Hello All,
Thought you might be interested in my recent Catley acquisition which is a new one to me.
It is a Catley Abbey ... Sheffield Mineral Water match striker, the first I have seen or
heard of.
It is a disc shaped pottery piece weighing 1. 3/4 Lbs (1Lb 12 Ozs) about 11.5 cms in
diameter and 5 cms high, rounded edges, flat on the top with a circular depression in the
centre some 3 cms deep to take (they would have stood in it on end, tips upward) the
matches. The rounded edges (sides) are rough to effect a strike, the top and bottom being
glazed.
Its colour is oatmeal and the lettering is in black running around the flat top surface
and reads as follows:-
CATLEY ABBEY THE ONLY ENGLISH NATURAL SELZER WATER.
and
CATLEY GINGER ALE PROPRIETORS, THE SHEFFIELD MINERAL WATERS Sy Ltd
Underside the pottery markings are as follows:- JENKINSON & CO LTD BARTHOLOMEW
ROW BIRMINGHAM.
Have not yet managed to do any research on it but estimate that it probably emanates from
around 1890-1910 and supplied to Licenced Retail customers free of charge as advertising
material.
I can remember the days when it was still pretty common place to find such items on bar
tables and counters in decent country Pubs, the good old days when people still had
respect and did not steal glasses, ash trays or anything else for that matter which was
not screwed down to the tables!
It is not as pretty as that lovely Catley Abbey ash tray from the same stables that our
F.J.Catley has got but never-the-less an interesting alternative.
"Cheers" ! Timcatt