Brewer Family of Rudloe Syd Hockey February 2019
Syd Hockey wrote to us: I am looking for any information about the Brewer family, I have found some information about William Jones Brewer but I have not found anything about his brother Thomas. If there is any other person researching this family or can help in any way would they kindly get in touch. Syd told us about a notice in the local newspaper concerning the stone quarrying business carried on by William and Thomas Brewer.
In 1837 William Brewer and his brother Thomas Dissolved their Partnership:
Notice is hereby given that the companionship herefore carried on by us the undersigned William Jones Brewer & Thomas Brewer within the parish of Corsham and Box in the county of Wiltshire as Builders and Quarrymen and Freestone Masons, was dissolved from the 25th day of March last by mutual consent, all debts due to and by the said Companionship will be received and paid by the said William Jones Brewer who intends carrying on the above concern on his own account.
Dated this 25th day of April 1837. Signed by William Jones Brewer & Thomas Brewer.
Notice is hereby given that the companionship herefore carried on by us the undersigned William Jones Brewer & Thomas Brewer within the parish of Corsham and Box in the county of Wiltshire as Builders and Quarrymen and Freestone Masons, was dissolved from the 25th day of March last by mutual consent, all debts due to and by the said Companionship will be received and paid by the said William Jones Brewer who intends carrying on the above concern on his own account.
Dated this 25th day of April 1837. Signed by William Jones Brewer & Thomas Brewer.
Ordnance Survey map 1895 (courtesy National Library of Scotland)
Brewer's Yard
Before we look at this family of quarrymen, it is worthwhile to remember their lasting impact on the village, especially the quarry still known as Brewer's Quarry and Brewer's Yard. It lies just north of the A4 on the road to Corsham at Rudloe Firs, on the brow of Box Hill.[1] The quarry was most unusual with a slope shaft accessing a two-level underground quarry, connected by a stone staircase. It has been described as: An interesting yet strange little mine with a huge shaft right down the middle, a smaller one to just level 1 capped and a much smaller shaft near the slippery slope.[2] The quarry appears to have been worked into the 1880s perhaps by relatives of William and Thomas but not by them personally.
Before we look at this family of quarrymen, it is worthwhile to remember their lasting impact on the village, especially the quarry still known as Brewer's Quarry and Brewer's Yard. It lies just north of the A4 on the road to Corsham at Rudloe Firs, on the brow of Box Hill.[1] The quarry was most unusual with a slope shaft accessing a two-level underground quarry, connected by a stone staircase. It has been described as: An interesting yet strange little mine with a huge shaft right down the middle, a smaller one to just level 1 capped and a much smaller shaft near the slippery slope.[2] The quarry appears to have been worked into the 1880s perhaps by relatives of William and Thomas but not by them personally.
William Jones Brewer
William Jones Brewer was the son of William and Jane Jones, born in 1785. He appears to have started as a stone haulier because in the 1803 Agricultural Census he was reported to hold 1 riding horse, 1 draft horse and 1 cart. He wasn't poor and paid for a substitute from Chippenham when he was balloted to serve in the militia for three years in 1818.
William Jones Brewer excavated the vertical shaft at The Cathedral, Boxfields, and the nearby quarry which was also accessed by vertical shafts, in the period shortly before November 1828 until about 1849. His wealth grew and both William and Thomas Brewer were listed as holding land in the 1840 Tithe Apportionment map. William tenanted three plots, comprising two gardens and a Beer shop and outbuildings, references 376, 377 and 378 respectively. He had become a landlord and didn't occupy the land, all of which was used by John Newman. In 1841 he made some remarkable finds in the Boxfields quarry when numerous fossil bones were found in a cavern 70 feet under the surface .[3] The report of the finds read: The vertebrae are very distinct, and some large bones like legs and a head .. Nothing of the kind has ever before been found in the locality.
Some time before 1843, William appears to have gone into a partnership with J Pic (presumably Pictor) at Paddington, London, as a depot to sort and hold building stone for the lucrative London market.[4] By 1851 William Jones Brewer had made his fortune and was recorded in the census as farmer 100 acres employing 6 men. He was living at Rudloe Firs with his wife Jane , children and one servant.
William Jones Brewer was the son of William and Jane Jones, born in 1785. He appears to have started as a stone haulier because in the 1803 Agricultural Census he was reported to hold 1 riding horse, 1 draft horse and 1 cart. He wasn't poor and paid for a substitute from Chippenham when he was balloted to serve in the militia for three years in 1818.
William Jones Brewer excavated the vertical shaft at The Cathedral, Boxfields, and the nearby quarry which was also accessed by vertical shafts, in the period shortly before November 1828 until about 1849. His wealth grew and both William and Thomas Brewer were listed as holding land in the 1840 Tithe Apportionment map. William tenanted three plots, comprising two gardens and a Beer shop and outbuildings, references 376, 377 and 378 respectively. He had become a landlord and didn't occupy the land, all of which was used by John Newman. In 1841 he made some remarkable finds in the Boxfields quarry when numerous fossil bones were found in a cavern 70 feet under the surface .[3] The report of the finds read: The vertebrae are very distinct, and some large bones like legs and a head .. Nothing of the kind has ever before been found in the locality.
Some time before 1843, William appears to have gone into a partnership with J Pic (presumably Pictor) at Paddington, London, as a depot to sort and hold building stone for the lucrative London market.[4] By 1851 William Jones Brewer had made his fortune and was recorded in the census as farmer 100 acres employing 6 men. He was living at Rudloe Firs with his wife Jane , children and one servant.
