Bratt grocers

[ligurian]

Hi all,

Does anyone know of any sources of info or photos of a family of grocers in the Manchester area during the mid 19th C please?

In particular there was a company called Bratt and Hobson Ltd who were wholesale grocers and grocery, cheese, ham, bacon and tea dealers.  It also seems this company was an agent for WA Gilbey Ltd wine and spirit merchants.  The Bratt and Hobson company would seem to be at least part owned by Peter Bratt of Bowden and had shops/stores at over a dozen addresses including Manchester Road, Swan Street, Broad Street, Chester Road, Oldham Street, Pinmill Brow, Regent Road, Stockport Road, Wilmslow Road, Great Ancoats Street, Market Street, Victoria Street, Stretford Road and Chapel Street.

However there is also evidence of another firm which was probably related - Bratt and Dobb who were also tea dealers and grocers at 89 Chorlton Road with a Thomas Bratt one of the partners.

It did seem that the Bratts were well-established as shopkeepers as there's further evidence of a greengrocer called William Bratt at 30 Greek Street, Amy Bratt a shopkeeper at 19 Silas Street, Albert Bratt a grocer at 88 Bolton Road, James Bratt a grocer at 74 Water Street and Daniel Bratt a shopkeeper in  Butler Street.

Can anyone shed any light on this family of traders which certainly seems to have disappeared from today's shopping streets?

Regards,

Ian

[waiteohman]

Hello Ian

I imagine the businesses you mention would have advertised in a local newspaper. Advertisements can sometimes include affiliations.

I don't live in England, but maybe a local library in Manchester would have back issues of the local newspapers or historic trade directories.

There is this trade directory:
1848: Isaac Slater: Manchester and London 1848
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/ncl/TradeDir1.html

Library contacts are given on the above link. You could contact a library holding this item to see if your businesses are indexed. Hopefully the time period isn't too early. Or maybe they have later directories in their collection or you may find other directories of interest on the above website.

Linda

[ligurian]

Thanks Linda,

I must apologise as I thought I'd replied at the time and haven't really been back here for ages...

Yes I've spotted a few of the trade and business directories on another website but I'm always open to new sites with these trade directories.  Or any Bratts and Hobsons (or anyone else) out there who can shed a little light on these families.  I'm descended from a Bratt but I'm not after my share of anything!!  (Joking) I'm really just looking to see how where my Bratt line fits with these other Bratts.

Naturally from a historical perspective it would be intriguing to know just what happened to all these grocery shops - did they retire, become bankrupt, were they taken over, did they sell out?  These things happen and its funny to think that some businesses go on to become Marks and Spencers or Tescos while others simply disappear.

Regards,

Ian

[waiteohman]

Hello Ian

Your welcome.

No. of Company: 88871; Bratt & Hobson, Ltd.

There is a file at the National Arcives in the files for dissolved companies. Coverage date is 1906.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=6139412&CATLN=6&Highlight=&FullDetails=True

Linda

[ligurian]

Hi Linda,

Once again thanks and once again I thought I'd get an email from Rootschat so sorry I'm only just replying.  I'll just have to check my profile to see why its not working...

I now know when it ceased trading so now I might order up a copy and see why!

Regards,

Ian

[odessa]

Hi,

I know this is an oldish thread but I think your Peter Bratt may have originated in Northwich, Cheshire where his brother Henry had a Drapers Store.

I have a marriage at St Paul's, Dane Bridge, Northwich on 3 DEC 1860 Peter Bratt/full/bach/Grocer/Manchester/Peter Bratt/Shoemaker to Eliza Marrow/full/spinster/James Marrow/Painter?. By Licence. Witnessed by Peter Malone & Annie Malam.



odessa.