As handwriting is often unclear, all name transcriptions below are indicative only.
When accuracy is important, the original documents should be consulted.
PRO (Public Record Office) documents are at The National Archives, Kew.

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A number of the directors and shareholders of this company had strong business and family ties with each other. Addison Potter, the company Chairman, was the brother-in-law of Lord Armstrong. Two years before the company was founded, Armstrong had a Turkish bath installed at Cragside, his home at Rothbury. John H Armstrong was at one stage the company Secretary.1

Henry Watson, the contractor for the new high-level bridge in Newcastle had worked in the 1830s and '40s with Lord Armstrong on a hydro-electric machine which generated electricity from effluent steam, and he, together with the brassfounders John Stanley and Henry Burnett Watson, the merchant S Ogden Watson, and the solicitors Robert Spence and Joseph Watson, were all related to Armstrong. Another of his business associates was Alexander Shannon Stevenson, the alkali manufacturer.

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TNA: PRO: BT31 1752/6521 All unfootnoted information is taken from this file.

1872 Memorandum of Association: 2 August
Objects include: the erection of Turkish Baths and carrying on trade as proprietors of such baths.
Capital: £8000 divided into 800 shares of £10
Chairman: Potter, Addison (10 shares) Mayor of Newcastle
Directors include:
Borries, Theodore (5 shares) Merchant
Gibb, Charles John, MD (20 shares)
Joicey, John, Lieut.-Colonel (10 shares) Coal owner
Scott, William (5 shares) Merchant
Stewart, William (5 shares) Tea dealer
Stevenson, Alexander Shannon (10 shares) Alkali manufacturer
Registered Office: 3 St Nicholas Buildings (14 December)
Secretary: Fred Robertson Goddard

1873 Shareholders include:
Watson, Joseph & Robert Spence (20 shares) Solicitors
Watson, S Ogden (5 Shares) Merchant

1875 Extraordinary Meeting: it was agreed to increase the company's nominal capital to £12,000 by the issue of 400 shares of £10.

1878 Shareholders include:
Tyne Brewery Co Ltd
Watson, Henry (10 shares) Brassfounder
Watson, Robert Spence (3 shares) Solicitor

1879 Share allotment: on 5 August, in part payment of the company's debt for services rendered, shares were allotted to:
Benn, George (3 shares)
Goddard, Frederick Robertson (17 shares)
Muller, Robert Fergusson (5 shares)
Watson, Robert Spence (24 shares) (Solicitor)
Registered Office: Monkhouse, Goddard & Co, St Nicholas Chambers

1883 Shareholding: The largest was that of a farmer, Joseph Gray, whose 75 shares had passed to his two sons, Robert and George, ten years later.

1886 Directors include:
Black, J E L
Challoner, J S
Gibb, Charles John, MD
Goddard, Frederick Robertson
Potter, Addison (Coal owner) Chairman
Stevenson, Alexander Shannon (Alkali manufacturer)
Watson, Henry (Brassfounder)
Youll, John Gibson
Registered Office: 3 St Nicholas Buildings
Secretary: John H Armstrong (s-1304)

1888 Shareholders include:
Watson, John Stanley (5 shares) Brassfounder

1890 Secretary: A W Price2

1891 Chairman: Potter, Addison (Coal owner)
18th Annual General Meeting: Report of a loss for the year of £43. But `the Directors are pleased to report a considerable increase in the number of bathers' and the renewal of the radiating furnace on the latest and most improved principle, which it was hoped would considerably reduce the consumption of fuel.

1892 Secretary: A W Price (15 October)
Registered Office: 27 Grey Street (15 October)

1893 Shareholders include:
Watson, Henry Burnett (5 shares) Brassfounder
Extraordinary Meeting: it was stated that the company could no longer survive, and it was resolved that it should be voluntarily wound up. (24 November)
Liquidator: A W Price

1894 Unsuccessful auction: the company was offered by the liquidator for sale as a going concern at auction on 31 January. No offer was made. A new company, The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Turkish Bath Company (1894) Limited, was formed which, by agreement with Price (as liquidator), purchased the baths at Pilgrim Street and continued to operate them.
Winding up: December.

This page last updated 15 June 2019

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