence White daughter of Station Master John White, at Bristol St. Barnabus on 8 October 1906. He was a mineral water manufacturer at 110 Ashley Rd. at the time of his marriage. In 1911 he was living with wife Kate and daughter Molly at 110 Ashley Road, Bristol. The factory was at 112. George, William's father, was victualler at the Swan, Stoke's Croft, in 1901.

It seems that George Edwin Margrate was the finance behind the business, and William Richard was the main son involved in the running of the Aerated Water manufactory. His brother George Frederick was also involved during the initial years up until at least 1911.

George Edwin Margrate was born in Bristol in 1849, baptised at St. Michael the Archangel on the Mount, 18 Nov. 1849, son of mariner William of Old Park and wife Sarah Bullock. He married his first wife Sarah Sheppard Cann in Exeter in 1877, Sarah was the mother of children Blanche Beatrice (b.1877), William Richard (b.1878), George Frederick (b.1880) and Louise Maud (b.1884). George's wife Sarah died in 1886 age 34 and George married again to Margaret (Maggie) Florence Parsley at Kingsdown St. Matthew, Bristol, on 8 November 1890. He had another son by Maggie, James Henry, b.1891 but he died in 1892. On 8 January 1879 George obtained the license for the Old England alehouse, Bath-buildings (headquarters of the Montpelier Quoit Club), from John Hughes. George relinquished this license to Ann Cann on 5 April 1882 and took on the Scotchman & His Pack, St. Michael's Hill, from John Llewellin, the same day. In 1884 he was elected Vice President of the Bristol Licensed Victualler's Association, the following year he was still trying to dispose of the lease of the Old England. George's first wife Sarah died at the Scotchman and his Pack on 10 June 1886, the Old England was then auctioned. In 1887 George was in occupation of the Crown and Anchor, 6 Hotwell Road and had a lease on the pub for 7 years. On 5 December 1894 he took the license of the Swan, Stokes Croft (with singing and music) from Thomas Forbutt. The Crown and Anchor wasn't transferred until 6 February 1895, when it went to George William Myers. The lease on the Swan Hotel was due to expire in 24 June 1909 and the property was auctioned on 27 May that year. George had kept the hotel until that date.

From around 1922 son George was licensee of the Jubilee Inn, Flax Bourton. In the 1911 census he is a mineral water manufacturer lodging with his sister Blanche and her husband Henry Walter Parsley at 67 Effinham Rd. St. Andrews, Bristol, and he is clearly part of the Margrate, Sons & Co. firm at this date. He married Maud Beatrice Erwin at Knowle Holy Nativity, Bristol, on 24 June 1913, and was a licensed victualler then.

George Edwin Margrate, the father, died at his home, 10 Sydenham Road, on 22 November 1910 age 61. He left over £4,300 in his estate.

At the Bristol Licensing session 16 April 1901, Wine Vaults, Small Street, were transferred from William R. Margrate to Charles Ellis.

Margrate's Super-Aerated Mineral Waters were being sold by W. Sussex, Oxford Stores, 126 Grosvenor Road, Bristol in 1913.

From the Western Daily Press - Friday 6 August 1915 page 2: "MINERAL WATERS.—WOMAN used to Filling Machines. Constant employment. Good wages. Apply Margrate, Ashley Road."

From the Western Daily Press - Tuesday 7 December 1915 page 5: "We have been informed of a local business transaction of much interest, particularly to licensees and other retailers of mineral waters in this city. The well-known mineral water business which has been carried on for some years past under the style of Messrs Margrate, Sons, and Co., has now been purchased by Messrs H. W. Carter and Co., Ltd., the very old-established company trading in this city at The Old Refinery, manufacturing chemists and makers of mineral waters, concentrated fruit syrups, and cordials. The agreement to purchase takes effect as from December 6, and covers the whole of the stock-in-trade of Messrs Margrate, Sons, and Co., comprising goodwill, plant, machinery, fixtures fittings, horses' vans, bottles, cases, and all utensils, &c. For the information of local licensees, other mineral water retailers, and the general public, it is intimated that all bottles, cases, boxes, &c. bearing the brand or name of Messrs Margrate, Sons, and Co. are now the property of Messrs H. W. Carter and Co.. Ltd., and should returned in the ordinary course of business to their address at The Old Refinery, Bristol."

6oz Flat Bottomed Hamilton or Skittle Bottle Margrates3.jpg
Embossed: (lengthwise) MARGRATES  - (Reverse) SUPER / BRISTOL



Glassworks: ? Crown cap.
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

3oz Flat Bottomed Hamilton or Skittle Bottle Margrates2.jpg
Embossed: MARGRATES / SUPER  - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles / BRISTOL



Glassworks: ? Crown cap.
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

Crown Cap Stoneware Ginger Beer Bottle Margrates1.jpg
Printed: BRISTOL / SUPER / MARGRATE'S  - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles (either side) TEL / 1340 - (under) KEEP BOTTLE LAID DOWN



Potter: ?  Dark Honey Glaze.
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

Stoneware Ginger Beer Bottle Margrates4.jpgMargrates7.jpg
Printed: BRISTOL / SUPER / MARGRATE'S  - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles (either side) BREWED / BEER - (under) KEEP BOTTLE LAID DOWN



Potter: ? Dark Honey Glaze.
Photo left courtesy Aled Rees; right courtesy Miles Griffin.

10oz Codd's Bottle Margrates6.jpg
Embossed: MARGRATE'S / SUPER - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles / BRISTOL



Glassworks: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

6oz Codd's Bottle Margrates5.jpg
Embossed: MARGRATE'S / SUPER - (centre) image of a woman stood on a globe with British Isles / BRISTOL



Potter: ?
Photo courtesy Aled Rees.

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