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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
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B Mineral Water Co. J. S Horsley & co. brown saltglazed impressed
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B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. brown saltglazed round diesign
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B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. black glass imbossed.
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c 1887 -1893
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c 1893 - 1901
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c 1893 - 1901
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73A High Street Masonic Buildings
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H.Davies two tone imbossed.
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Fysons. two-tone round design
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Fysons "Works". two-tone round design
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Unrecorded
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c 1893 - 1901
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c 1893 - 1901
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Lavender Hill
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Store outlet Hadlow Road next to Mitre Public house
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Follett, W. brown saltglazed impressed
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Young, G brown saltglazed impressed
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Young, G white saltglazed impressed
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c 1892 -1895
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c 1889 - 1901
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c 1889 - 1901
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29 Lodge Road ( Grocer )
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Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd. Honey and White oval design also impressed
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73A High Street Masonic Buildings
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c 1901 - 1908
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J Woodward Proprietor Staggs Head Inn Houselands
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c 1889 - 1901
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George Payne White impressed
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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
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Smith & Son - Porter Merchant & Family Grocers white saltglazed impressed Large & Small 1839
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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
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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.
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LIST OF TONBRIDGE GINGER BEER BOTTLES
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ClosureType
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potters Mark
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Rarity Guide
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B Mineral Water Co. J. S Horsley & co. brown saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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c
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B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. brown saltglazed round diesign. UGP/CK NM
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UGP/CK
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NM
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C
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B Mineral Water Co. H. B Nicholl. black glass imbossed. CK
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CK
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NM
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C
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Davies
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CK
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NM
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F
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Follett, W. brown saltglazed impressed CK Smith & Co
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CK
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Smith & Co
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C
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Fysons. two-tone round design UGP / CK Price
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CK
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Price
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C
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Fysons "Works". two-tone round design UGP / CK Price
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UGP/CK
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Price
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D
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Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd. Honey oval design UGP / CK Price
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UGP/CK
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Price
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B
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Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd off -white oval design UGP / ISC Price
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UGP/ISC
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Price
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B
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Griffin Woodcock & Co Ltd brown saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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B
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Moore, C brown saltglazed impressed CK Price
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CK
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C
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Payne, C white saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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C
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Swan, S. J two-tone round design UGP / ISC Price
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UGP/ISC
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Price
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C
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Smith & Son - Porter Merchant white saltglazed impressed 'large' CK NM
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CK
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NM
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E
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Smith & Son - Porter Merchant white saltglazed impressed 'small' CK NM
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CK
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NM
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E
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Ware, C brown saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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D
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Warwick, S brown saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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D
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Warwick, S white saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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C
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Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head Tonbridge CK Doulton
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CK
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Doulton
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D
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Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head on neck CK Doulton
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CK
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Doulton
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C
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Woodward, J. J brown saltglazed impressed Stags Head Shoulder CK Doulton
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CK
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Doulton
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C
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Young, G brown saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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D
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Young, G white saltglazed impressed CK NM
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CK
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NM
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D
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