Potter: Unmarked
Charles Reed was a Wine and Brandy Merchant at wine vaults at 4 Nicholas Street from at least 1816, when he married Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Mr. Sadler, a confectioner from Oxford. Charles was born around 1776 in Exeter, Devon. He was baptised at Bow Now Mint or George's Meeting House, Exeter, on 18 Feb. 1776, son of Presbyterian parents John and Sarah Reed. Charles' first wife was Ann Arnold, whom he married on 21 Oct. 1801 at St. Nicholas. Charles and Ann had daughters Dorothy Ann and Ellen, and son Charles Robert, all baptised at St. Nicholas on 19 July 1809. He was at 4 Nicholas Street until at least 1827. Charles and Elizabeth, his second wife, had children Elizabeth Sadler Reed (9 Feb. 1817); Thomas Sadler Reed (22 Mar. 1818); Henry Pearce Reed (4 Sept. 1824) and William Philip Reed (Bapt. 2 Oct. 1836). In 1825 it seems he was living in Charlotte Street, Queen Square. On 14 Jan. 1836 Charles Reed entered partnership at Little King Street with Opie Staite, trading as Reed & Staite. Partnership was dissolved Feb. 1838. In 1841 Charles was a Wine Merchant along with son Thomas age 22, also a Wine Merchant, living at 7 Queen Square. By 1851 Charles Reed senior was retired and living at Westbourne Place, Clifton, with wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth died at Clifton on 6 Jan. 1857. Charles Robert Reed, the son, married Lucy W. Bull, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Bull of Ashley place at St. Paul's, Bristol on 3 May 1834. In June 1851 Mr. Thomas Reed, wine-merchant, formerly in business at Bath, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court, on Wednesday 18th, of having uttered a forged bill of exchange with intent to defraud Samuel Hulme Day, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and hard labour.
Opie Staite was born on 21 Feb. 1802 in the Castle Precincts, Bristol, son of non-conformist parents John and Hester. He married Hannah Jane Field at Minehead, 20 Nov. 1828 at which time he was a brewer in St. Paul's, Bristol likely at his father John's brewery at 76 Stoke's Croft. He was also a Lace and Fancy Goods Warehouseman at Wood Street, Cheapside, London, where he was bankrupt by 16 March 1841. Opie later was in partnership with Castles & Co. (Robert Castle, Michael Castle, Charles Castle & William Theakston) at their outlet in Lower Thames Street, London, dissolved 16 Feb. 1858. He died on 2 June 1862 in Carlton, near Melbourne, Australia. The partnership with Reed was very short, the 1837 poll books record Opie as an ironmonger living at Belle Vue, Clifton. Opie's widow Hannah died at her residence, 1, Bishop Street, Portland Square, on 7 Aug, 1865 aged 70. His son, Opie Staite junior was tried for forgery at the Old Bailey, aged 19, on 12 May 1851. After respite he was sentenced to 9 months confinement. On 19 Sep 1851, however, he arrived Philadelphia, on board the Packet Ship "Tonawanda" from Liverpool.
In 1846 Charles Reed and Sons opened a branch of the Wine and Spirit business in Derby.
From the Derby Mercury - Wednesday 28 October 1846 page 2:
WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS. JOSEPH WALKER
begs leave to annouonce to the Nobility, Gentry, his Friends, and the
Inhabitants of Derby and the Ncighbourhood, that Messrs. CHARLES REED and
SONS, of` BRISTOL, have OPENED a WINE and SPIRlT ESTABLISHMENT in this
Town, of which he has been appointed the Manager.
From the knowledge he possesses of their extensive resources, and of their
experience as direct importers of nearly forty years' standing, he
presumes to express a hope that they can present advantages which may
secure to them a share of their confidence and support.
J. W. requests the favour of an inspection of their present quotations,
embracing the highest denomination of' quality of Wines and Spirits, to
which he solicits their obliging attention, assuring them that any orders
with which they may be pleased to entrust them will be faithfully
executed.
Office and Wine Vaults, 7½, Corn Market, Derby.
PORTS-Old Crusted - per
doz. 42s, 45s.
Very old, in bottle
- -
- 48, 50.
Choice 1830 Vintage- - -
54.
- I825
-
- - -
60.
- 1820 -
-
- - 72.
Finest qualities, pints -
- 24, 26.
CLARETS-Good Dinner Wines 38, 42.
Fine Wines-
48, 54.
Choice qualities-
65, 72.
CHAMPAGNES of very fine quality,
and strongly recommended-
54, 60.
