Message in a bottle

The building work next door started in earnest at 7am this morning!!  and diggers were brought in to level the ground etc prior to the start of the renovation works.  The digger driver had to come on to our property at times to gain access etc and kindly gave us a couple of interesting pieces he found.

1.   A green glass torpedo shaped bottle with the inscription R Pearce Market Drayton.  I’ve looked it up to find that the bottle originated from R Pearce Crystal Fountain Brewery Co, established 1857  Registered in 1892.  Acquired by Marston, Thomson & Evershed in 1925.  Now owned by our very own Joules Brewery who use the same Aquifer to brew their own beers here in MD.  NB: The torpedo style bottle was initially designed to withhold the pressure of the carbonation as well as keeping it from standing up right allowing the cork to dry and the carbonation to escape. They were used extensively in the mid 19th century and a few companies kept the design until the start of the 20th century.


2.   A stoneware vintage ink bottle (I think) and even with remnants of the cork still in it, C. 1900 once owned and made by Lovatt & Lovatt Notts – Langley Mill on the Derbyshire/Notts border.

I’ve enjoyed cleaning them up, sourcing their beginnings and will treasure them.  Do hope the digger comes up with some more interesting pieces.  Being on an Archaeological Dig must be so exciting …..
A beautiful day here spent mostly in the garden with tea on the go, some knitting and butterflies and bees for company.