FURTHER INFORMATION RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT.
A 9th Plate
Daguerrotype portrait image of Thomas Neale Junior (1802-1854), taken circa
1840, has recently come to light, having been sold on eBay for the princely
sum of £188. The size of the image is 2.5” x 2”.
(The Daguerrotype was the first
commercially successful photographic process (1839-1860) in the history of Photography.
Named after the inventor Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, each daguerreotype is a
unique image on a silvered copper plate.)
Also, in a separate auction lot, from
the same source, a contemporary (but undated) letter written by a Mr Chambers, throws further
light onto to the Reigate Brewery’s early days and its connection with the
Reigate & Darking Bank.
To recap - After Charlotte
Matilda Bunn married Mr Thomas Neale Jnr., of Reigate, the friendship between them
and Mr Chambers continued. Mr Thomas Neale was a partner with his father (also
Thomas Neale), and his brother William in the Reigate Brewery, Mr Thomas Neale
Senior being also a partner in the Reigate Bank. The partnership in the brewery
commenced in 1830, Mr Thomas Neale Jnr’s capital being provided partly, by
himself, and also by £1,000, his wife’s property, and a loan from Thomas Neale
Senior.
Mr Thomas Neale Senior was supposed
to have a large capital in the bank but a sudden call for £1000 by one of the
contractors for the Brighton Railway then in the course of construction,
created a difficulty.
It is with regard to this that Mr
Chambers writes:
“My Uncle Frank (brother in law of Mrs Thomas Neale) borrowed the money
for the day, but the arrangement was made too late to go to Reigate by coach
and there were no telegrams in those days, so a gig was engaged in which I
started off, taking a man with me; it was a bitter evening in February, the
snow deep and the waters of the Mole out beyond Croydon, but I got down about
11 and started back at 5 the next morning with the requisite securities and was
at my office in Mincing Lane in good time. In consequence of this difficulty it
was decided that I should examine the bank accounts also…” (Mr Chambers had
made up the accounts of the Brewery for some years hitherto) “… and to our
great astonishment and regret it was found that instead of Mr Thomas Neale
Senior having capital in the Bank, there was a heavily overdrawn account. This
required to be immediately dealt with. There was the Public Houses which had
not been included in the capital but a Banker could not be borrowing money on
Mortgage so I arranged for the purchase of them by Mr Thomas Neale Jnr. who,
through his brother in law Mr E. Watts, obtained an advance upon them to put Mr
Neale Senior’s account at the bank on the right side. The Brewery, apart from
the Public Houses, was purchased by Mr Thomas Neale Jnr. and his brother
William.
“Unhappily old Mr Neale again speculated and persons in connection with
the London & County Bank having discovered that there was again an
overdrawn account, the doors of the bank were closed.
“I could say much on this subject but it is not necessary at present.
Suffice it to say that I was in a position to enable Thomas Neale Jnr. to once
again say that whatever might be due by his father to the Bank should be ready
for the payment of the first dividend, which was done greatly to the
establishment of Mr Thomas Neale Jnr’s credit.
“Not having the bank to draw on any longer it was thought desirable to
bring a monied partner into the brewery and I had various negotiations open
with this object and, in order to show the capital already engaged, an entry
was passed in the Brewery books bringing in the value of the Public Houses.”
At about this time, Mr Frank
Chambers returned from India and went into business in London. Mr Chambers
writes about this:
“I was for some years my Uncle Frank’s right hand, assisting him in
every possible way until, contrary to all I had waged against it, he threw
himself into the hands of Overend Gurney & Co., when I thought it right to
take no further part or to be mixed up in his proceedings. For a time all
seemed to go smoothly, but a crash came when I again did all I could to lessen
the difficulties and the two creditors for whom I felt most sympathy were Mr de
St Croix and Mr Mellersh and for whom I strove to the utmost to be of service,
Mr Mellersh’s case was extremely painful, the greater part of his capital had
been put into my Uncle’s business with a view to partnership, and there was no
prospect of recovery of any of any material part; he was with me I might almost
say, night and day, coming to me early in the morning and going home with me in
the evening, saying his marriage must be given up and he must try to get a
clerk’s berth at £100 or £150 a year. I said what I could to cheer him and keep
him up and never gave him the cold shoulder but was always ready to listen to
him and always on the watch for something that might turn up in his favour and
he often said that he looked for help from me more than through any other
channel, while I on my part had formed the highest opinion of his integrity and
was purposed to offer the strongest testimony in his favour.”
“While matters were pending (re a Partner for the Reigate Brewery) Mr
Mellersh’s position was dwelling on my mind and it led to my visiting Mrs
Neale, the health of her husband being then in a very critical state,
explaining exactly how matters stood, that while on the one hand if we obtained
a larger amount of capital which would be immediately productive, on the other,
by the management of of one in whom we had entire confidence the business might
in time be even better developed. I recommended a reference to Mr Watts as to
the view he might take in the matter; the reply was that Mr Neale was satisfied
to leave it all in my hands, accordingly the entry bringing in the Public
Houses was written back, Mr Neale only taking a rent from them and a
partnership was found accommodated to Mr Mellersh’s reduced capital, to having
the benefit of the much larger capital on which Mr Neale took only Interest.”
At this time Mr Chambers made
provision for Sisson, son of Thomas Neale Jnr., to become a partner in the Brewery
when he came of age, he being then eleven years old and considered delicate.
Mr Chambers never ceased to take
an interest in the Reigate Brewery and for many years audited the books.
In consequence of the provision
made, as above, by Mr Chambers, Sisson Neale became in due course a partner in
the Brewery which has since been turned into a Limited Company and has
continued to prosper.