Tithe Apportionment map 1840 (courtesy Wilts History Centre)
Excavating Box Tunnel
The split between William and Thomas possibly arose from the desire of William to undertake the quarrying work on the excavation of Box Tunnel. Within a few months there was a notice in the newspapers that Mr Brewer of Rudloe Corsham and
Mr T Lewis from Bath have taken the first contracts for the Box Tunnel of the Great Western Railroad.[5]
Possibly Thomas' reservations were wise because a report in 1839 talked of the greatest difficulties in the completion of the work being at the Lewis and Brewer section from shaft number 8, which is sunk at the proposed mouth of the tunnel on the east side, to a point 300 yards towards shaft number 7, and altogether 2,418 feet from the entrance at the Chippenham end.[6]
The difficulty was both the nature of the rock and water ingress into the tunnel, particularly in November 1837, which caused work to stop until July 1838. They had to employ more men, at times 400 labourers, and to work through solid beds of freestone in many places 130 feet thick, lying upon a bed of fuller's earth 120 feet thick. In a race against the clock, a great deal of gunpowder was used and little of the stone recovered for building work. There were numerous accidents and fatalities in this section of the Tunnel. William was still living at Rudloe Firs when he died, soon after the completion of the Tunnel in 1857, at the age of 71.
The split between William and Thomas possibly arose from the desire of William to undertake the quarrying work on the excavation of Box Tunnel. Within a few months there was a notice in the newspapers that Mr Brewer of Rudloe Corsham and
Mr T Lewis from Bath have taken the first contracts for the Box Tunnel of the Great Western Railroad.[5]
Possibly Thomas' reservations were wise because a report in 1839 talked of the greatest difficulties in the completion of the work being at the Lewis and Brewer section from shaft number 8, which is sunk at the proposed mouth of the tunnel on the east side, to a point 300 yards towards shaft number 7, and altogether 2,418 feet from the entrance at the Chippenham end.[6]
The difficulty was both the nature of the rock and water ingress into the tunnel, particularly in November 1837, which caused work to stop until July 1838. They had to employ more men, at times 400 labourers, and to work through solid beds of freestone in many places 130 feet thick, lying upon a bed of fuller's earth 120 feet thick. In a race against the clock, a great deal of gunpowder was used and little of the stone recovered for building work. There were numerous accidents and fatalities in this section of the Tunnel. William was still living at Rudloe Firs when he died, soon after the completion of the Tunnel in 1857, at the age of 71.
Tithe Apportionment map 1840 (courtesy Wilts History Centre)
Thomas Brewer
Thomas Brewer also held property in the 1840 Tithe Apportionment at reference 216, at Middlehill. The property was two cottages with gardens tenanted by John Jenkins and Ann Smith. John Jenkins was a quarryman who lived there with his wife and four children. Later the property was described as Middlehill Cottages.
Robert Brewer
Robert Brewer (William Jones' brother) also lived at Rudloe Firs. He took over the family business because in 1864 he sold the whole stock-in-trade and effects of his quarrying business when he emigrated. The assets comprised 4 stone carriages, 3 tram wagons, a horse crane, and a quantity of stone block.[7] This was the time when he joined his relative Humphries Brewer in America before returning to England when, in his mother's will dated 20 February 1869, his address was given as 23, York Street Portman Square, Middlesex and his occupation Mining Engineer.
Thomas Brewer also held property in the 1840 Tithe Apportionment at reference 216, at Middlehill. The property was two cottages with gardens tenanted by John Jenkins and Ann Smith. John Jenkins was a quarryman who lived there with his wife and four children. Later the property was described as Middlehill Cottages.
Robert Brewer
Robert Brewer (William Jones' brother) also lived at Rudloe Firs. He took over the family business because in 1864 he sold the whole stock-in-trade and effects of his quarrying business when he emigrated. The assets comprised 4 stone carriages, 3 tram wagons, a horse crane, and a quantity of stone block.[7] This was the time when he joined his relative Humphries Brewer in America before returning to England when, in his mother's will dated 20 February 1869, his address was given as 23, York Street Portman Square, Middlesex and his occupation Mining Engineer.
Nothing more is known of the Brewer family of Rudloe and we would welcome any additional information or, of course, any correction of errors to help track down this most important part of Box's history. If you can help, please contact us.
Family Tree
William Jones Brewer (1785 - 1857) married his cousin Jane Jones (b 1791) in Westminster on 4 February 1815. Children:
Humphries (b 28 February 1817 at Box Quarries);
Robert (b May 1818), quarry master in 1851 and stone merchant in 1861;
Jane (b 24 January 1822 and christened July 1824 at Ditteridge).
Family Tree
William Jones Brewer (1785 - 1857) married his cousin Jane Jones (b 1791) in Westminster on 4 February 1815. Children:
Humphries (b 28 February 1817 at Box Quarries);
Robert (b May 1818), quarry master in 1851 and stone merchant in 1861;
Jane (b 24 January 1822 and christened July 1824 at Ditteridge).
References
[1] Details courtesy our sister website Rudloe Scene at https://www.rudloescene.co.uk/history/
[2] Rudloe Scene at https://www.rudloescene.co.uk/history/
[3] The Wiltshire Independent, 11 November 1841
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 6 April 1843
[5] The Wiltshire Independent, 12 October 1837
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 18 July 1839
[7] Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 21 July 1864
[1] Details courtesy our sister website Rudloe Scene at https://www.rudloescene.co.uk/history/
[2] Rudloe Scene at https://www.rudloescene.co.uk/history/
[3] The Wiltshire Independent, 11 November 1841
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 6 April 1843
[5] The Wiltshire Independent, 12 October 1837
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 18 July 1839
[7] Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 21 July 1864