• Article |
• Discussion |
• Edit |
• History

The premises of Cox & Bowring in Irongate in 1906, later the Irongates Hotel and Irongates Tavern. The building still stands today

A trade display promoting Offilers' beers and Cox & Bowring soft drinks, probably from the 1950s

A cheery advert for Cox & Bowrings leading brand Arcadia table water

Cox & Bowring was once a well-known wines and spirits merchants with a countrywide reputation. Its name was particularly familiar in Derby, for there the company was founded.

It began trading as a wine merchants in the 1760s, at the Virgin's Inn on the Market Place. That ancient hostelry, once described as 'the most venerable of Derby's inns', was demolished circa 1884.

The inn's owner William Brentnall was already operating a vintner's business from the premises when he sold it in 1763 to the entrepreneur William Cox of Brailsford. Cox's main business was as a lead refiner, his most celebrated legacy to Derby being the building of the shot tower in 1809, now demolished.

Being entrepreneurial of spirit, Cox decided to continue running the wine merchants business form the Virgin Inn, and over the remainder of his life he built it up into a large concern. At his death his sons continued it, and in due course Sir Clement Bowring became a partner, thus forming the Cox & Bowring name. Bowring was an attorney and a wealthy backer of the Conservative Party.

Other partners also entered into the business, and at various times it had less enduring arms operating as Cox & Malin and Cox & Garrard.

The firm became so successful that by the time of its centenary it needed large purpose-built premises. To that end, in 1877, offices and a bottling plant were constructed at 12-14 Irongate, from which premises the firm also operated the well-known Irongates Hotel. It later became the Irongates Tavern, and the building remains today.

Cox & Bowring diversified from the wines and spirits market into soft drinks, becoming particularly identified with their 'Arcadia Table Water' brand. They continued trading well into the twentieth century, although the precise date of their demise is not known.

Cox & Bowring were once a leading concern in Derby, yet few memories of them seem to have endured.

Do you know anything more of the history of the firm? When did they cease trading? Perhaps they were taken over by one of today's familiar names. Do you remember Arcadia Table Water?

If you have anything to add concerning this 'forgotten' Derby business, just click on 'edit' or 'discussion' to share your knowledge.

• Cox
• Derbyshire Pubs - Your Stories Wanted!

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

County:  Derbyshire