First qualities-
72, 84.
In pints-
30, 36.
SHERRIES-Gold Color -
32, 34.
Amber Color
-
36, 38.
EXCELLENT DINNIER WINES
Pale Amber and Gold Color - 42, 45.
FINE AND PURE WINES
Pale and
Golden-
48, 54.
CHOICE, DELICATE WINES
East India (Acramans' shipping) - 60.
MADEIRA, E.I.-Finest quality - 54, 60.
MARSALA or BRONTE
-
28, 30.
RUCELLAS
-
36, 38.
HOCK
72 to 84.
MOSELLE-
56.
SAUTERNE
-
48, 54.
OLD COGNAC BRANDY per gal. 24, 29.
CHAMPAGNE PALE do., 14 years old,
per doz. 56.
or per gal. 28.
OLD JAMAICA RUM-
16, 17.
BEST IRISH WHIISKEY -
16.
BEST LONDON GIN -
13.
PRIME CORDIAL GIN - per
doz. 28.
or per gal. 14.
" MILK
PUNCH - per
doz. 38
" LL and PEAT
WHISKEY - 21, 22.
___________________________
Thomas Sadler Reed, son of Charles and Elizabeth, was born in Wellington Place, St. James, Bristol on 22 May 1818, son of Charles and Elizabeth, baptised at Castle Green Congregational Chapel on 25 Oct. 1818. Thomas married Ellen Hanson, registered in West Ham, Essex, in 1844.
Charles James Sadler was born in All Saints, Oxford in 1817, son of Charles James Sadler, Senior Alderman of Oxford and Jane Neadle of Piccadilly. He married Elizabeth Sadler Reed (b. 9 Feb.1817) on 29 July 1840 at St. Nicholas, Bristol. Elizabeth Sadler Reed was the daughter of Charles Reed and Elizabeth Sadler. Unfortunately Charles James appeared in Perry's Bankrupt Gazette - Saturday 23 June 1838 as an assignment. He and Elizabeth were listed in the 1841 census as confectioner in St. Mary, Oxford.
The partnership between Charles Reed, Thomas Sadler Reed, and Charles James Sadler the younger was dissolved around 21 April 1849 as announced in the Globe of that date. This presumably was when Charles Reed retired leaving his son and Sadler to run the business on their own. It also seems that by this time Thomas Sadler Reed had moved to Ashbourn Road, St. Werburgh, Derby, where he had become a silk manufacturer, leaving Charles J. Sadler to run the Wine Merchant business on his own. Thomas was bankrupt in the silk business by 1860.
From the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday 17 July 1856 p.4:"Failure in the Wine Trade.—The suspension of payment by Messrs. Reed and Sadler, importers of wines and spirits, of Bristol, was announced Thursday. A meeting of creditors been called for the 17th inst., at the offices of Messrs. Barnard, Thomas, and Co., public accountants. The liabilities are mentioned being about £18,000. There is also a deficiency of rather more than £1600 on account of property and income-tax, of which Mr. Sadler was collector for the parish of St. Nicholas, and for which amount extent is about to be levied at the suit of the Crown." The company of Reed & Sadler employed one John Taylor Fellows, who in August 1880 was being sought by a Birmingham solicitor who had some news to his advantage.
By 1865 Thomas Sadler Reed was a Wine and Spirit Merchant once more, this time at 26 Bush Lane, London E. C., by 1876 he had emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia, where he died in 1914.
| 2 Gallon Brownware Flagon | |
| Impressed: Reed / Nicholas
Street / Bristol Potter: Unmarked |
| 2 Gallon Brownware Flagon |  |
| Impressed: Reed / Bristol Potter: Unmarked Image courtesy Aled Rees. |
| 2 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Impressed: 2 / REED &
SONS / BRISTOL Potter: Unmarked |
| 2 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |  |
| Impressed: 2 (on lip) / REED
& SON / BRISTOL Potter: Unmarked |
| 4 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Impressed: 4 / Reed &
Sadler / Bristol Potter: Price & Sons / Stoneware / Bristol (In diamond mark) |
Francis James Ball was born in Bristol in 1830, son of maltster James Tayler Ball, and wife Amelia. He was a Wine and Spirit Merchant, and Sole Agent for Bristol for Lochnagar Scotch Whiskey, at 28 North Street, Stoke's Croft, Bristol, from around 1851 (whilst living at home with parents at 23 Portland Square) until September 1856. Francis married Jennetta Ellen Quinton at St. James, Bristol, on 27 Oct. 1853. He announced his removal in the last page of the Bristol Mercury - Saturday 13 September 1856, as being from the 12th. He moved to Little King Street, off Queen Square, formerly the premises of Reed & Sadler, adjoining the Mansion House. Francis's son, Herbert Francis Ball, born 1861, baptised at St. Paul's, Clifton on 21 Feb 1861, entered his father's trade. In the 1871 census, Francis, Jennetta, and the younger members of the family were at a boarding house in Wycliff, Weston Super-Mare but in 1872 they were still living at 7 Kingsdown Parade where they had been for some time.
