Rushden Research Group: J W Bright Mineral Water

J W Bright - Mineral Water

formerly Oldham & Co

The Rushden & Higham Ferrers Gas Companies joined to form a new company and built new gas works in Shirley Road in 1893 along with sidings to provide easy transportation of coal by rail.

The old gas works buildings c1960

The empty old building at the junction of Duck Street and Wellingborough Road was taken over by the mineral water company of Oldham & Co, in 1898 and J W Bright was their agent.

Rushden Argus, 1^st July 1898

Advert - Oldham & Co have now opened their New Factory, fitted up with latest and most improved Machinery, for the production ......

The works at the corner of Church Street and Duck Street, in the old gas works buildings.

Oldham & Co. of Rushden & Sherington (in Buckinghamshire) was advertised in Duck Street in 1903 and in Church Street in 1906 and in Wellingborough Road in 1908. [All the same place; 'Duck Street Roundabout' in 1977]

J W Bright traded from 26 Church Street. He had previously been the local representative for Oldham & Co.

J W Bright - Mineral Water Manufacturers - Rushden
This fine cart was made by F Parker - Builder - Higham Ferrers

J W Bright - Mineral Water Manufacturers - Rushden
Registration number BD2901 c1918

J W Bright - Pure Water glass bottles, a green one and a clear one. He traded from 1900 to around 1936. The green glass bottle is quite rare, and this one has a screw top. More common were the Codd bottles with a marble stopper inside the bottle. Many were broken by young boys, to get the marble to play with.

Oldham & Co. Rushden & Sherington	J W Bright Pure Water clear glass	J W Bright clear glass with screw in stopper	J W Bright Pure Water green glass
"Codd" bottles with a glass stopper, invented by Hiram Codd of Camberwell in about 1872.		Now donated to Rushden Museum.	More rare - green glass bottle with cork stopper.

This photograph has been sent in of an Oldham & Co of Rushden & Sherrington syphon. It also has Barnet & Foster near the base (dug up in 2010),

J W Bright
Ginger Beer
stone bottle

Now donated to Rushden Museum.

A rare coloured glass syphon for dispensing Table Waters.

Rushden Echo, 9th September 1910, transcribed by Peter Brown

OUR MINERAL WATERS aid digestion. Orange champagne, lime juice cordial, lemon squash cordial, cherry cider, ginger ale, lemonade, lime juice, soda water in syphons, stone ginger beer. – J W Bright, Rushden.

Rushden Echo, 31st August 1900, transcribed by Kay Collins

Curious Fatality to a Horse—During the early hours of Sunday night and Monday morning a police-constable in the Wellingboro’-road heard some curious sounds, which eventually he found proceeded from the stable of Messrs Oldham and Co., mineral water manufacturers, at the corner of Church-street and Duck-street. He forced an entrance into the stable and then discovered that a horse there was in a piteous plight and in acute agony. In some unaccountable way it had gots its legs entwined in a rope and had broken its neck in turning its head round, besides which its head was gashed open. The officer at once sent for Mr J W Bright, of Beaconsfield-terrace, the local representative of the firm, but nothing could be done for the poor animal, and it died in great pain. The horse was worth about £30.

local bottle collections

Index of All Traders