Found this in the Times London for 1812 regarding Richard Noble wine and spirit merchant forming part of a committee taking the West India Dock Company to task - makes for interesting reading about their plans. Copy was quite hard to read in parts but I have done my best to transcribe! Interestingly another one of the members has the surname Cawthorn - perhaps a family member of William Nathaniel's future wife? or coincidence? were they 2 families in the spirit trade perhaps?
The Times London 26 August 1812
Hambro Coffee House Aug 12 1812 – At a meeting this day of the importers of wines and spirits in the Port of London, convened principally for the purpose of taking into consideration the grievous injury and injustice sustained by them, their connections and the Public at large, from the monopoly of the West India Dock Company.
Walker Gray, Esq. in the chair.
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted: -
That security to property, reduced charges and facility to trade as appears by the preamble? to the Act of Parliament for the incorporation of the West India Dock Co., were its professed objects and promised advantages to the Public.
That the warehouses at the West India Docks are very much exposed to the influence of the sun and air and consequently quite unfit for the custody of strong spirits like Rum and moreover that there is not even sufficient accommodation, such as it is, to contain the whole importing: but that a considerable proportion thereof is left exposed for months together in the open air and that during the summer season when protection from the weather is so indispensably necessary.
That independent of the radical objection to the construction of the West India Docks, as far as relates to the custody of Rum, the distance is not only attended with very great inconvenience but the consequent increased expense of carriage is a tax on trade of no inconsiderable magnitude.
That the loss on Rum at the West India Docks by excessive evaporation, leakage, and waste combined with exorbitant charges grows and notorious abuses and mismanagement is not only too great to be any longer submitted to by the Dealers in Rum and their connections but that the said Docks, as far as relates to this important branch of Commerce and Revenue, are justly to be considered as a great Public Evil.
That owing to the frequent and great deficiencies, both in strength and quality of Rums delivered from the West India Dock, the merchants are assailed with perpetual complaints, none the less harassing to them from the consciousness that their connections have such just and serious case to be dissatisfied.
That the merchants, having no other alternative left, are reluctantly compelled for their own complete justification as traders, to resort to this pubic exposure of facts after having so long in vain, endeavored to procure redress by other means.
That a subscription be forthwith entered into to defray the expenses of an application, if necessary, to Parliament, or of such other measures as may be deemed requisite under the present circumstances.
That the Annual Subscription payable on the 1st Jan be entered into and
?? opened for the signatures of the wine and spirit merchants and others interested in that a perpetual fund may be established for the resistance of any future encroachments on their property and just rights, and also for the maintenance of the reputation and property of the Port of London, whether invaded by the monopoly of the West India Dock Co. or in any other manner: and for general purposes of the Wine and Spirit trades that the following Gentlemen do constitute of committee for carrying into effect the objects of this meeting, viz
Messrs James Arboise Messrs Solomon Peile
Thomas Bradley Thomas Ramsey
George Bridges Ald John Keay
William George Bunyon John Scott
Robert Butcher Thomas Smith Ald
William Cawthorn Anthony Soulby
John Gowen James Stonehouse
John Gray John Talver
William Hayes John Tennant
Christopher Idle William Timson
R G Johnson Joshua Watson
William Mordall John Wild
Richard Noble
That a general meeting of the Wine and Spirit trades be held annually on the 1st Wednesday in January in order to receive the report of the Treasurer and to continue the members of the committee or select others in their room as may be deemed necessary by a majority of subscribers then present.
That the
of this meeting be given to Walker Gray, Esq. for his able conduct in the chair.
That the above resolutions be published in the newspapers and otherwise at the discretion of the committee.
John Gowen, secretary
Subscriptions received by Mr John Tennant, No 6 Tower Hill, Treasurer or by Mr John Gowen, No 59 Mark Lane, Secretary to the committee
