Hertfordshire Genealogy

Guide to Old Hertfordshire

 

Some Grocers' Invoices from

Hemel Hempstead
 

 

Places

Hemel Hempstead

 

 

Ephemera

Life is full of ephemera - everyday things we take for granted and throw away when we have finished with them. As such they rarely survive but if they do they can fill in details of your ancestors everyday life.

Everyday receipts, such  as this one, rarely survive. When they do they can can provide information on the everyday life of your ancestor.

This one identifies a grocer's shop owned by Walter J Cartwright, and managed by Frank Foster. The shop supplied goods on tic to Benjamin Briggs and identify both what the shop sold and what Mr Briggs and his family consumed.

 

 

 

This is one of a number of receipts, for goods purchased by Mr Briggs from several different suppliers in Hemel Hempstead, which appeared for sale on Ebay early in 2012.

Nearly all had headings advertising different products with the name of a local trader added. Some traders appeared with several advertisements.


Walter James Cartwright

 

 

Thornville, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead (1901 census)

CARTWRIGHT, Walter J

Head

Married

M

46

Grocer

Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

CARTWRIGHT, Clara E

Wife

Married

F

47

 

Hemel Hempsted

CARTWRIGHT, Alice B

Daughter

Single

F

17

 

Fulham

CARTWRIGHT, Constance D

Daughter

Single

F

16

 

Fulham

CARTWRIGHT, James B

Son

Single

M

15

 

Fulham

CARTWRIGHT, Arthur C

Son

Single

M

13

 

Brighton

CARTWRIGHT, Grace E

Daughter

Single

F

8

 

Cricklewood

HILL, Selina

Servant

Single

F

20

Domestic

Hemel Hempsted

 

His Shop was in the High Street, Hemel Hempstead


Benjamin Briggs

 

16, Horsecroft Road, Hemel Hempstead (1901 census)

BRIGGS, Benjamin

Head

Married

M

51

Secretary Lim Coy Mat Factory

Burgh, Lincolnshire

BRIGGS, Gertrude M

Wife

Married

F

53

 

Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

BRIGGS, Helen B

Daughter

 

F

19

Governess (Private)

Louth, Lincolnshire

BRIGGS, Harry

Son

 

M

18

Civil Service Clerk

Louth, Lincolnshire


Frank A Foster

 

12 & 14, High Street, Hemel Hempstead (1901 census)

FOSTER, Frank A Head Married M 28 Grocers Manager Hemel Hempstead
FOSTER, Clifton E Wife Married F 30   Wateringbury, Kent
FOSTER, Constance A Daughter Single F 2   Hemel Hempstead
USHER, Alfred E Boarder Single M 23 Town Clerks Assistant South Stockton, Yorkshire

Alfred Edward Usher later became Town Clerk of Hemel Hempstead. The High Street address would have been conveniently close to the Town Hall.


Brown & Poulson

 

This company was established in Paisley in the 1860s and later became part of the Unilever Group.


Cocoatina

 

 

[1904 Advert from the Illustrated London News]

 

Another Invoice from 1893

In July 2012 a further batch of receipted invoices for good purchased by Benjamin Briggs appeared on ebay and this one is for groceries supplied by A. J. Chennells.  I am sure the original collection would have provided a most interesting story about the life style of a middle class family living in Hemel Hempstead at the end of the 19th century, but unfortunately the collection has now been dispersed.


Hudson's Soap was a widely advertised product at the time and many metal advertising signs survice.


Adam Joseph Chennells had his grocers shop at 31 High Street, Hemel Hempstead

 

 

 
         
July 2012   Chennels Advert added