Back at the very original site I’d abandoned because it was too dangerous and a midge-ridden midden, I took another recent explore and decided to vault the bank to get a look above. I was amazed to find that, even though a lot of old stuff was in the bank at river level, most of it had amassed up near the top where it was originally chucked off. I found a mid point between the steep top section and the slippery clay mud bank where I’d found my first poison bottle. I was able to get a good foothold and I was soon to discover the most amazing finds I’ve found to date, this was it! I found the dream dump – AND I had permission to dig there on private land. I was like a kid in a sweetshop, there were bottles all over the ground. I thought back on how I’d learnt the ropes (almost literally) on those hard banks, and how far I’d come (quite literally) in my search for bottles. People that know me might say that I can get quite obsessed with things, and like to go down the rabbit hole so-to-speak. Well, today I was creating my own rabbit holes. Before, the river masked any sounds I was making but now, being higher up, I had to be more careful and subtle, by placing the broken glass on the mud and not being too loud with the shovel. I’ve found some of the oldest stuff here to date and am really excited to go back.
Bovril and Marmite Jars (4oz)
This was my very firs Marmite discovery. I’d already found a Bovril jar in Surrey but these two were still awesome to find – notice the taller neck and flat sides. They are so lovely to look at.
A ceramic egg
My friend John told me that someone on Instagram found a similar thing – called a pot egg – apparently used to encourage chickens to lay. I first thought it was a salt shaker but I need to properly clean it up. I also found my first button on a dig.
Vintage “Tablespoons” medicine bottle
This might be my largest and best preserved bottle. The fragments I’d found earlier in the year were a great indication of this – it was so amazing to find a full, and intact one.
8oz Marmite Jar c.1930s
Since finding my first 4oz jar, I then found this beast of a jar! It’s still got the same flat sides like the Bovril jars. I thought all Marmite jars were rounded until seeing this and the other one. The 16 ounce is the largest size.
Heatherdale Scotch Whisky – Ellery & Co. Plymouth c1900s
This is my first intact Whisky bottle – a rare dark amber Heatherdale from Plymouth – 9″ high. I found the corner of it when digging out and though it was smashed, but to my surprise there was a broken pane of glass next to it that I extracted. I was amazing to pull it out and see it unbroken. It’s going to be a tough one to clean but here is one that was sold on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1596571951/heatherdale-scotch-whisky-bottle-ellery?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details
Here are some lovely cleaned up pictures of a sold one: https://picclick.co.uk/VINTAGE-c1900s-ELLERY-PLYMOUTH-HEATHERDALE-SCOTCH-WHISKY-DARK-303018913870.html
Rare miniature dolls house chamber pot c.1900s
The writing Morning is partial – it would have said “Morning Exercise”. It is made of porcelain and has a gilt interior, which comes off easily so I didn’t clean it too harshly. Similar ones for sale on eBay were manufactured in Germany.
⭐️ Star Find(s)
Bailey & Evans Botanical Brewers, Bristol c1901-1907
I am absolutely thrilled with this find- I was blown away when I discovered the gorgeous lettering peeking through the soil from the roots of a tree. The feeling of uncovering some a beautiful thing; writing on a stoneware jar, a ginger beer bottle is honestly an amazing feeling. I’ve seen and held ginger beer bottles before, at a friends house and thought – one day I’ll find my own and it will be amazing. And I wasn’t wrong. I was so hoping it was intact. It was found next to an old metal rusty tin and medicine bottles. I carefully rubbed the soil off it, and then just stared at it for ages. I thought the lettering might come off so I cleaned it really carefully, trying to remove the rusty marks. I love the two-tone glaze of it and its shape.
The other fact is, it’s from Bristol- a place I lived and worked and have strong family connections with. My spiritual home you could say.
I found an article online about the history which mentioned that Bailey & Evans were a short-lived enterprise. They incorporated in 1901 and closed the business in 1908 – a short few years. Their premises at the time were referred to as “Quarry”, St. George which could translate to Stibbs Lane, Air Balloon Hill, St. George, Bristol.
in 1907 they auctioned off a lot of items, including “2 dozen Stone
Ginger Beer Bottles” which means mine could be one of 24! That’s crazy.
Sources:
History: http://www.westcountrybottles.co.uk/mike4/Companies/Bristol_Companies/Bailey.html