Penzance

Penzance has so far produced possibly the most impressive selection of chemist artefacts in any part of Cornwall, in particular the town’s pot lids seem more numerous in types and exceptional in quality.

Boots

The inevitable national chain has put in an appearance in the way of this late labeled bottle.

Buckett

Alfred Henry Buckett is listed at various addresses in Penzance between 1873 and 1906.

Goodwin

W.F. Goodwin of 62 Chapel Street are somewhat of an enigma and do not appear in any of the trade directories consulted during the compilation of this CD.

Goodwin button lid

Harvey

Joseph Smith Harvey is known from bottles recovered bearing the details of ‘Harvey’s Cornish Rennet’, he operated from premises in Market Jew Street from around 1873 to 1902 having been listed in North Street in 1856.

W.H. Johnstone

William Hope Johnstone is listed in 1897 as a chemist and dentist operating from 38 Market Place, Penzance and in 1902 as operating from, or living at, 55 Morab Rd, Penzance. He is known from a stunning, and currently unique, pot lid pictured below.

Knight

Charles Knight is listed in 1883 & 1889 as operating from premises in Market Place Penzance.

Opie

A. Opie & Co are listed from 1914 until at least 1926 operating from various premises in and around Penzance. The bottles below are presumably post-1926 as they include an address not identified during the research for this CD (Causeway Head).

Prockter

John Prockter was a perfumer rather than a chemist but must be included here if only for the excuse to display what must be Cornwall’s finest pot lid. I believe there are two known examples of this stunning pictorial, marbled lid in collections. He is listed at premises in Penzance between 1852 and 1873.

The other Prockter item known in small numbers is the miniature stoneware flagon shown further below.

Prockter pot lid

Prockter miniature flagon

Prockter miniature flagon with Johnstone pot lid for scale

Stephens / Stephens, Saunders & Motton

Although actually veterinary surgeons, the company are included here due to their extensive legacy of medicine bottles including the enormous examples as shown below, their bottles bearing the MRCVS initials.

In 1914, John Stephens is listed as operating from Rosevean House, Penzance, R.Glave Saunders is listed at 1 Pendarves Rd, Penzance and Samuel John Motton is listed at 60 Morrab Rd, Penzance.

In 1926 the three are listed as operating from the Rosevean House address together.

J.Stephens large medicine bottle

The same bottle with a standard ginger beer bottle for scale

A more normal size bottle from Stephens, Saunders & Motton

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