James Watney
1800-1884
Born: Wandsworth, London, England
Died: Hailing Park, Croyden, Surrey
There were 9 children all together. All five daughters remained unmarried. Frederick died young.
<p>• Was set up by his Father as baker and mealman at Wandsworth. Took Garratt Mill on the river Wandle after his marriage and equipped it with steam power. Notes on Daniel Watney (1771-1831) (Dallett 7) 1813 - PCC Will of Richard Sparkes, if Wonersh, Surrey, dated 18 Dec. 1813 leaves to children "my farm, etc. lying in the parish of Mitcham, Co. Surrey, late estate of my relation Mrs. Batts & now in occupation of Daniel Watney." 1814 - 10 Feb, 1814 when his father John Watney of Wimbledon wrote his will, he described his son as "Daniel Watney of Mitcham in the County of Surrey Miller." 1816 - 17 June, when his son John was admitted a scholar at St. Paul's School, the father was given as "Daniel Watney, miller, Mitcham."(Scholars of St. Paul's School, p.255). 1817-18 - Daniel Watney served as Surveyor-Accountant of St. Paul's School (Ibid., p. 396) 1801 - Daniel Watney's seven year old son John Watney died as a result of being hit by an ebony ruler thrown at him by his schoolmaster. Daniel, however, continued to send his children to the same school. (Reminiscence contributed by Sir Frank Watney to F.J.D. Name of school unknown, probably in Mitcham). 1826 - 17 May, Indenture, from Thomas Bush, seed crusher of Garrett Mills, Surrey, to Daniel Watney, mealman, of Wandsworth, lease of Lome Pitt Mill, with all machinery, dwelling house and garden for 21 years at rental of ¹800 per annum. Plan of property & schedule of machinery attached. (Surrey Deeds, Vol. III, No. 522, at Minet Library, Camberwell.) 1826 - Surrey Election 1826. A List of Freeholders (Dorking: 1826) shows: Daniel Watney, Abode Wandsworth, Freehold in Wandsworth, a Mill. Occupied by himself. James Watney, Abode Wandsworth, Freehold in same House and Lands, occupied by Gooding and others. 1831 - 10 June, Daniel Watney died at his house in "Clapham-road, Wandsworth" (obituary in Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 101, part I, p.571. This was the first notice of Watneys to appear in this magazine) (But see below - DMW) Notice in The Times 11th June 1831: "On the 10th inst at the house of his son in Garratt Lane Wandsworth, Daniel Watney Esqr of the Clapham Road after a short but severe illness in the 61st year of his age. Deeply regretted." Will of 1-Feb-1830 proved 29-Jun-1831 refers to property in Mitcham, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Croydon, Battersea and Tooting, it also mentions the Manor of Ravensbourne he purchased of Joseph Lenning (Dallett 7.4). It refers also to the Mercers' plate left to his father. Estate totalled more than ¹50,000. MI in Wimbledon Churchyard transcribed by Frank Watney: "Mary wife of Daniel Watney died 10th March 1830 in the 59th year of her age. Daniel husband of the above died 10th June 1831 in his 60th year". There is a Vicar General's Marriage Allegation for 22-Jun-1792 in the SoG index. Master Mercer 1816. Of Galpins, Mitcham. Also of Pontyberren, Camarthen. Lay Rector of Mitcham Surrey. MI. Will dated 1-Feb-1830, proved 29-Jun-1830. "of Wimbledon" at the time of his marriage. Closely associated with rebuilding Mitcham Church with Henry Hoare. Godfathers Mr Watney senr and Mr Rose. Godmothers Mrs Paterson and Mrs Mason. Buried altar tomb, Wimbledon. Followed father as miller and became malt-factor and brewer at Pimlico. 1/4 share in Stag Brewery 1837. On death estate valued at >¹1.0m. Had an excellent cellar. From The Victoria County History of England, Middlesex vol.II, p.177 J. Lettsom Elliot "took into partnership Mr. James Watney, of Wandsworth, in 1837, and himself retired in 1856 in favour of Mr. Watney's two sons, James and Norman. From this time the firm consisted solely of members of the Watney family until the year 1884, when Mr. James Watney, the head of the firm, died, and the business was turned into a private limited company." (Dallett 7.2) Extracts from The Red Barrel - a History of Watney Mann - by Hurford James Published 1963 by John Murray p.97 seq. "James Watney was still in partnership with his elder brother, Daniel, at the Wandsworth Mills. Their father, the lay rector of Mitcham, had died in I83I leaving the manor and farms of over 120 acres to Daniel, two freehold mills, some land at Wimbledon, his interests in the Wandsworth, Croydon and Merstham