Mineral Water Manufacturer, George Street, Denton
Frederick William Wilkinson was the son of Edwin Wilkinson and Elizabeth 'Eliza' Lister, who were both born in Yorkshire. The couple's first child, Elizabeth 'Eliza', was born in Liverpool in 1867. The next four children, Alfred, Frederick William, Albert V and Alice were all born in the Beeston Park district of Leeds while their sixth child, Samuel B, was said to have been born in New Mills, Derbyshire, although there is no supporting evidence for this.

At the time of the 1891 census the family was living on Mottram Rd, Hyde, where Edwin Wilkinson was a mineral water manufacturer. Two of his sons, Alfred and Frederick, were in business with him.

Frederick married Nancy Redfern at St Lawrence's Church, Denton, in 1895 and in 1901 the couple were living on George St, Denton, which is off Hyde Rd directly opposite to the Angel Inn. Here Frederick described himself as a foreman at a soda water works, which suggests that he might still have been working in his father's business in Hyde.

However, at some stage he was manufacturing his own mineral water and Codd bottles were made with his name on them. The trade directory for 1906 records that his premises were on Manchester Rd, Denton, between Crown Point and Ashworth St.

Two more Denton soft drink manufacturers are known and these were Robert Deakin and Charles William Marshall.

Robert Deakin
Slater’s Trade Directory for 1911 shows that his business premises were on Egerton St, where he was described as a herb beer brewer, and the 1911 census records that he and his family were living on Ashton Rd.

He was born in the hamlet of Lees, Oldham, in 1869 and his wife, Annie Buckley, was born at Hartshead in 1869. The couple married in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1898. They had two children, John (b.1899) and Clarice (b.1900). Robert died at Ashton-under-Lyne in 1928, aged 59 years, and his wife died at Audenshaw in 1955, aged 85 years.

Charles William Marshall
He described himself as a Botanist or Medical Botanist and in 1901 he had premises on the south side of Manchester Rd just beyond the entrance to Wilton Lodge Farm. He subsequently moved to premises on the north side of Manchester Rd just beyond the Peel St corner. By 1911 he had moved to Hyde where he described himself as a Medical Botanist. His residence was on Joel Ln, Gee Cross.

He was born in Denton in 1862 and he was registered as Charles Willie Marshall but used the middle name of ‘William’. His wife was Louisa Birks who was born in Congleton in 1865 and she used the forename Louie. The couple were married in Ashton-under-Lyne in 1886 and they had a daughter, Doris, who was born in Denton in 1895.

Marshall bottle with internal
screw top & ebonite stopper.