Charles Mumby set up business in Gosport in 1849 as a chemist and manufacturer of mineral waters. His shop was at 47/48 High Street. His supply of water was a large bore hole in the yard at the back of the shop, which had rear access from North Street. At 345 feet he hit natural water in the chalk subsoil. He installed machinery to increase the production of natural ice. He produced famous soda water, ginger beer and lemonade, selling across the south of England. He supplied the Army and the Navy, receiving a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. The manufacture of mineral waters continued at his original premises in the High Street, and an office was opened up at Portsmouth, first at 71 St George’s Square, then, from the late 1870s, at 34 The Hard. Charles Mumby was a Poor Law Guardian, a magistrate, a County Councillor for Hampshire, and sat on innumerable public and social committees. Charles retired in 1885 leaving the business to his son Everitt. It was floated as a company in 1898.
Mumby’s glass mineral water bottles, such as the Hamilton bottle above, have a distinctive anchor shape on them. The Hamilton, or ‘Torpedo’ bottle, was designed to prevent it from being stood up. This ensured that the liquid remained in contact with the cork so that pressure was not lost. This also meant that the contents had to be consumed before the bottle could be laid down again. The shape also aided the packing of the bottles in crates, keeping transport costs down. The bottles were heavily embossed with the maker’s details.
Everitt Mumby died in 1906 leaving the business to his son Cyril. Cyril was appointed Managing Director in 1907. He lived in Stanley House next to Holy Trinity Church. The business passed out of the family in 1939, when he died, but continued to trade under the Mumby name until the 1960s.
The last remaining part of the Mumby Mineral water Company is the building in Mumby Road, until recently, used as Arthur’s Chandlery. The side wall and windows to Mumby’s factory formed part of Chapman’s Alley/Brewhouse Yard boundary.
The Mumby’s ephemera and objects that were on display in Gosport Discovery Centre’s Museum on the Mezzanine (no longer there) were resucued from the attic offices of this building by Museum Staff, when it was derelict and awaiting conversion to Arthur’s Chandlery.
Original page created by David Moore.