Description:William Lowe's family wine and spirit merchant's shop at 11 and 13 Stanley Street, Leek, established in 1861.
He was advertising as a Wholesale Wine and Spirit Merchant at The Old Black's Head in Market Place in December 1865 when a Christmas Hamper of wines and spirits could be had for one guinea including the basket. He married Ann Mills Nall of Leek in 1867 at Ryde, Isle of Wight. She was the daughter of George Nall, retired bookseller, printer, stationer and Postmaster. By 1869 Lowe's business was advertising bulk deliveries for private families delivered to any station of the North Staffordshire Railway. He erroneously enters himself twice in the 1871 Census: one with his assistant at his business premises at 13, Market Place and again with his family at 3, Westwood Terrace, Leek.
In an 1875 application for a transfer of License to sell intoxicating liquors by William Lowe and James Horne, a beerhouse keeper, it states that William is residing at 11, Stanley Street and that he owns a house and premises at 112 and 114 Mill Street, known by the sign of the Pump. The transfer of the licence was to the Cattle Market Inn at 2, Fountain Street also belonging to William Lowe.
William appears to have died in 1903, predeceased by his wife. In 1911 the business was being run by their daughters Beatrice and Sarah, with their sister Rose acting as the house keeper. Rose was the sole survivor and a director of the business in March 1952, stating that the business would be 90 years old that month (i.e. founded in 1862). They were to release a small quantity of port personally bottled by William for Queen Victoria's 1887 Jubilee in the Coronation Year.
Image from 'Staffordshire Past and Present: An Historical Pictorial & Descriptive Guide' published in 1911 and edited by J.W. Bradley.