John Walkington Newcomen was a tea dealer and grocer. As his business grew, he moved his family to different addresses around Warwick. They settled at 17 Market Place where they lived above the shop. The business was successful enough for the family to employ a general servant and a nursemaid.
They even rented a garden on Linen Street, now known as Hill Close Gardens. For families living in town centres, gardens like these were places they could grow vegetables and enjoy time outdoors. John Newcomen must have also grown flowers. He was a regular prize winner in local flower shows. As a tea dealer he may have sourced and sold his own blends of tea. Some tea dealers are still household names today, such as ‘Twinning’s’ and ‘Fortnum and Masons’.
Tea an essential rather than luxury
By the late Victorian period tea was a daily essential rather than a luxury. Victorian tea dealers sourced tea leaves from countries colonised by the British Empire. Some tea blends still available today, like Ceylon tea, reflect that colonial history. This tea blend originated from Sri Lanka, which had a colonial name as Ceylon.
John Newcomen was a Methodist who played an active part in chapel life. He spoke at the local Wesylan Sunday School Anniversary in 1899, telling the audience:
football was not such a craze [when he was young] and therefore not so difficult to cope with bringing the children under the influence… of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Maybe local children preferred to play football rather than attend Sunday School?
Football grows in popularity
Football had grown in popularity in the Victorian period. Under the 1850 Factory Act, factory workers were given Saturday afternoons off. They had more time to form teams and play. The spread of the railways also meant teams and supporters could travel further for games.
This article is part of the Through the Shop Window trail showcasing the links between Warwick businesses and Warwick Castle in the 1800s. Supported by The Friends of Warwickshire County Record Office, The Steven Wallsgrove Legacy and Warwick Town Council.
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