London & Newcastle Tea Company

The London and Newcastle Tea Company was established by James Alfred Game in 1874, with it's headquarters in Charlotte Square, Newcastle.

The company initially operated through a network of grocery stores that sold the company's tea. The company was very successful, eventually operatng it's own stores and becoming one of the first five grocery and provisions firms in Britain to operate in a multiple branch scale. In 1875 it was running between 10 and 20 branches. However by 1879, the company was claiming to be the largest tea company in the UK with almost 70 branches, making it the second largest grocery chain in Britain. The company opened some stores specialising in Drapery and millinery goods. In this year these companies were moved into a subsidiary, London and Newcastle Trading Company, which appears to have changed it's name to the London and Newcastle Supply Store. No checks appear to have been issued under the name of the London and Newcastle Trading Company or the London and Newcastle Supply Store.

In 1884 they advertised that they had 45 branches in Scotland, 25 branches in England, 21 branches in Ireland and 7 branches in Wales. The number of branches on named checks is:- 40 in Scotland, 18 in England, 20 in Ireland and 7 in Wales. The highest store number on the unnamed checks is 94.

In January 1894 the London and Newcastle tea company was owned by Stevens, Pickering, and Co with it's subsiduary, London and Newcastle Tea Stores mainly owned by Pearse and Co. with one store, 66 West Grainger Street owned by Stevens, Pickering, and Co. Both partnerships were operated by Henry Stevens, Thomas Pickering, John James Maguire and Walter Pearse. Henry Stevens left the partnership at this time, taking control of the subsiduary London and Newcastle Supply Stores. The three remaining partners changed their partnership name to Pickering and Co. and retained the London and Newcastle Tea Company stores. At this time the stores were as follows;

London and Newcastle Tea Company

Berwick-uppn-Tweed, Bishop Auckland, Consett, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Honghton-le-Spring, Jarrow, Monkwearmouth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Shields, South Shields, Sunderland, Seaham Harbour, Spennymoor, Aberdeen, Alloa, Arbroatb, Ayr, Brechin, Coatbridge, Dalkeith, Dumbarton, Dundee, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Forfar, Galashiels, Glasgow, Greenock, Hawiok, Kilmarnock, Kirkcaldy, Lochee (Dudee), Montrose, Paisley, Perth and Stirling

London and Newcastle Supply Stores

66 West Grainger Street Newcastle, York, Middlesborough, West Hartlepool and Glasgow

The Irish stores were owned seperately by 1886, see below, and no Welsh or Isle of Man stores are listed.

In 1903 London and Newcastle Supply Stores obtained Royal Warrants of Appointment for groceries, whic was not renewed hen Gearge V succeeded to the throne. By 1939 the London and Newcastle Tea Company was owned by Londan and Newcastle Stores Limited and by the early 1960s London and Newcastle Stores was part of Associated British Foods, which included the new Fine Fare Stores. Management of the London and Newcastle stores was transferred to Fine Fares, with the stores being closed as new Fine Fare stores opened. The last London and Newcastle store closed around 1964.

The checks were issued for the company's loyalty scheme, which it established in 1875 an advertised as a means of "selling only for Cost, and sharing Profits with our Customers". checks were given with each tea purchase, representing the amount of tea sold. Customers could collect checks until they had acquired enough to claim goods. In 1876 the smallest check available was for 1/4lb of tea. Goods available in June 1876 were;

Checks for 1lb Tea

A butter cooler, a tea caddie, a sugar bowl and cream jug, a china cup and saucer, a flower vase, a crystal plate or bowl.

Checks for 2lb Tea

A tea pot, a new design butter cooler, a large sugar bowl and cream jug, a pair of behemian vases, a china brakfast cup and saucer.

Checks for 4lb Tea

A metal lined teapot, a set of stone jugs, a handsome biscuit jar, a jet and gold sugar bowl and cream jug.

The goods available extended to included toys, crockery, other household items. The advert from 1884 includes furniture.

Scotland

Starting off with the Wellgate, Dundee, the London and Newcastle Tea Company opened 7 Howard Street and 182 Gallowgate in June 1876. The Scottish operation soon grew to be the largest part of the company.

• Aberdeen
• Alloa
• Arbroath
• Ayr
• Brechin
• Coatbridge
• Dumbarton
• Dundee
• Dunfermline
• Edinburgh
• Falkirk
• Forfar
• Galashiels
• Glasgow
• Greenock
• Hawick
• Irvine
• Kilmarnock
• Kirkcaldy
• Leith
• Montrose
• Paisley
• Perth
• Saint Andrews
• Stirling

England

• Bishop Auckland
• Byker
• Consett
• Crook
• Darlington
• Durham
• Gateshead
• Jarrow
• Newcastle
• North Shields
• South Shields
• Sunderland

Ireland

In Ireland the original London and Newcastle company ceased trading in 1886. Adam F Torries, a manager who had arrived in Ireland in 1874 from Newcastle, bought the stores in Patricks Street Cork and Broad Street Waterford with a partner. Adam Torrie took full control of the stores. When he died in November 1928 his sons Robert and William formed the company Adam F Torrie Ltd. and expanded the business, aquiring 20 new stores in Munster and Leinster. Eventually there were 18 supermarkets and Waterford boasted five stores, one a superstore. The last Waterford store closed in 1986 and the company was eventually bought in 1995 by Musgraves with the remaining stores rebranded SuperValu.

• Belfast
• Carlow
• Clonmel
• Cork
• Drogheda
• Dublin
• Galway
• Kilkenny
• Kingstown
• Limerick
• Londonderry
• Sligo
• Waterford

Wales

• Aberdare
• Carmarthen
• Dowlais
• Merthyr Tydvil
• Neath
• Pontyridd
• Swansea

Isle of Man

• Isle of Man

No Location

• No Location