At the time of the 1851 census Thomas Springwell was
described as a master baker living in Akeman Street. employing one
man (James Jones, journeyman biscuit baker) and one boy. It is clear
that he had not been paying his bills and William Brown acted as a
bailiff, coming in a seizing and selling off some of Thomas's
possessions and sorting out his finances. The payments show that
John Brown was the landlord (William Brown's brother) was owed £30
in unpaid rent and he had was using William Brown to recover the
money. It was clear that there was no intention to close down the
business as William Brown employed a man for 32 days to take
possession of, and continue to run, the business - as can be seen by
the payment of £1 10s to Mead & Bailey, the flour millers at New
Mill.
The following outstanding payments were paid:
The following customers had accounts with Thomas
Springwell which were recovered: Bilbey, Chapman, Collins, Cooper,
Duncan, Fulks, Fulks, Gates, Liddington, Newman, Pickthorne, Pope,
Sills, Simbs, Woodman.
The following priority bills were outstanding Gas
Account, Poor Rate, Lighting Rate, Assessed Taxes, Highway Rate,
Church Rate
The following creditors were paid a dividend of 2s 6d
in the pound
| |
£ |
s |
d |
1851 Post Office Directory |
| Adams |
|
2. |
10½ |
Henry Adams, shopkeeper, Frogmore
Street |
| Thomas Clarke |
2 |
7 |
9 |
Thomas Clarke & Co, corn dealers,
Frogmore Street |
| George Cook |
1 |
8 |
- |
|
| Glover and Gates |
|
7 |
10 |
Thomas Glover & Joseph Gates,
grocers & tallow chandlers, Tring |
| Griffin |
|
|
6 |
William Griffin, appraiser, carpenter
& broker, High Street |
|
Mead (Butcher) |
|
1 |
- |
John Mead, butcher & farmer, High
Street |
| Philby (Baker) |
1 |
5 |
9 |
Joseph Philbey, baker & shopkeeper,
Akeman Street |
| Russell |
|
11 |
2 |
|
| Tompkins (Ironmonger) |
|
2 |
- |
Mrs Mary Tompkins & Sons, braziers &
furnishing ironmongers, High Street |
The 1851 census shows that there were two properties
between the Springwell house/bakery and the Royal Oak. Akeman
Street. HALS hold deeds relating to the Tring Brewery and it seems
that one relates to the following properties in Akeman street - 21,
25, 26, 27, and the Royal Oak (28) - which undoubtedly includes the
area now called Brown's Maltings. The 1861 census shows a Charles
Philbey, aged 34, was a master baker in Akeman Street close to
the Royal Oak. Charles would seem to have been an ideal person to
keep the business running. In 1851 his father, Joseph Philbey, also
had a baker's shop in Akeman street while Charles was an unmarried
24 year old baker working tor Frederick & Thomas Smith, bakers of
Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead. In 1890 a John Rolfe was a baker at 25
Akeman Street. There was still a bakers shop at No. 25 in 1937, when
the baker was Horace James Bond & Sons. This all suggest that Thomas
Springwell was living in what is now number 25 Akeman Street.