Railway, ¹1000 East India Stock and a baker's shop at Tooting to James, and a manor and cottages to his youngest son, John. In 1836, just before he joined John Lettsom Elliot, James Watney was just as old as the century. He had been married for seven years to his wife, Rebecca, daughter of a hop merchant, James Spurrell. Two sons, James and Norman, were born in 1832 and 1834 and two more, one of whom died in infancy, would be born within the next few years. All three sons were to join their father at the Stag Brewery for varying periods. John Lettsom Elliot had many interests outside the brewery, particularly local government and parish affairs. He was an accomplished raconteur, he could talk on almost any subject. Had he not been a page to one Queen and held another in his arms when she was vaccinated ? He had walked across the Thames when it was frozen in the hard winter of 1814. The news of Napoleon's final defeat the following year was still vivid in his mind in his late nineties. He was a regular occupant of the galleries at the Houses of Parliament from the time of Canning. His father, conscious of the moral debt he owed his banker uncles, had faithfully carried out his trust. Their money had been well invested. The son, three years after John Elliot's death, stabilized the financial position. James Spurrell was anxious to support his son-in-law, James Watney, in a new undertaking, a view shared by Daniel Watney, his elder brother who had married into the brewing and malting family of Langton of Wandsworth. Here were the perfect ingredients for a family business apart from milling, hitherto Daniel and James Watney's main occupation. In January, 1837, James Watney took a quarter share in the Stag Brewery in partnership with John Lettsom Elliot and Charles Lambert for a term of fourteen or twenty-one years as the parties might agree. Under the terms of the agreement each partner was at liberty to nominate another or a successor which shortly brought James Spurrell into the business. After all, he had hops to sell. In October, Charles Lambert died and was succeeded by his son, George, who does not appear to have taken much part in brewery affairs, retiring six years later in favour of Daniel Watney. Henry Elliot, the senior partner's younger brother, remained associated with the brewery but not in partnership. When the Watney family first joined the brewery, the Pimlico property was described as the 'Home Premises', comprising the main buildings, including the brewhouse, lobbies, three counting houses and other departments. Adjoining the main building was Pimlico Lodge 'a capital family residence of handsome appearance with two wings and a colonnade'. French windows opened from the drawing-room on to a spacious lawn and rose beds. A 'pleasure ground' contained a conservatory 50 feet long. There were two entrances to the brewery, the chief one leading from Brewer Street, now Allington Street, and the other from Castle Lane. Pimlico Lodge was near this, the more private entrance, and by the gates was an old house occupied by the cashier and his family. Adjoining it was an equally ancient building reputed to be haunted, lately the home of Richard Heber man of letters and brother of Bishop Heber, the celebrated hymnist. In this house, Richard Heber, who doubtless owed his accommodation to a friendship with John Elliot, amassed a library of some 147,000 classical works. An exhortation of Sir Walter Scott addressed to Richard Heber one Christmastide might well have been directed to another of James Watney's predecessors, Edward Burnaby Greene. 'Cease then, my friend! a moment cease, and leave these classic tomes in peace.' Both these houses had large gardens abutting on to the brewery Premises. On the right of the Brewer Street entrance was the house of Mr. Dingle, the Brewer, and beyond were stables for twenty horses, surmounted by a clock tower, cupola and belfry. Also in the precincts were two more private houses occupied by Henry Elliot and the Lambert family. John Lettsom Elliot and his family lived in Pimlico Lodge. An inventory of this date also lists piggeries, fowlhouses, cowhouse, pheasantry, drying ground and melon and cucumber grounds in the rear of the farmyard. For the first few years of the new partnership, James Watney continued to live in his house in Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, near the mills, travelling backwards and forwards each day by carriage. Apart from the Mercers' Company, of which he became Master in 1843 (no, 1846 - DMW), he had few interests outside business. With the mills and his part in the brewery he had his hands full. His wife, however, was fanatically religious and so far as she could reconcile this with a background of hopfields and a foreground of barrels favoured the teetotal movement. This seemed to be gaining ground. James Watney whose leisure hours were spent in this odour of sanctity was in this respect an indulgent man. While creating and conserving an excellent cellar with rare vintage ports and old brandies, he was not averse to putting his hands in his pocket and contributing several thousands of pounds towards building a new church just as his father had done at Mitcham. But at the same time he would walk long distances in the rain to save an omnibus fare. Unlike their maiden sisters, his sons were not imbued with over-religious scruples. Their father's sons, they took a middle course between this world and the next. (This remark is not true of Herbert who became a teetotaller and a very strict, religious man, see notes about him - DMW) From the death of the first Elliot in 1829, the style of the firm at the Stag Brewery was J. E. Elliot & Co., and thus it remained or the next twenty years until there was an adjustment to increasing Watney interests, to Elliot, Watney & Co. The Stag Brewery during these years maintained the ninth place among the twelve leading brewers. Meanwhile, John Lettsom Elliot was taking less and less part in the management. In 1842 James Spurrell retired from the partnership in consideration of the sum of ¹50,259, of which ¹30,000 was left on mortgage. George Lambert had withdrawn and this left James Watney in sole control backed by his brother, Daniel, who now had ¹160,000 invested. p 116 seq. At the Stag Brewery, the Watney family would soon assume sole control. John Lettsom Elliot had expressed a wish to retire from the partnership and this was made possible by a guarantee given by James Watney and his brother Daniel, of the return of his capital in instalments over a period of years. An alternative that John Lettsom Elliot should leave his capital and draw interest and profits indefinitely was not applied, a fortunate circumstance for James Watney since Elliot lived to the age of ninety-eight. In I850, he gave up his share of ¹84,000 but remained as manager 'under special terms'. These were rather curious. He remained a partner in name only but could not disclose this fact for eight years during which time he undertook to help manage the brewery. His hours of attendance were strictly regulated. Every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday had to be at the brewery from 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 'to assist Mr. Watney Junior in the department of the business hitherto principally managed by himself'. As to holidays he was allowed two weeks at Easter and two in the autumn. He could neither assist in nor lend his name to be used for any brewing endeavour within 100 miles of London, Westminster, or Southwark. His salary under these conditions was ¹700 a year. These arrangements remained in force for the stipulated period. At the end of 1858, he retired from all active part in the brewery and the name was altered to James Watney & Co. The great changes at that time in the neighbourhood necessitated the demolition of Pimlico Lodge and John Lettsom Elliot went to live in Albany, Piccadilly, where he installed the panelling from the old 'Brown Parlour'. He served as a director of the Hand in Hand Fire Office for over fifty years and as 'Father of the Athenaeum Club' often regaled members with anecdotes of bygone statesmen, wits, and beauties. None of his five sons chose to follow him at the brewery which his brother, Henry, the only Elliot of the second generation to be engaged in it, had quitted some years earlier. At the time of John Lettsom Elliot's retirement from the partnership, James, the eldest son of James Watney, was eighteen years of age. He had just joined his father at the brewery and in 1854, he was made a partner for a period of twenty-one years. The activities of Charles Pearce Serocold had been rigidly set down by his seniors; even more so were those of James Watney the Younger set down by his father. He was to devote his whole time and energy for the benefit of the partnership concern for which he would be paid a salary of ¹1,500 a year. He could not, however, withdraw any part of his share of the profits which were to accrue to him as a debt from the business. The Stag Brewery was now in the hands of two men, the two James Watneys, in the proportion of six-sevenths to the father and the remaining one-seventh to the son. It was a strict agreement. Obviously James Watney I had no intention of allowing such situations to develop as had occurred with Edward Burnaby Greene, Edmund Hamond, and Edward Delafield. The younger James must not disclose business but 'keep the same strictly secret and confidential'. He could not accept bills or become surety for any person or persons whatsoever. His father reserved the right during his lifetime to say who should be partners and what should be their share and remuneration. The agreement went farther. James Watney II should 'at all times and from time to time concur in all necessary acts and execute all such deeds and documents as may be requisite for carrying into effect the wish and desire' of his father. James Watney II can scarcely be blamed if when being asked if he were a partner at the Stag Brewery he answered 'I don't know if I shall be when I get back!' The senior partner could determine the partnership at any time with one month's notice whereas his son had to give six months' notice. If he did so, his profit on the previous year's business should not be paid until twelve months after he actually left. His name could be used for conveyances but he was to have no beneficial interest in them. And when his father died, he was to carry out his wishes as to the future management of that brewery. It must have been some consolation when his younger brother, Norman Watney, two years his junior, was admitted in 1855 on the same terms. A few years later, the youngest brother, Herbert Watney, became a partner but did not stay beyond two years, choosing instead to make the medical profession his career.(He also found the business of brewing morally and spiritually repugnant -DMW) Norman Watney, too, gave up long before his father and elder brother, bringing a reversion to a partnership of two. For all these vetoes, James Watney was a fond fatherly an excellent brewer and capable man of affairs. He did not, however, believe in mixing business and family considerations When he died he made this attitude quite clear in his will: 'I wish in the strongest possible manner to prohibit all right of interference to the brewery business on the part of my wife, my son Herbert, and my daughters, their issue or their husbands'. His eldest son, limited in this way, found fuller expression as a Memeber of Parliament, following also in the tradition of becoming Master of the Mercers' Company. Both his sons James and Norman Watney, although successively holders of the same office, joined the Brewers' Company during the I850's, both later serving as Masters. p.132 The Stag Brewery had come a long way under James Watney who kept the management almost entirely to himself until his death, well over eighty, in I884. He had moved from Wandsworth some years previously to Haling Park, Croydon, where he was a close neighbour of his elder brother, Daniel Watney of Mitcham. This was a good enough reason but he found a better. There were, he claimed, seventy-two parsons in the district, so that it would be seventy-two years before he had quarrelled with everyone, an allusion obviously to the religious propensities of his wife and daughters. We are told his death prompted Mrs James Watney to practise a little domestic temperance. Calling shortly after the funeral, the family doctor surprised the butler in the act of knocking off the necks of bottles of choice old brandies and other spirits and wines and pouring the contents down the sink. Medically, this seemed wasteful and what remained of that fine cellar was diverted to Guy's Hospital. The good lady, estimable in every way and full of kind acts suffered during her declining years from insomnia and the butler was sent every morning with a message on the subject to her nephew who lived near by: 'Mrs. James's compliments and she's had a better night' or 'Mrs. James's compliments and she didn't sleep well'. So it went on until the worthy man had to report: 'Mrs. James's compliments and she died in the night'. The following is an extract from "The Brewing Industry" pp351-3 (W96.5) WATNEY & CO LTD Stag Brewery, Brewer Street, Pimlico, London History: