OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: June 01, 2022
Webpage updated: July 04, 2022

        

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

HENRY MATTHEWS (1821-1909)

Henry Matthews was born at Chudleigh, Devon, on October 21st 1821, the youngest of six children born to Mr Francis Matthews, baker, and his wife, the former Miss Maria Burnell, of Bovey Tracey, Devon.

The young Henry followed the same trade as his father but he was more adventurous and ambitious so in 1841 he left Chudleigh and walked to London to seek his fortune.  How he fared we do not know but he returned to Chudleigh to assist his father and then went back to London again.

Although Miss Eliza Cosway Rugg was born in Chudleigh and their marriage banns were called in Exeter on November 7th 1841, they did not get married until 1845 and at Chelsea, Middlesex.  That same year they moved to Plymouth and purchased the small confectionery business run by Mr Daniel Copp in the High Street.  Early in 1847 58-years-old Mr Daniel Copp and was buried in the churchyard at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle on January 4th 1847.  Mr Matthews started baking bread as well as cakes, assisted by a young boy, who may have been Mr Copps apprentice, William Southey.

When the census came to be taken on Sunday March 30th 1851, Henry and his wife Eliza were living at number 43 High Street, Plymouth, where he employed 2 men and 2 apprentices.  20-years-old Mr Joseph Stribling, a journeyman baker, and 18-years-old Walter Robins and 16-years-old William Whidbourne, apprentices, all lived with the Matthews family.  Henry and Eliza had one daughter, Phoebe Eliza Matthews, born 1848; and one son, Henry John Rugg Matthews, born 1849.  There was also a female house servant, 22-years-old Miss Jane Morgan. 

After only a couple of years business was booming and Henry bought number 67 High Street and pulled down the old bakehouse and rebuilt it with the latest equipment.  His trade increased still further so he bought the adjoining antiquated houses and a beer shop, one after the other, until he owned everything down as far as the Palace Street Buildings.  The improvements he made to them were considered of public benefit.  In addition, number 43 High Street was getting fuller with both family and live-in staff.  The census taken on Sunday April 7th 1861 reveals that Henry's older brother, Mr Francis Matthews, had joined him as a baker and shopman.  In addition, Miss Sarah J Rowes and Miss Elizabeth J Harris had joined them as both bakers and shopwomen.  Henry and Eliza and young Phoebe, now a scholar, had been joined by Alfred Francis Matthews, born 1857; William Matthews, born 1858; and Anna Louisa Matthews, born 1859; while the domestic staff now consisted of a nursemaid and a cook.

It is said that as his trade grew so Henry became unimpressed by the frontage of the shop in High Street so he rented number 12 Bedford Street, which he opened as a restaurant.  He later acquired the premises and the one next door at number 11, and rebuilt them both as a restaurant and retail shop.  The census taken on Sunday April 2nd 1871 records the family living at Sexton Terrace, Compton Gifford.  Living at home at that time were: 19-years-old Elizabeth Matthews; 17-years-old twins Joseph John Matthews and Charles Thomas Matthews; 11-years-old Anna Louisa Matthews; 9-years-old Arthur E Matthews; and 7-years-old Walter E Matthews.

By 1890 Mr Mattjhews had added another branch at number 27 Glanville Street to his empire.

The following glowing description of Mr Matthews' business, published in "Industries of the South Coast and West of England" in 1891, is worthy of being quoted in full:

