Brighton Bottles

Stoneware & Glass Mineral Water Bottles 1850 to 1950

Early Minerals

Dear Sir/Madam

I have recently undertaken a rather comprehensive study of my family history. One family line, viz. my father’s, is focused on the Brighton Hove area of East Sussex over the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Notably, my great- great- grand father John Dowling , and later his son, Henry Dowling set up and ran the Gloucester Brewery at 100-121 Gloucester Road Brighton during the latter half of the 18 hundreds. I have been able to find this information in early census data. I also know that the family lived at 122 Gloucester road, I guess opposite the Brewery. I was thrilled to find a photo of one of John Dowling’s Binger Beer Bottles on your website and I am now vitally interested in finding out if I can obtain a similar antique for a family heirloom. I have contacted you to ask if you may know where I may be able to find a source or antique bottle seller where I could purchase a Gloucester Brewery bottle. My Dad is still alive aged 84, and clearly remembers when he was a boy being told of the brewing history in his family. I would appreciate any help you can provide. Thanking you in anticipation,

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Dowling

Fresh from the now famous Brighton dump

J.Dowling/5&6 Gloster Square/Brighton

***note the spelling***

It should say 'GLOUCESTER' and look at 'SQUARE'

there wasn't room for the capital 'E' at the end

so a tiny 'e' has been added above the 'R'

...A second variation has been found with the address;

127 Gloster Lane Brighton

Rolled lip bottles

George James

1 Regent St. 1856 to 1884

and

104 Church St. from 1865

chisel lip

Amber 'Chisel' lip c1880

Hamilton bottles

Codd bottles

Harris & Co. Brighton

(Harry Tutt Harris, originally Piedot & Harris)

77a later 84/85 Lewes Road Brighton

1873 to 1935

Ice blue 10oz Codd Bottle

(stylised Dolphin pictorial trade mark)

This was found in the River Ouse at Lewes,(see 'DIGGING' page)

Its distinctive colour makes this rather unusual and

it was featured in BBR magazine.

This shade of blue makes it rather special

This is the normal 'Aqua' glass.

This type of bottle is known as a 'Bulb necked Codd'

GOYNE STEVENS

Hooper's

Frederick Struve, a research chemist from Saxony, had invented a machine

that reproduced the characteristics of natural mineral water using chemicals.

He believed there was enough trade in Brighton to set up an establishment

and in 1825 Struve opened the pump room of his 'German Spa'.

In 1891 another soft drinks firm merged with Struve and called themselves

Hooper Struve Ltd.

They very successfully continued to manufacture

drinks still using the 150 foot well sunk by Struve.

Seltzers

Peidot & Harris - Sussex Drug Co.

Ridge & Sons

98 Queens Road Brighton

1874 to 1887

Henry Shilling & Co.

1843 to 1909

Early Dr. Struve's Seltzer from

The Royal German Spa Brighton

the following advert from a Brighton Guide book c1885

shows an amazing assortment of drinks available from

Struve & Co.

Bullet stoppers, Patents etc.

Riastrick & Co. Brighton

(Samuel Raistrick)

158 Eastern Road Brighton

1872 to 1891

(bottle crate pictorial trade mark)

made by and embossed to the rear

Chapman & Son Birkenhead

Patent Ball Stopper

(the 'ball' is ceramic)

RAISTRICK'S

MINERAL WATERS

BRIGHTON

'STICK' stopper

M.ELLIS

(with Pigeon pictorial)

..note the stopper is glass; does anyone know the Patent?

(I only have this photo so can't look on the rear of the bottle!)

ROSE & Co.

I think a 'Premier' patent?

(...again I only have this photo and cannot check.)

Shelvey & Ducone's Patent

A patent mineral water bottle, used by

SHELVEY & Co Ltd BRIGHTON EASTBOURNE & WORTHING.

The above wording is embossed around the bottom

and above that is embossed

'T S SHELVEY & DUCONE BOTTLE Rd No 350199'

issued in 1899. 9" tall, it has an internal screw with a heavily tapered flange.

Codd/Hamilton 'Hybrid'

Glass Ginger beers

Ellis & Beal

A common bottle in Aqua blue but unusual in green,

a nice early glass example full of bubbles.

Ellis Beal & Co.

(spelling mistake? Beal?Beale?

(there is a stoneware printed bottle with Beale!)

Roy: Hi, thank you for this excellent site - I have collected a few old bottles over the years - but your site is of particular interest. You show bottles from the Brighton mineral water company Ellis and Beale - this was founded by Charles Ellis and George Beal. Charles Ellis was my G.G. Grandfather. A few years ago you could still see the remains of their sign above their premises in Cheltenham Place (was a garage workshop when I went to look). Any one with bottles from this co. for sale?

Cheltenham Place Brighton

The only glass 'ginger beer' shaped bottle

from a Sussex company.

This bottle states 'Established 1862'

but Derek Askey's book 'Sussex Bottle Collectors Guide'

lists this company as 1869 to 1914

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