In 1636 John Greene leased property on the site of what was later to be the Stag Brewhouse and Brewery in Castle Street, Pimlico, London. He was succeeded in 1641 by his son, William (later Sir) Greene, who built the brewhouse and took his cousin, John Greene, cooper of Lewes, East Sussex, into partnership in 1646. John Greene built another brewery at Kensington Gravel Pits, London. The brewhouse expanded, the partnership owning over 16 acres by the end of the eighteenth century. After William Greene's death in 1671, John Greene inherited the brewery and when John himself died in 1683, William, his second son, and later Thomas (died 1723), his youngest son, carried on the business. William Greene built another brewery at Sandy End, Fulham, London, which was demolished in the early nineteenth century and rebuilt the Stag Brewery in 1715. After William's death in 1740 his widow carried on the business with the help of Justinian E King until Edward Burnaby Greene assumed control in 1759. E dward Greene ran into debt and had a short-lived partnership with Matthew Wiggins, cooper, from 1780 to 1787. The brewery was put into the hands of the receiver in 1787 and it was leased to Moore, Elliot & Co at an annual rental of ¹450. Stephen Moore was a lawyer and took no active part in the brewing, John Elliot, being the brewer. John Elliot bought the brewery and its 175 public houses 1792 for ¹10,000 and built a new Stag Brewery between 1797 and 1807. He was joined by his 2 sons, John Lettsom and Henry Capel Elliot. John L Elliot inherited his father's interest in the Stag Brewery on the latter's death in 1829, the other partners being Sir William and George Robert Marten, bankers, and Charles Lambert, brewer. John Elliot and Charles Lambert bought out the bankers in 1831. The firm's annual output increased from 48,600 barrels in 1808 to 115,592 in 1836, becoming the ninth largest brewer in London. In January 1837 James Watney, a miller and partner with his brother, Daniel, at Wandsworth Mills, Wandsworth, London, took a quarter share in the Stag Brewery. Charles Lambert died in October 1837 and was succeeded by his son, George, who retired in 1843 in favour of Daniel Watney. James Spurrell, hop merchant, James Watney's father-in-law, was also a partner from about 1838 to 1842. The firm, from about 1849, was known as Elliot, Watney & Co. John L Elliot withdrew from the business in 1850 and for 8 years remained a partner in name only. He finally retired in 1858 and the firm became known as James Watney & Co. James Watney, junior (later MP), the eldest son of James Watney, senior, joined the firm in 1850, becoming a partner in 1854. His 2 brothers, Norman and Herbert Watney, were also partners in the 1850s. By the 1870s Watney was the sixth largest brewer in London, producing 350,000 barrels of beer per annum. James Watney, senior, died in 1884 and James Watney, junior, carried on as sole proprietor until May 1885 when Watney & Co Ltd was registered in 1885 as a limited liability company to acquire the business. The company took over Phillips & Co, Mortlake Brewery, High Street, Mortlake, London, in 1888; J C Wood & Co, Artillery Brewery, Victoria Street, Westminster, London, in 1889; and More & Co Ltd, Scottish Brewery, Old Street, Clerkenwell, London, in 1890. Cosmo (later Sir) Bonsor was the company's first chairman and he negotiated a merger in July 1898 between the company, Combe & Co Ltd, Wood Yard Brewery, Castle Street, Long Acre, London, and Reid's Brewery Co Ltd, Griffin Brewery, Liquorpond Street, Clerkenwell, London, creating Watney, Combe, Reid & Co Ltd. Brewing of the merged business was concentrated at the Stag Brewery which continued to operate until April 1959. Records (1): at Westminster City Archives, Victoria Library, 160 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9UD. Directors' meeting minutes 1885-99; general meeting notices 1893-98; memorandum and articles of association 1885; papers: mortgage, debenture stock 1885-92, takeover agreements 1885-98, amalgamation of Watney, Combe and Reid 1898-9; ledger balance books 1853-53, 1883-1893, 1896-97; balance sheet papers 1889-92, 1896-98; ledgers: estate 1821-28, 1837-1909, private 1894-98, trade 1891-97, bad debts 1870-94; journal 1892-98; cash book 1881-86; bank book 1891-94; brewing journal 1837; trade summary 1898-99; malt delivery book 1887-1927; valuation, hops and barley 1881-85; registers: insurance 1874-80, property 