John Coleman Blanchflower (b. 1847, d. August 22, 1925)
John Coleman Blanchflower (son of Maria Lamb) was born 1847 in Maldon, Essex,England, and died August 22, 1925. He married Alice Louisa Courtman on July 01, 1875 in St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk,England, daughter of William Michael Courtman.
Notes for John Coleman Blanchflower: When John married Alice, in 1875, he was 27 years old, and was active in the manufacturing of foods. He was then living on Albion Road in Great Yarmouth
GREAT YARMOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1981
J.C. BLANCHFLOWER & SONS Preserved Provision Manufacturers
Family tradition has it that my great-great grandfather, a chemist first thought that local bloaters could be potted and preserved, during a dull sermon at the Wesleyen Church in the early 1860's. It is clear that the business was well established by 1868, as the family had a magnificent flat gold and white bloater paste lid of fine china with a picture of a Yarmouth sailing drifter, and showing that the product was entered in Stationers Hall in that year. Later in the century the business diversified to include the preservation of "Salt herrings in brine, herrings in tomato sauce, digby chicks, haddocks, codfish, turbot, laitance de hareng, sauces, sausages, lunch and ox tongues, game and soup.", which must have kept the factory at 95, 96 and 97 King Street busy. The preservation method also progressed as this extract from an early 1900's handbill that I have shows, "The old fashioned flat pots will not keep and frequently when opened are found sour and mouldy, and perhaps weeks old when bought, which is a great annoyance both to buyer and seller." The process had therefore become "In earthenware Vases, hermetically sealed in tins, which will keep good any length of time. The great objection nearly everyone has to Tinned Goods is entirely done away with, the contents never come in contact with the tin. The tins being made of thin tin can be easily opened anywhere with a pocket knife or scissors, when a clean neat earthenware vase with a stopper complete, ready for the table presents itself. These tin can be kept at home until a table delicacy is required for use, when a tin can be opened." A price list for March 1913 lists "a 7 lb box of extra selected Yarmouth bloaters or kippers 3/6 post paid, a 4 lb box 2/- post paid or mixed bloater and kipper, potted meat 9/- per dozen large vases and bloater paste 9/- per dozen hermetically sealed." That year is usually considered to be the peak of the herring industry boom, after which international competition and indiscriminate fishing brought about a steady decline in stocks. The business was sold to the Co-op about First World War time. The factory was blitzed during the last war and the site has since been rebuilt. Any details of the company, its manufacturing process and the now valuable pots and vases would be most welcome. Andy Blanchflower
MORE
The 1881 British Census shows John Coleman Blanchflower living at 2 Camden Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk being married, 33 years old, and the manufacturer of Preserved Provisions Employing 6 men, 7 women and 4 boys. He had to walk about two blocks to the plant! Along with family members, a young 15 year old Miss Edith Emily Bridge was living with them
SHORTAGE
The nine pages enclosed show advertising and patent application. Unfortunately, I am unable to get a copy of their business Letter Head. If you ever happen to see an earthenware jug with the name "Blanchflowers" or a herring drifter on it, it is well worth while to purchase it, as there are not many around!
More About John Coleman Blanchflower: Date born 2: 1847
More About John Coleman Blanchflower and Alice Louisa Courtman: Marriage: July 01, 1875, St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk,England.
Children of John Coleman Blanchflower and Alice Louisa Courtman are:
John Coleman Blanchflower (b. 1847, d. August 22, 1925)
Notes for John Coleman Blanchflower: