Documents relating to James Caldwell and William Bent
Regarding their mutual business including breweries
William Bent was a younger son of Dr. James Bent who built Basford Hall, c. 1781. He built a Potworks on the site of the present Borough Arms Hotel in 1790 or 1791. The concern did not prosper and in 1797 the partnership of Bent and James Bulkley, who supplied the capital, was dissolved. Shortly afterwards William Bent converted the pottery into a brewery. This new venture was a great success. The brewing concern run in partnership with James Caldwell consisted of 4 breweries in Newcastle-underLyme, Shrewsbury, Macclesfield and Liverpool. One of the backers in the business was James Caldwell's distant cousin Dr Crompton (Peter Crompton?). The brewery business features much in James Caldwell's diaries and it would appear that James Caldwell and William Bent were very close friends however by 1818 the business had begun to lose money. William Bent died unexpectedly on the 24 February, 1820, aged 56, and was buried in St Giles's churchyard, Newcastle. The brewery was put up for auction in 1824 but failed to find a purchaser. It was let to tenants and by 1836 had been sold to Messrs Rogers, Baker & Hindle.
James Caldwell and William Bent buying land
Staffordshire Record Office D593/B1/13/63/1. Dated 24 December
1802. Large parchment document.
Charlotte Susanna Beard of Chester, only child of the late Nathaniel
Beard of Newcastle-under-Lyme, sold land for £420 to Messers
James Caldwell of Linley Wood, William Bent of Newcastle, John Barrow
of Newcastle. The land concerned was Red Flatt, Brampton.
It had been previously owned by Thomas Emery. Also sold was
Kings Field part of which had previously been under the tenure of
John Mason, Victualler and another part under the tenure of John
Beckett, Grocer. The land is described in the document as being
"six several days work of land in the Brampton and Kings Field
within the Borough and Parish of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The
actual sale is recorded as being to " Mr Thomas Sparrow in trust
for Messers Caldwell, Bent and Barrow".
James Caldwell and William Bent buying land
Staffordshire Record Office D593/B1/13/63/2. Dated 25 July
1803. Large parchment document.
This seems to be a lease of some land owned by the Third Friendly
Society. The document is headed "The surviving trustees of
the Third Friendly Society in Newcastle-under-Lyme to Mr Thomas
Sparrow in trust for Messers Caldwell, Bent & Barrow".
"Convergence by Feoffment of four days work of land in the
King's Field in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Assignment of a term of five
hundred years to attend the Indenture £215".
James Caldwell and William Bent thanking those who helped
during a fire
Broadsheet published after a severe fire at the Brewery. This
reads as follows:
"Mr Bent and Mr Caldwell are desirous to lose not a moment in
returning their most hearty thanks to the Volunteers, to their
friends and neighbours, and to the inhabitants of the town of
Newcastle, and the Potteries in general, for their kind and ready
assistance, as well as great and effacious exertions on the
calamitous accident with happened last night; and of which Mr Bent
and Mr Caldwell beg to assure them that they shall ever retain
grateful remembrance. Brewery, Tuesday Morning, September 16th, 1806
James Caldwell selling land to William Bent
Staffordshire Record Office D593/B1/13/63/3. Dated 25 December
1818. Large parchment document.
Sale of land by James Caldwell. Convergence by grant and
release from James Caldwell Esq to William Bent Esq of an undivided
fourth part of a close of land in the lately inclosed Stoney
Fields. Consideration £187.9.3
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