1866; (deed book 898; conveyance, Stag Brewery and assets transfer, from Watney & Co 1884-85; wages books 1883-88, 1893-97; pensions register 1860-1900; welfare fund rules 19th cent.; papers: Stag Brewery draymen 1873, 1886-87, apointment of agent 1880; Stag Brewery: plan 1871, Oaks sweep stake 1875-76. Records (2): at Greater London Record Office, 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R OHB Statement of changes 1889-94; brewing book extract 1959; wages books, stables 1863-74; plans c.1865-1959; photograph album, brewery c.1922. Hurford Janes, The Red Barrel. A History of Watney Mann (John Murray, London, 1963) Walter Pearce Serocold (ed.), The Story of Watneys ('Watney Combe Reid & Co Ltd, London, 1949) In Return of Owners of Land in England and Wales, Exclusive of the Metropolis 1873 (London 1875), vol. 2, p. 29,: James Watney, Croydon, 1672 acres, 3 rods, 21 perches. ¹2635.2.0 gross estimated rental. (Dallett 7.6). Haling is described in James Thorne, Handbook to the Environs of London (Chichester 1983 reprint of 1876). (Dallett 8.20) ...After a while Haling was restored to the Gages; was sold in 1707 to E Stringer, Esq., whose widow married (1712) Wm. Parker, from whom it descended to the present owner W.Parker-Hamond Esq. The house (occupied by J. Watney Esq.) is finely situated. The grounds are well wooded and pleasant. The grove at the back of the house, and its evergreens, are celebrated in some dull verses by the;laureate Whitehead, entitled, "An Epistle from a Grove in Derbyshire to a Grove in Surrey: and the Answer." In this grove is one of the oldest cedars in the country. Part of Haling Park has been laid out for building villas on. It was sold to James Watney on 11-Jan-1878, and he by his Will, dated 31-Jan-1884 devised it to his sons James, Norman, Herbert and to his grandson Vernon James Watney, allowing his widow Rebecca, and after her death, his daughters Rebecca, Emma and Mary to reside there until the death of the last unmarried survivor. However the Trustees had started selling off the Park in lots before the death of Rebecca in 1923, and the house itself was auctioned by Daniel Watney and was demolished in 1926. Parts of it were of 15th and 16th century origin, the exterior had been added to over the years, with Georgian, Regency and Victorian additions. In 1851 Census described as Farmer occupying 355 acres, employing outdoor labourers: 17 men, 6 boys, 2 women. In 1861 Census described as Brewer In 1881 Census was described as "Brewer employing 4 labs, 1 boy and 4 gardeners". To find out more about the archives described below, contact Dean and Chapter of York: Lease, etc Registers Catalogue Ref. W Registers of documents passing the Common seal of the Dean & Chapter - ref. W/a-p FILE - Lease register - ref. W/m - date: 1815-36 item: Indenture - ref. W/m/p 763 - date: 12 June 1834 [from Scope and Content] Between (1) the Archbishop of York and the Dean and Chapter (2) James Watney, gent, of Wandsworth, of lease for three lives of tenements and land at Wandsworth. Res. rent 13s.4d. Last renewal 14 February 1806. From London Metropolitan Archives: Until 1898 Watney, Combe and Reid all operated separately. Watney's were at the Stag Brewery near Victoria, which had originally belonged to the Greene family from 1641 to 1787 and was then run by Moore, Elliot & Co until 1843 when the Watney family became involved. Combe's were at the Wood Yard Brewery in Castle Street (later Shelton Street) near Long Acre, which had belonged to the Gyfford family from 1739 until 1787 when it was bought by Combe, Shum and Delafield. Reid's were at the Griffin Brewery, Liquorpond Street (now Clerkenwell Road), which had belonged to the Meux family from 1763; in 1793 Reid joined them and the Wigram family also became involved from 1809. In 1898 Watney, Combe and Reid all merged, having already taken over some additional breweries, notably the Mortlake Brewery owned by Phillips More & Co taken over by Watney's in 1889. Further companies were taken over. When the Stag Brewery was due for closure in the late 1950s because of lack of space and a planned major road on the site, Watney Combe Reid and Co. Ltd bought Mann, Crossman and Paulin Ltd (Albion Brewery, Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, London) in 1958 and changed its name to Watney Mann Ltd.Brewing ceased at the Stag Brewery in April 1959 (and it was demolished). In 1962 the trading assets of Watney