One of the earliest references locally for Tunbridge Ginger Beer can be found in the Woodgate Family Papers of Somerhill in a letter dated 1826. This is mentioned in A. H. NEVE, S book  “The Tonbridge of Yesterday”.

The recipe reads as follows:

“Take 2 oz. cream of tarter, add 1 oz. of ginger, bruised, 1 ld of sugar and 1 lemon juice and peel, pour on them 4 quarts of boiling water. When at a proper heat, add two spoonful of yeast. When cold, strain it, bottle it in ½ -pint stone bottles and tie the corks down and it will be ready to drink in twelve hours. 

( What  did this 181 year old recipe of Ginger Beer taste like, find out with Roberts History Adventures ) 

TONBRIDGE GINGER BEER BOTTLES 

 

B Mineral Water Co. J. S Horsley & co. brown saltglazed impressed	B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. brown saltglazed round diesign	B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. black glass imbossed.
c 1887 -1893	c 1893 - 1901	c 1893 - 1901
73A High Street Masonic Buildings

H.Davies two tone  imbossed.	Fysons. two-tone round design	Fysons "Works". two-tone round design
Unrecorded	c 1893 - 1901	c 1893 - 1901
Lavender Hill	Store outlet Hadlow Road next to Mitre Public house

Follett, W. brown saltglazed impressed Tonbridge	Young, G brown saltglazed impressed	Young, G white saltglazed impressed
c 1892 -1895	c 1889 - 1901	c 1889 - 1901
29 Lodge Road ( Grocer )	Proprietor Staggs Head Inn Houselands

 

Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd. Honey and White oval design also impressed

73A High Street Masonic Buildings

c 1901 - 1908

      

J Woodward Proprietor Staggs Head Inn Houselands Only far left bottle has the words Tonbridge Impressed on the shoulder.

c 1889 - 1901

 

	George Payne White impressed

What Is Porter Porter was the staple drink of Britain until the beginning of the 20th century. Originally porter was a mixture of old stale ale and new fresh beer, which gave porter its sour lactic flavour. This method of production is only rarely used these days, but there are some brews that still have old stale ale mixed in.  Porter is bitter and deep brown, not really black. It is more aromatic and while malty, is more quenching. It is more like a bitter but darker and heavier   Note Tunbridge ( TUN )
Smith & Son - Porter Merchant & Family Grocers  white saltglazed impressed Large & Small 1839

Caleb Moore was recorded trading as a Grocer at 91 high street in 1890 until 1903 when his address changed to 117 High Street as can be see in the picture above where he continude as a Grocer until 1910. he manufactured his Ginger beer in the store but production only stayed within the town

 UGP Denotes underglaze printed, often called transfer printed

 NM Denotes no pottery mark.  CK Denotes a cork closure. ISC Denotes internal screw stopper

Rarity Rating - Key

A commonly found.   B fairly common.   C not often found.

D very scarce.   E only a few example known.  F Only example known.

LIST OF TONBRIDGE GINGER BEER BOTTLES	ClosureType	potters Mark	Rarity Guide
B Mineral Water Co. J. S Horsley & co. brown saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	c
B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. brown saltglazed round diesign.	UGP/CK	NM	C
B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. black glass imbossed.	CK	NM	C
Davies ( Lavender Hill)	CK	NM	F
Follett, W. brown saltglazed impressed	CK	Smith & Co	C
Fysons. two-tone round design	CK	Price	C
Fysons "Works". two-tone round design	UGP/CK	Price	D
Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd. Honey oval design	UGP/CK	Price	B
Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd off -white oval design	UGP/ISC	Price	A
Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd brown saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	A
Moore, C brown saltglazed impressed	CK		C
Payne, C white saltglazed impressed	CK		C
Swan, S. J two-tone round design	UGP/ISC	Price	C
Smith & Son - Porter Merchant white saltglazed impressed 'large'	CK	NM	E
Smith & Son - Porter Merchant white saltglazed impressed 'small'	CK	NM	E
Ware, C brown saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	D
Warwick, S brown saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	D
Warwick, S white saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	C
Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head Tonbridge	CK	Doulton	D
Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head on neck	CK	Doulton	C
Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head Shoulder	CK	Doulton	C
Young, G brown saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	D
Young, G white saltglazed impressed	CK	NM	D
LIST OF HADLOW GINGER BEER BOTTLES	ClosureType	potters Mark	Rarity Guide