OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

WILLIAM SWEET (1842-1904)

In contradiction of the oft repeated claim that Mr William Sweet established his tailoring and outfitting business in Plymouth in 1835, Mr William Sweet was not in fact born until 1842 at Saint Neot, in Cornwall.  His father, Mr John Sweet, was an agricultural labourer.  He was the only boy in a family of six girls, all born in Saint Neot.  His immediately older sister, Miss Sarah Sweet, born in 1840, married a Mr William Morcom, a sawyer, of Gwennap, Cornwall, and at the time of the census in 1861 was living at Barn Street, Liskeard, and 19-years-old William was boarding with them.  He was described as a 'Taylor' (the way of spelling tailor in those days).

However, Mr Sweet was in Plymouth by 1864, in which year, on September 25th, he married Miss Salome Ann Webber at the Anglican Church of Saint Peter the Apostle, Wyndham Square, Plymouth.

Their first home, and presumably William's first business premises, was at number 19 Frankfort Street, Plymouth, where they were recorded in the 1871 census.  The couple already had their first two sons, Albert William Sweet, born 1865, and Frederick John Sweet, born 1869.  They soon had another son, Willie James Sweet , born in 1871 but soon lost their eldest son, Albert William Sweet, when he died in 1874 at the age of just 8 years.  He was buried in the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery on May 1st 1874.

Next came Bertie George Sweet in 1875 and their only daughter, Lilly Ann Sweet, in 1876.  Albert Thomas Sweet was born on February 21dt 1878 but not baptized until December 28th 1887 at the Anglican Church of Saint Peter the Apostle.  He later inserted "John" between his Christian names and was married as Mr Albert John Thomas Sweet to Miss Edith Margaret Louise Goffin at Charles' Church on April 16th 1918.

Cecil Ira George Sweet was born in Plymouth on October 15th 1882 and baptized at the Anglican Church of Saint Peter the Apostle on October 14th 1886.

Lastly came Harold Albert Sweet, also referred to as Harold George Sweet and George Harold Sweet, born in Plymouth on October 12th 1885.

In 1891 William's eldest son, Mr Frederick John Sweet, now a qualified tailor, married Miss Henrietta Amelia Quantick, the daughter of beer house landlord, Mr William Quantick, of 63 Union Street, Plymouth.  She is believed to have been a dressmaker at the time of the marriage.  He then joined his father's business, which became Messrs William Sweet and Son.

Further expansion came after William's number three son, Mr Bertie George Sweet, was on February 7th 1896 awarded a diploma from the Tailor's Systematic Cutting Class in Herbert Street where he learned 'the art of scientific and systematic cutting necessary for the Cutting Room'.

In 1897 Sweet's were advertising a "Wool-lined Cycling Suit" for 32 shillings (that's one old pound and twelve old shillings in English money).  They were also giving away lamp lighting tables showing the times between which cyclists had to display lights.

By January 1899 the business had opened a branch at number 25 Victoria Street, Paignton, Devon.  This was run by Mr Frederick John Sweet, William's eldest son, and covered both ladies' and gents' outfitting, and by 1901 it had also opened a branch at 83-84 West Street, Tavistock.

Mr William Street died on September 27th 1904 at the age of 62 years.  The funeral took place on October 1st 1904 at the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery.