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New Arrivals - The Elite Eight - Part I

As promised, below are pictures and informative information about the wonderful eight billheads I bought online two weeks ago. One item to note about billheads, is while I tend to think of them as letter size or slightly smaller, some of the other UK billheads I own are very small. My guess is that making them smaller was a cost savings and also easier to package along with the article purchased. I also wonder if the standard letter size was not the standard back then - thus the smaller form. Most of the billheads are from business of Lincoln in the UK.

Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England. The Lincoln Cathedral was completed in 1092 and rebuilt after fire and an earthquake in 1185. The Bishops of Lincoln were among the magnates of medieval England. Lincolnshire, the largest diocese, had more monasteries than the rest of England put together. One of the four surviving originals of the Magna Carta is now preserved in Lincoln Castle. By 1150, Lincoln was among the wealthiest towns in England. The basis of the economy was cloth and wool. The Weavers Guild was known for its Lincoln Cloth - dyed scarlet and green, and made famous by Robin Hood. During the 13th century, Lincoln was the third largest city in England, but by the 14th century its fortunes declined. The lower city was prone to flooding and plagues were common. In the 16th century the dissolution of the monasteries further crippled Lincoln and by 1549 the cathedral’s spire had rotted, collapsed and was not replaced. Between 1642 and 1651, during the English Civil War Lincoln was on the frontier between the Royalist and Parliamentary forces. By the Georgian Era, Lincoln’s fortunes began to pick up, thanks in part due to the Agricultural Revolution. With the railroad, Lincoln boomed in the Industrial Revolution and several world famous companies arose – Ruston’s, Clayton’s, Proctor’s and William Foster. Lincoln excelled in building industrial equipment including diesel engines and steam shovels.


No. 1. = Billhead for William Thomas a Gun and Pistol Maker and dealer in Powder, Caps and Percussion Caps. Billhead has a wonderful left side graphic of a hunter with his hunting dogs and with a large gun in his hands. Dated 1838 of Lincoln High Street. Engraver is T. Powell of Birmingham. Dated 1838.

Slater’s National Directory a William Thomas is listed under Gun Makers with an address of 7 Strait.


No. 2. = Billhead for H.Y. Blyth of Lincoln Grocer-Tea Dealer and Tallow Chandler Wholesale and Retail. This billhead has two wonderful graphics on either side of the decorative title. On the left side is a wonderful Orient scene with a pagoda, boxes of tea and Asian figures having tea with a small teapot in the center of the table. A caption under the graphic states that Blyth sells teas direct from the East India Company. The right side graphic shows a person making candles - very detailed graphic. Billhead is engraved by L? & Horton, Birmingham. Dated July, 1837.



No. 3. = My favorite of the eight. It is for George Smith Malster Brewer and Porter Merchant Dealer in Malt, Hops, and Coals. Casks, Hampers, and Bottles to be Returned Soon as Empty or Paid For (an early recycler?). Dated 1841, address of No. 28 Waterside South Swing Bridge Lincoln. Absolutely wonderful center graphic of Smith’s factory. Wonderful building with smoke pouring from the chimney. Out front is a horse and cart with a dapperly dressed man encouraging the horses to pull a cart of barrels. Outside of the front door is a brewer with his hands on his hips watching the horses pull away from the business. To the left of the brewer is a little dog running down the walkway. Engraved by Morehead of Lincoln.

Drunkenness was a significant problem in Victorian Lincoln with the passage of the Sale of Beer Act of 1830, which established free trade in beershops and beer. It was passed to promote the sale of malt and hops, cheapen the poor man’s beer, and thus decrease beer sales. What it did do was increase the number of public houses in the city.


No. 4. = Billhead for Geo. Rumble & Co. Chemists, Druggist, Teeth Extracted, Physicians, Prescriptions and Family Recipes accurately dispensed, Superior Siedlitz, Soda and Ginger Beer Powders, Oils, Paints and Colours, Horse and Cattle Medicines. Double sided graphics. Left side has an eagle under a fire and the right side has a motor and pistil.

Slater’s National Directory (1852) Rumble shows up located at 182 High Street and 32 Waterside North under Chemists.


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