Memories of the aerated water industry

R M Mills, established 1864, "Bourne Water pronounced purest in England" - advert in Historic Bourne by J J Davies.

It was bottled still and aerated in champagne bottles and sold in cases of 6-dozen to a great many country houses and also HRH the Duke of Connaught and so the Royal Warrant was granted and displayed above Mills & Baxter's shop in the Market Place.

The factory was down the yard with the entrance and gates where the Darby and Joan hall stands. Lemonade, ginger beer and ginger ale were produced also sent away from Bourne by the railways who were customers at times.

In the 1930s, there was a general depression and the mineral water business was not doing well and so Mills (Bourne Waters) Ltd was formed in 1934. Some new bottling plant and a lorry were bought and so local pubs and shops and individuals could be served and Melbourn's Brewery had a contract with them to supply all their public houses with minerals. About six local businessmen invested and had shares in it. Mr H M Stanton was company secretary.

This continued until 1949 or 1950. My father, who died in 1948, had continued to have an interest in it and generally went down to the office each morning if well enough. After his death, and after the war, so much new machinery etc were needed so although paying its way, it was closed down - also after an unsatisfactory manager.

There had been a wonderful staff, several Grummits, Bill Riley, Nipper Hinson and foreman George Barnatt, Eldridge, Vernon Bannister and others and extra staff would be taken on in the summer.

Lee and Green: I think was taken over by Soames Brewery, Spalding, in the 1930s. They also advertised in J J Davies' Historic Bourne as bottling from a water supply "purest in the world".

P M Edmunds (nee Baxter)                   

R M Mills and Co had three generations owners, R M Mills, T M Baxter , C H M Baxter.

See also Mrs Pat Edmunds

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