Mann Ltd were transferred to Watney Combe Reid and Co. Ltd. Amongst others the company acquired Phipps Northampton Brewery Co. Ltd (1960), Usher's Wiltshire Brewery Ltd (1960), Samuel Webster and Sons Ltd (1972). Watney Mann Ltd was acquired by Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd in 1972 and merged with Truman Hanbury Buxton and Co. Ltd in 1974. Grand Metropolitan Brewing Ltd controlled the brewery interest until Courage and Co. Ltd bought Watney Mann and Truman Brewers Ltd in 1991. Watney Combe Reid and Co. Ltd was also acquired by Grand Metropolitan Brewing Ltd, but is now owned by Courage and Co. Ltd. Of Haling Park, Croydon and Beddington, Surrey. Master Mercer 1846, Admitted to Court of Assistants of Brewers' Company 12-Oct-1855, Master 1862-3. M.I. The print is almost certainly of the Doggett's Coat and Badge race passing the finishing post . email from Mavis Watney about this follows: "Dear Duncan You may already have found this, but Weinrebs London Encyclopaedia says the Old Swan House on the Chelsea Embankment was built on the site of the Old Swan Inn 'This used to be the finishing post for the waterman's race for Dogget's coat and badge. Don't you think it actually shows the race - see the cheering crowds! The bridge in the distance must be Battersea - I suspect ithe plate was originally made for an English guide to London. I do like the paddle steamer. with lots of love M" From the web 20-Feb-2005 (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691): Before the creation of Chelsea Embankment, the riverside from the Royal Hospital to Battersea Bridge was crowded, mainly with commercial premises. In the 1840s, west of the terraces and gardens of the Royal Hospital and Gordon House, lay Druces' no. 2 wharf, with a shed and open ground, the public Paradise Walk, then Bull wharf, Swan wharf (also belonging to Druces), Swan brewery and a shed occupied by Messrs Lyall, boat-houses occupied by the Goldsmiths' and Skinners' companies, the Apothecaries' and their landing place; Old Swan Wharf, with a malthouse, garden, and causeway leased to the Old Swan public house. At the east end of Cheyne Walk was a public draw dock and a public causeway and stairs, and then the privately owned Cadogan Pier with stairs and landing place; the public stairs and causeway owned by the Watermen's Company; the buildings, stables, and wharf occupied by Henry Alldin called Arch House wharf. West of the latter the small cottages on the south side of Lombard Street, nos 19-16, backed onto the river, no. 16 being the Waterman's Arms beerhouse, and no. 15 had a passage from the street. Next to it stood a building and wharf occupied by Chaplain & Company; another wharf occupied by Gladdish; a causeway, the old Ferry wharf house and counting house occupied by John Davis, then the cottages of nos 1-23 Duke Street again backing onto the river with a piece of vacant ground in front of two cottages of Beaufort Place. And again: Further west along the south side of Paradise Row at least four houses (later nos 71-4 Royal Hospital Road) were built in the early 18th century west of Bull Walk, (Footnote 5 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n28>) as were possibly the two or three houses in Swan Walk which stood by 1745 and survived in 2003. Philip Miller, curator of the Physic Garden, lived in a house in Swan Walk 1733-40, and at no. 1 Swan Walk 1741-62. No. 3 Swan Walk was built in 1776; the rest of the land formed gardens to the houses. The Old Swan Inn on the riverside at the southern end of Swan Walk became famous as the finish of the annual watermen's race instituted by Thomas Doggett in 1715, but it was converted into a brewery later in the 18th century and another inn called Old Swan was opened on the west side of the Physic Garden. (Footnote 6 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n29>) In 1745 the area still mainly consisted of houses along the highway and wharves and buildings by the river at the end of Swan Walk and Bull Walk, with only a little building in between. (Footnote 7 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n30>) By 1794 Paradise Row from Gough House to Cheyne Walk was lined with houses, except at the Physic Garden. In addition to the cottages and gardens in Calthorpe Place, Bull Walk, renamed Paradise Walk about this time, had two rows of houses at the north and south ends with a few individual buildings including an Independent chapel opened /c/. 