Brighton Bottles

Stoneware & Glass Mineral Water Bottles 1850 to 1950

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Clay Pipes

In 2000 I found over 200 clay pipes in the river Ouse at Lewes.

I took the to the museum and they kindly researched the makers names and dates

by the markings on the heals and I framed some of the least damaged examples

All were made in Sussex, many in Lewes and several in Brighton

John Goldsmith, Richmond Hill, Brighton 1826 to 1846

John Drape, 17 Market Street, Brighton 1832 to 1867

Harrington & Sons, Queens road, Brighton 1862 to 1867

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These with Masonic sybols are of particular interest to me as I am a Mason myself,

hailing from The Scout Lodge 9783 Buckfastliegh in the province of Devonshire.

Have just recieved the following email from a decendant of John Drake Pipe maker Brighton,

please get in touch if anyone has pipes from this maker to pass on to this lady.

The pipes are indentified by the intials 'J' or 'I' on one side of the heal and 'D' on the other.

Hi Steve,

Do you have a clay tobacco pipe by John Drape for sale?

He is an ancestor of mine (x4 great grandfather), who was christened in Beverley Minster in East Yorks, had a daughter in 1823 in Charlbury Oxford where he is described as "Servant", His wife died in Brighton in 1827, and he remarried in Brighton in 1831. His eldest daughter committed suicide in 1857, and he looked after her daughter until she married. Thanks to your interesting site I now know he was in production from 1832! previously I only knew his trade from the 1841 census. The family in East Yorkshire seemed to be quite comfortable - father a butcher, great grandfather a yeoman farmer, but no clay pipes that I have discovered.

Very best wishes, and thanks,

Chris Ramsdale