This bottle was made in Epsom, Bendigo at the Bendigo Pottery Works. The bottle contained ginger beer manufactured at the cordials factory of J.S. Rowley at the corner of Timor and Banyan Streets, Warrnambool. John Searle Rowley (1837-1893) opened a branch of the Geelong Corio Brewery in Timor Street and in 1868 established a cordial manufacturing plant on the site. The brewery section closed and the cordial manufacturing section, called the Warrnambool Steam Aerated Waters works, was expanded, By the 1880s there were 13 employees and 20 varieties of soft drinks were being produced. After Rowley died in 1893 the business continued under the same name with Ralph Reeves managing the plant from 1900 until he moved to Koroit Street and operated a cordial factory under his own name. This bottle is of interest as an example of the soft drinks manufactured by J.S.Rowley of Banyan Street Warrnambool. This business was an important one in Warrnambool in the second half of the 19th century and early in the 20th century. This is a ceramic bottle in brown and buff colouring. The top has two chips. There is no stopper. ‘J.S. Rowley Hamilton and Warrnambool Ginger Beer’ ‘The Bendigo Pottery Epsom Bendigo’ j.s. rowley cordial manufacturer, cordial manufacturers in warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This bottle once contained John Fletcher’s ginger cordial. It was found in August 2014 in the sand dunes at Levy's Point, near McKinnon's quarry, Warrnambool. ABOUT JOHN FLETCHER of WARRNAMBOOL John Fletcher Cordial (or Beverage) Co.. Warrnambool supplied cordial and aerated drinks to the Western District of Victoria. John Fletcher was named as a cordial manufacturer in the Warrnambool Standard of June 13th 1895, when he attended a Publican’s Association meeting. Mr John Fletcher, aerated water and cordial manufacturer of Koroit Street, Warrnambool, had a summary of his factory printed in a short article in the Advocate, Melbourne, in February 1901. The article said, “one of the most complete plants outside the metropolis … spacious … well appointed …old-established business … noted for the excellence of the quality … a trial [of the beverage] is solicited.” John Fletcher and Harold Caffin, trading as J.S. Rowley & Co, cordial manufacturers in 1903, were prosecuted in September that year when the Board of Health found an analysed sample of Raspberry Vinegar to contain coal tar colouring, which could be injurious to health, particularly to the kidneys. The factory was still in operation in December 1924, when sadly, Mr S. Fletcher, who was carrying bottles of aerated water at Mr John Fletcher’s cordial factory, sustained an eye injury when one of the bottles burst. Later, the eye had to be removed at the Warrnambool Base Hospital. ABOUT CODD BOTTLES Many inventions during the mid-to-late 1800s kept the fizz in carbonated drinks, such as ginger ale, soda water, and fruit drinks. Hiram Codd, an English engineer, invented a successful process that he patented as “Codd’s patented globe stopper bottle” in 1872. The Codd-neck bottle (commonly called Codd or marble bottle) is manufactured in two parts. The body of the bottle is cast in two sections. At the time of joining the sections, a glass marble and rubber seal are inserted into the neck section. The lip is then applied to the top of the bottle. The Codd bottle is filled upside down as the pressure of the gas from the carbonated liquid holds the marble up and out of the way. When the bottle stands upright, the gas pushes the marble up against the washer, creating a firm seal to keep the fizz inside. The bottle is opened by pushing the marble down firmly to allow some of the gas to escape. The marble drops down and is caught in a depression formed in the neck. When the bottle is tilted to pour or drink the liquid, the marble rests in a dimple. Some have said that the bottle is a character, the shape having a face with its mouth keeping the marble out of the drink and eyes that catch the marble so that it