1793. Swan Walk had a large timber yard behind its houses, but both here and in the other alleys was still much open ground. West of the Physic Garden, however, the area was filled with houses and commercial buildings. (Footnote 8 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n31>) The east side of Paradise Walk was nearly filled with cottages by 1813, (Footnote 9 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n32>) and though by 1836 a few more had been added on the west side, most of the remaining open ground was used in connection with the wharves and commercial buildings by 1865. (Footnote 10 <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=28691#n33>) And in "The Red Barrel" at pages 23 to 26 there is a description of the way that Edward Barnaby Greene the owner of the brewery running the Swan Inn on the riverside at Chelsea gradually lost his money and his business went into receivership, and by the time of Greens's death in 1788 "a lease had been taken out with a new firm of brewers trading as Moore, Elliot & Co., later to become Elliot, Watney and Co."</p>
<p><strong>James Watney</strong> (18 December 1800–1884) was a brewer and landowner who resided at Haling Park, Croydon, and Beddington, Surrey. He was born to Daniel Watney (1771-1831) of Mitcham, Surrey and Katherine Maria Gresham (1770-1808) daughter of Sir John Gresham, 6th Baronet of Limpsfield (or Titsey). He was the grandson of John Watney (1747-1814) and great-grandson of Daniel Watney (1705-1780) of Wimbledon, Surrey.</p><p><span>Professional life</span></p><p>The Watney family were the main partners in the Stag Brewery of Pimlico for much of the 19th century. In 1837 James Watney became a partner in the brewery with John Lettsom Elliot and Charles Lambert, as later did his sons James and Norman in 1856. The brewery was known as Elliot, Watney & Co from about 1849. John L Elliot withdrew from the business in 1850 and for 8 years remained a partner in name only. He finally retired in 1858 and the firm became known as James Watney & Co. James Watney then kept the management almost entirely to himself until his death, well over eighty, in I884. After his death in 1884 Watney & Co Ltd became a private limited company in 1885.</p><p>In 1898 it acquired Messrs. Combe Delafield and Co. and Messrs. Reid and Co., and was thereafter known as Messrs. Watney Combe & Reid.</p><p>James Watney was Master of the Mercers' Company in 1846, but had few other interests outside business.</p><p>James Watney contributed several thousands of pounds towards building a new church just as his father had done at Mitcham.</p><span>[edit]</span> <span>Family life</span><p>On 15 October 1829, at St. Saviour's Church, Southwark (now Southwark Cathedral), James Watney married Rebecca Spurrell, elder daughter of the brewer and hop merchant James Spurrell, of Park Street, Southwark, who was employed by Barclay & Perkins's Anchor Brewery, Southwark.</p><p>They had nine children. All five daughters remained unmarried. Of the four sons, one (Frederick) died young, aged 8 in 1846. The other three were:</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>James Watney</strong> (1832-1886) of Beddington, Surrey, and Thorney House, Palace Gate, Kensington, was Conservative MP for East Surrey from 1871–1885 and Master of the Mercers' Company in 1879. He also played cricket for Surrey (1851) and Middlesex (1851-1852). Married Blanche Maria Georgiana Burrell in 1856.</li></ul><ul><li><strong>Norman Watney</strong> (1834-1911) of Valance, Westerham, Kent, was educated at Harrow. He was a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, and served as Master of the Mercers' Company in 1880. Married Matilda Jane Robinson on 26 April 1866 at Clitheroe, Lancashire. He built Valence, Westerham (now a school) in 1885.</li></ul><ul><li><strong>Herbert Watney</strong> (1843-1932) of Buckhold, Pangbourne, Berkshire (now St. Andrew's School), was educated at Rugby and St. John's College, Cambridge. He was Senior Assistant Physician at St. George's Hospital, London and Master of the Mercers' Company in 1915. Married Sarah Louisa Rainsford on 22 January 1873 at All Saints Church, Wandsworth, Surrey.</li></ul><p>The east window in Emmanuel Church, Croydon was given by his son Norman in 1899 to the Glory of God and in loving memory of his parents James and Rebecca Watney. It was destroyed by enemy action in 1944 and replaced in 1954.</p>