E. J. Sparshatt & Co.

Wine & Spirit Merchants & Mineral Water Manufacturers


John Sparshatt arrived in Bedminster, Bristol, late 1860 (in December 1860 he was robbed whilst travelling on a train from Salisbury to Bristol via Bath, for an appointment in Coronation Road). He had formerly been a partner with Richard Oakley Milledge in the firm of Milledge & Sparshatt, Maltsters and Common Brewers, of  Hilperton near Trowbridge, Wilts. This partnership had been dissolved on 1 Jan. 1853 and John carried on the business on his own account at the Hilperton Brewery. John had been born in Salisbury on 4 July 1821, son of John & Christian, linen drapers of Cheese Cross.

John Sparshatt married Olive, daughter of Mr. Pain of Borough, Mitcheldever, Hants. at Mitcheldever on 8 July 1852.

In November 1860 the Hilperton Brewery was sold by Mr. Sparshatt to Messrs. Runnacles Brothers, providing Bitter Ale, Porter and Strong Beer and Ales in casks of 9 gallons and above.

Ernest John Sparshatt was born at Hilperton in May 1853, baptised there on 26 May. His mother Olive died on 24 July 1855 after a long and painful illness after the birth of his sister Mary Christiana in December 1854. Anne Pain, Olive's next youngest sister moved in with John after the death of Olive. They had married at Neufchatel, Switzerland, on 9 October 1856.

In 1861 John and his family were living at 2, Nelson Street, Bedminster, and John was employed as a Superintendant Maltster. In August 1863 John was selling his Bristol Maltings business. By 1868 they had moved to Bermuda Lodge, Coronation Road. By 1871 John was a commercial traveller in the hop trade and had moved again to 16 Brighton Park, Clifton. Ernest, meanwhile, had become a commercial clerk in the wine trade. At the licensing session of Wednesday 25 June 1879, the license to sell beer, liquors, spirits and sweets at 2, Berkeley Place, Clifton, was transferred from Richard William Bellamy to Ernest John Sparshatt. On Wednesday 10 July 1889, the license was transferred from Ernest to Alexander Saxby Hurst. It seems Hurst traded as Sparshatt & Co. for a few years.

At the age of 37 Ernest married Agnes Louisa, daughter of Thomas Knight of Lansdown Road, Northcote, at St. Stephen, Lansdown, Bath, on 16 October 1890. Ernest was by now a merchant living at 50, Oakfield Road (his parent's address), Clifton. It seems this heralded a change of career for Ernest, as by 1891 he appear in the census as secretary to a public company of tanners. He moved to 18 Goldney Road, Clifton (1894-1897) and by 1901 he had move to Yatton with his family, remaining as secretary to the tannery. Ernest was actually a director of T. Ware & Sons Ltd. tanners of Cumberland Road, Bristol. (Clift House Tannery)

Ernest John Sparshatt of Brockley House, Yatton, company secretary, died 29 January 1915, leaving his estate to his widow Agnes. Agnes died at her brother's house in Pontypool at the end of 1936 aged 79. They had a daughter called Grace. Ernest, a regular rail commuter to Bristol, had been killed whilst trying to board a moving train at Yatton station, he lost his footing and fell between the train and platform.

2 Gallon Stoneware Flagon Sparshatt5.jpg
Impressed: E J SPARSHATT & Co / Wine & Spirit Merchants /  2 Berkeley Place / CLIFTON

2 tone glaze.
Potter: Not marked but style is Powell, Bristol.
Thanks go to Brian Leigh for this one.

Stone Ginger Beer Bottle Sparshatt1.jpg
Printed: SPARSHATT'S / CELEBRATED / BREWED / GINGER BEER / CLIFTON

White glaze.
Potter: Price, Bristol.
Image courtesy of Aled Rees.

10oz Codd's Bottle Sparshatt2.jpg
Embossed: SPARSHATT & Cos./ AERATED / WATERS / CLIFTON



Glassworks: Powell & Ricketts, Bristol.

10oz Codd's Bottle Sparshatt3.jpgSparshatt4.jpg
Embossed lengthwise: SPARSHATT & Co./ BERKELEY PLACE / CLIFTON BRISTOL

Reverse: THE / NIAGARA / BOTTLE

Glassworks: Barnett & Foster, makers, London. N. / RD. 65433

6oz Hamilton (Torpedo) Bottle Sparshatt6.jpg
Embossed (lengthwise): SPARSHATT & Cos./ AERATED WATERS / CLIFTON

Glassworks: ?
Image courtesy Aled Rees.


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