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, 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.
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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 the
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. This tenure was brief, as was his successors, the Andrews Brothers (Cecil & Herbert John), botanical brewers of 95, Chaplin Road, Easton, and of Avonmouth. Their enterprise was liquidated in 1904.
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. The following year he leased 4 houses in the same road. In the 1901 census Edwin and Charles are listed as a Mineral Water Manufacturers living at 34 North Road, St. Andrew's, Bristol, Edwin was still here in 1911 and was still working for the company, Charles was living at No. 38. Charles married Alice Batten in 1904. Alice's father Valentine was a grocer and sub-postmaster in Clifton.
Charles' father Edwin died on 10 July 1919 at his home at 152 Bryndland Avenue, Bishopston, and Charles took over the running of the business, but by 1931 he was having difficulties because of expenses incurred for alterations. In 1933 his bank refused his overdraft. A relative stepped in to take over administration of the company but by October 1936 Charles was bankrupt. The premises and stock in trade, machinery etc., were sold under distraint for rent against Charles issued by W. E. Batten. In 1936 Charles was living at 58 Cleeve Hill, Downend. In 1939, after Charles' bankruptcy, he was living at 12 New Street, Clevedon, Somerset, where he is still listed as a hand in a mineral water factory. He is a widower at this point, Alice's death having been registered in Weston-super-Mare the previous year, aged 61. I think the W. E. Batten to whom Charles owed rent was Alice's older brother Walter.
The company name was saved by the incorporation of a limited company in 1936. They traded until 1959 when they were absorbed as a branch of George's Bristol Brewery.
| 2 Gallon Stoneware Tap Jar Flagon |   |
| Printed
on tap side: WIGMORE & SON / MINERAL WATER WORKS / BRISTOL
On reverse: This Jar is the property of / WIGMORE & SON Potter: Unmarked but likely Bristol manufacture. Internal screw stoneware stopper. |
| Half Pint Beer Bottle |  |
| Embossed
(in circle): E. WIGMORE & CO. / BRISTOL. This is likely for Hop Bitters. Glassworks: P. & R. B. IMPL on base (Powell & Ricketts, Bristol, Imperial). |
| Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle belt motif): THE BREWERY, BEAUMONT ST.,
BRISTOL. WIGMORE & CO'S / BREWED / GINGER BEER (in centre). ANY PERSON DAMAGING OR ILLEGALLY USING / THIS BOTTLE WILL BE PROSECUTED (below) Internal screw stopper. White glaze. Pottery: H. Kennedy, 1, Glasgow. |
| Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle): WIGMORE & SON, ST. WERBURGH'S / *BRISTOL*. BREWED / GINGER BEER / STONE (in centre). ANY PERSON DAMAGING OR ILLEGALLY USING / THIS BOTTLE WILL BE PROSECUTED (below) Internal screw stopper. White glaze. Pottery: H. Kennedy Patent Glasgow. |
| Large size Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle): WIGMORE & SON, ST. WERBURGH'S / *BRISTOL*. BREWED / GINGER BEER / STONE (in centre). ANY PERSON DAMAGING OR ILLEGALLY USING / THIS BOTTLE WILL BE PROSECUTED (below) Champagne shape, Internal screw stopper. White glaze. Potter: ? Image courtesy Miles Griffin. |
| Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle): WIGMORE & SON, ST. WERBURGH'S / *BRISTOL*.
BREWED / GINGER BEER / STONE (in centre). Internal screw stopper. Honey glaze. Pottery: not marked. |
| Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle): WIGMORE & SON, ST. WERBURGH'S / *BRISTOL*.
BREWED / GINGER BEER / STONE (in centre). Internal screw stopper. Brown glaze. Pottery: Price, Powell & Co, Bristol. |
| Stone Ginger Beer Bottle |  |
| Printed
(in circle): WIGMORE & SON, ST. WERBURGH'S / *BRISTOL*.
BREWED / GINGER BEER / STONE (in centre). Internal screw stopper. White glaze. Pottery: not marked. |
| 10oz Codd's Bottle |  |
| Embossed:
WIGMORE / & SON/ BRISTOL. Glassworks: J. L. & Co. C. 1702 (John Lumb & Co. Castleford) also W on base. |
| 10oz Codd's Bottle |  |
| Embossed:
WIGMORE / & SON/ BRISTOL & BATH. Glassworks: Redfearn Bros. Makers Barnsley. |
| 10oz Codd's Bottle |  |
| Embossed:
WIGMORE / & SON/ BRISTOL & BATH. Glassworks: Bagley & Co. Ld. Makers, Knottingley (2091 / W on base) |
| Pint Mineral/Beer Bottles |  |
| Embossed
lengthwise: WIGMORE / & SON / BRISTOL. In dark green and aqua glass. Internal screw stopper. Maker: Powell, Bristol (green). C. B. & Co. N. (aqua) (Charles Borron & Co., Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside.) |
| Pint Mineral/Beer Bottle. |
  |
| Embossed
lengthwise: WIGMORE / & SON / BRISTOL / & BATH. In aqua glass. Internal screw stopper. Maker: Powell, Bristol. |
| Small Crown Cap Mixer Bottle. |
 |
| Embossed
lengthwise: WIGMORE / BRISTOL. In aqua glass. Maker: J. L. & Co. Ld. 2950 (Lumb, Castleford). |
| Small Crown Cap Mixer Bottle. |
 |
| Embossed
around base: WIGMORE & CO (BRISTOL). LTD. Paper label advertising sparkling "VIMTO" from Cantrell & Cochrane (Southern) Ltd. Cantrell & Cochrane may have bought crates and bottles from Wigmore at the firm's closure as their items sometimes turn up together. In clear glass. Maker: "H" and numbers on base. |