‘Prominent among the representative business men of Plymouth stands Mr H Matthews of High Street and Bedford Street, who has achieved renown both as a restaurateur and as a manufacturer of jams and confectionery.  The bakehouse adjoining the confectionery works is famous in Plymouth and district for its high-class output in bread and (cakes) of all descriptions.  This bakehouse is equipped with the most (efficient) appliances known in the trade.  Mr Matthews’ fame as a public (figure) needs no indication in these pages, for his restaurant at 11 and 12 Bedford Street, close to the new Guildhall, is one of the leading gastronomic institutions of Plymouth.  The notable feature of this well-appointed, commodious, and conveniently situated establishment is the daily table d’hôte, served at separate tables at the moderate price of two shillings and sixpence, and affording a varied and excellent menu, the high-class character of which is admirably maintained.  Luncheons, dinners, etc., are also served in faultless style à la carte, and the restaurant is noted equally for the choice quality of its viands.  The kitchens are s splendidly equipped and most capably supervised, and the whole establishment is one of which its enterprising and experienced proprietor may well be proud.  Mr Matthews has fully earned the success he has achieved in every department of this thriving business, and he deservedly enjoys the support and confidence of a large and influential connection.  It is nearly half a century since Mr Matthews started his important fruit-preserving and confectionery making works in High Street, and during that period he has developed an establishment which is one of the best-organised factories of the kind we have ever seen and which has, moreover, gained a distinguished reputation for the perfect purity and fine quality of its productions.  Mr Matthews spares no effort to maintain such a creditable celebrity, and in this notable department of his business he controls an exceedingly large trade, with wide-spread and influential connections.  He makes every description of jams, marmalades, etc., using the finest fruits and the best refined sugar, and carrying on all the processes of manufacture under conditions which cannot fail to ensure continuously satisfactory results.  The confectionery department is also a very important feature, and embraces the production of a large variety of boiled sugar goods, pastilles, jujubes, lozenges, creams, etc., of the best quality.  The firm’s chocolate dessert squares have been a highly successful speciality.'

In 1895 he was advertising Table d'Hote lunches from 1 to 4pm for 2s 6d, including Sundays, and soups, fish, cold meats, entrees and chops and steaks from the grill.  By then he was employing some 100 people at his bakery, confectionery and preserve works in Palace Street plus many more at the restaurant in Bedford Street.

During 1897 he acquired the Old Sugar Refinery in Mill Street, Plymouth.

Christmas 1897 saw him advertising 'All those who wish to send their friends abroad one of Matthews's celebrated plum puddings should give their orders at once ... '.  A 2 pound pudding sent to Gibraltar cost 3 sillings 3 pence or one could be sent to China for 3 shillings 10 pence.  The same sent to Australia or New Zealand would cost 4 shillings.  Larger sizes were available up to 7l pounds, which cost 11 shillings 8 pence to Australia and New Zealand or 13 shillings 5 pence to Cape Town and Natal.  The advertisements claimed that Matthews sold over two tons of their plum puddings ever year.  For the home market a fully cooked pudding, in its half-melon mould, cost one shilling per pound in the shop or one shilling and four pence sent by parcel post.

The factory in Palace Street comprised four floors.  On the ground floor was the machinery for manufacturing the confectionery items; on the first floor was a warehouse in which sugar and glucose were stored; on the second floor was the chocolate works; on the top floor was more machinery for making confectionery products and also facilities for treating starch.  The building was linked to the packaging department by a bridge across the narrow Middle Lane to the north.  With Christmas only days away, the factory had been working until 8pm and on the evening of Thursday December 21st 1899 Mr Dyer was the manager who locked up at the end of the day.

At around 9pm that evening the alarm was raised - the top floor of the building was in flames.  It was thought that this might have been caused by the boiling of the starch.  First on the scene was the hose-reel from the Central Fire Station, quickly followed by the steam fire engine accompanied by the Chief Constable, Mr Sowerby.  They were soon joined by hose-reels from the Barbican, the Hoe, the Octagon, Harbour Avenue, and Mutley.  The Stonehouse Fire Engine arrived about fifteen minutes after the alarm was raised.  Mr Charles Thomas Matthews, one of the partners, and Mr Page, manager of the jam department, rescued thirteen horses from the stables in Higher Street.  The building was completely destroyed.

Mrs Eliza Cosway Matthews died at Warwick Park, Honicknowle, on January 9th 1903, at the age of 81 years, and was buried in the churchyard of the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Budeaux on Tuesday January 13th 1903.

Mr Henry Matthews passed away at his home, Warwick Park, Honicknowle, on Wednesday February 24th 1909.  He was 87 years of age.  On Friday February 26th 1909 he was buried at Saint Budeaux Parish Church, at which he was a regular attendant, in the same grave as his late wife.  Among those present at the ceremony was Councillor Solomon Stephens (1864-1950), who represented the National Association of Bakers and Confectioners of Great Britain and Ireland.

Messrs Henry Matthews and Sons Limited was continued by Henry's three eldest sons: Mr Henry John Rugg Matthews (1849-1933), listed in the 1911 census as a "Wholesale Confectioner"; Mr Charles Thomas Matthews (1853-1941), listed as "Director and Secretary, Baker, Confectioner and Restaurant (Proprietor)"; and Alfred Francis Matthews (1857-1947), "Director, Baker and Confectioner".