Mineral Water Manufacturers

[whiskey1]

Information on Read |||Mineral Water Manufacturers who were operating in the Birmingham area during the second part of the 19 century until the begi9nn ing of the 20th century, Believed to have been taken over by R.Whites Lemonade. Any information wouild be appreciated.

 

[llamafarmer]

i think my great great great grandfather charles smith was a soda water bottler if thats any good?

 

[mikejee]

Read & Sons, aerated water manufacturers seemed to appear between 1884 and 1888 at 198 Lichfield Road. They are not listed in the 1892 directories, but in 1895 they are at 43 Church road, Aston. They are still there in 1899-1904, but are also listed as at 14 Exchange buildings Stevenson Place (presumably church Road is the factory, and Exchange buildings the offices). In 1908 both sites have disappeared.
William Read was listed as living at 198 (his private address) from 1880-1890. A William Read had refreshment rooms at Burlington passage in 1880 (when William moved into Lichfield Road) and oyster rooms at Burlington Passage in 1883-1900. in 1895-9 this is also at 19A Smallbrook St . in 1904 there is only the Smallbrook St business. This has gone by 1908 , though there is a William Read with a restaurant at 35 Snow hill in that year. This may be a coincidence, but seems surprising that his business started when he moved into the Lichfield road address, and finished at the same time (approx) as the mineral water business.
In the 1881 census (Aston manor distr.46 p.9), William (31) is shown as a salesman to a corn miller, and coming from Haxey in Lincolnshire. His wife Mary Ann (30) is born in Brum. He has 4 sons , all 7 or under and a domestic servant
Mike

 

[Radiorails]

There was a Henry Kenway Ltd. in Moor Street, who is listed as a wholseale bottler and mineral water manufacturer.

 

[norfolk brummie]

There was a Henry Kenway Ltd. in Moor Street, who is listed as a wholseale bottler and mineral water manufacturer.

I have just found this lovely photograph in one of Alton Douglas' excellent books of old Birmingham (Highly recommend them).

In a previous posting, on one of the Moor Street threads, I wrote about this building, Henry Kenway Ltd., which was located at the other end of Moor Street, towards Dale End, and on the city centre side of Moor Street.

They had a small retail shop, where the man is standing on the steps. Just inside the door, on the left hand side, was the counter, and some afternoons, in the fifties, I would call in here for a bottle of mineral water, or Vimto. There was always a beautiful, young, blonde lady, that would serve me. I would then leave the shop, walking up the side street, just seen on the right of the photograph, to cross over Dale End, and into the rear entrance of the old Grand Casino Ballroom, for the afternoon dance session.

All long since disappeared

Eddie.