Francis J. Ball died on 13 November 1878 at his residence, 18 Redland Grove, after a few days illness. He was only 49.
In 1881 Jennetta Ball lived at Kingsmead Villa,, Chandos Road, Westbury upon Trym, with family including Wine Merchant son Herbert Francis. Herbert married Edith Watts, daughter of John Watts of Gatcombe Farm, Long Ashton, at All Saints, Long Ashton, on 5 Jan 1892.The bride's bouquets were gifts from Lady Smyth.
Herbert Francis Ball continued in his father's firm of Ball and Skeates until at least 1889, he then has a premises on his own at 43 Baldwin Street,which he disposed of in 1899 due to ill health.
Herbert Ball's Wine & Spirit Merchants continued at 26 Nicholas Street until his death.
Herbert Francis Ball died on 6 July 1902 at his home of 8 Ashgrove Road, Redland, aged 41. The funeral took place at Long Ashton Church on Weds. 9th July. In 1918, Leut. R. H. Ball, only surviving son of Herbert, was awarded the Military Cross. Herbert's widow Edith died on 4 June 1933 at Weymouth.
Henry Barnett Skeates was born in 1837 in Bristol, baptised on 27 March 1837 at Christ Church, Bristol, son of accountant Robert Skeates and Esther Bayliss. In 1861 he was an accountant, living with his widowed mother at Emerald Place, St. Philip's. He married Fanny Stanton, at Clifton St. John the Evangelist, on 23 June 1866. They had 2 daughters, Fanny Kate Stanton Skeates (b. 16 Apr. 1867), and Elizabeth Lucy Skeates (bapt. 19 Aug. 1868 at St. John, Clifton), and a son Henry Colston Skeates (bapt. 13 Dec. 1871 at St. John, Clifton). The family were living at Landour Villa, Hampton Road, Westbury upon Trym in 1871.
Ball & Skeates. Henry B. Skeates likely went into partnership with Francis J. Ball in Little King Street in early 1865. They were advertising in the Western Daily Press, Tuesday 18 April 1865, for "Any Quantity of Old Black Patent PINT BOTTLES PURCHASED by Ball & Skeates, Wine Merchants, Little King Street, Queen Square." They were clearly setting up their bottled trade at this date and there was a shortage of bottles. Ball and Skeates also rented cellars under part of the Almshouses on the corner of King Street and Back Street with an entrance from King Street. After the death of F. J. Ball, son Herbert F. Ball continued in the business, along with another man, Mr. C. Momber by 1882, and a Mr. G. Bond by 1884. Imports for Ball and Skeates cease in 1887. H. B. Skeates begins imports on his own account in February that year and the partnership had ceased.
After the death of Henry B. Skeates at his home, Kilrie House, Apsley Road, Clifton on 1 October 1901, his son Henry Colston Skeates continued on in the business, still trading under his father's name. Henry Colston Skeates was petitioned for divorce by his wife Minnie Adelaide Jennie Skeates née Denty, in 1907 (final decree 24 Feb. 1908). His own death occurred at 1 St. Paul's Road, Weston Super Mare on 2 Aug. 1919. The company continued, however, as H. B. Skeates & Co. in Little King Street until at least 1928.
| 2 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Impressed:
2 / A638 / BALL & SKEATES / Wine & Spirit Merchants /
BRISTOL Potter: Price + Bristol, round 2 tone glaze. |
| 4 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Impressed:
A756 / BALL & SKEATES / Wine & Spirit Merchants /
BRISTOL 4 impressed on shoulder opposite potter's mark. Potter: Price + Bristol, round 2 tone glaze. |
| 3 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Impressed:
3 / H B SKEATES / Little King Street / BRISTOL Potter: J. G. Hawley / Bristol. |
| 2 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |   |
| Printed: H.
B.SKEATES & CO. / WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS / LITTLE KING
STREET / BRISTOL 649 on shoulder. Potter: Price / Bristol, round top straight sided 2 tone glaze. |