doesn’t roll into the mouth of the drinker. The Codd bottle was expensive to produce, and children loved to destroy the marbles to play with the marbles inside. Many shops and factories added a deposit to the cost of buying the drink to encourage children to return the bottles rather than break it for the marble. Codd bottles are still being produced in India and Japan for soft drinks. A Codd bottle with the same markings as this one is valued on today’s Australian auction sites from AUD 35 - $75. Bottle, aqua/green glass, with glass marble inside. John Fletcher's Ginger Ale, Warrnambool. Container is often called a "Codd neck bottle", “marble bottle” or “Codd’s patent bottle”. Bottle made by Dobson. Inscription on bottle and base. c. 1905Marks moulded into glass; "JOHN FLETCHER / GINGER ALE / WARRNAMBOOL" and “DOBSON” and on base “G”. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, codd bottle, codd neck bottle, marble bottle, ginger beer bottle, john fletcher soft drinks, warrnambool soft drinks and cordials, john fletcher cordial (or beverage) co ., codd neck bottle, glass stopper bottle, hiram codd, antique bottle, harold caffin, john fletcher

In 1868 John Rowley opened a soda water manufactory attached to the Corio Brewery and this was renamed the Warrnambool Steam Aerated Works in 1872. By the 1880s his factory at the corner of Timor and Banyan Streets was occupying half an acre of land , employing 13 people and manufacturing 20 varieties of drinks. Following Rowley's death the factory and plant was sold but the cordial manufacturing business continued for some years. These labels are of great significance as John Rowley was a dominant name in the cordial making business in Warrnambool..1 Rectangular , red, green, blue and white label featuring text, two flags with lions, a sailing ship, a sheep and a sheaf of wheat. There is a scroll with text. A white decorative border surrounds the label. It is adhered to a piece of red thin cardboard. .2 Irregular shaped label with gold and green decorations on a white background and text. The decorative pieces include grapes, vine leaves, flowers, the profile of a wolf, and two medallions with the coat of arms of Warrnambool There are two scrolls with text The label is adhered to a piece of white card. .5 Rectangular Multi coloured label with text adhered to a piece of white paper .4 Rectangular green card with text .3 Hexagonal grey/green label with black and red text and decorative black dotted curls mounted on white paper .6 White rectangular label with blue text and decorative surround of leaves and flowers. It has damage to three corners. .7 White label with blue text and decorative border adhered to white paper. .8 Pale pink rectangular card label with rose coloured text and a decorative border. .9 Cream rectangular label with red text and decorative border adhered to a piece of white paper 10.1, 10.2 Cream rectangular labels with red text. .2 is adhered to white paper. 11.1, 11.2 Cream rectangular labels with red text and borders adhered to white paper..1 ROWLEY'S STANDARD CLOVES WARRNAMBOOL COLOURED WITH BURNT SUGAR .2 Warrnambool NULLI SECUNDUS BY THESE WE FLOURISH STANDARD ORANGE BITTERS J.S.ROWLEY .3 STANDARD HOP BEER J.S. ROWLEY AERATED WATERS & CORDIAL MANUFACTURER WARRNAMBOOL .4 Rowley's SPARKLING Ginger Champagne NON ALCOHOLIC AND INVIGORATING .5 WARRNAMBOOL J.S.ROWLEY'S GINGERALE. TO HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRASSEY K.G.B. .6 ROWLEY'S LEMONADE MANUFACTURED WITH THOROUGHLY FILTERED RAIN WATER WARRNAMBOOL .7 ROWLEY'S LITHIA WATER .8 ROWLEY'S TONIC WATER .9 ROWLEY'S GINGER BEER .10.1 ,10.2 ROWLEY'S KOLA CHAMPAGNE A Most Highly Refreshing and Excellent Beverage. Its properties are unequalled for preventing fatigue. .11 J.S ROWLEY, MANUFACTURER WARRNAMBOOL & HAMILTON CONTENTS APPROXIMATELY 25 OZ. THIS CORDIAL DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY PRESERVATIVE .2 Warrnambool NULLI SECUNDUS BY THESE WE FLOURISH STANDARD ORANGE BITTERS J.S ROWLEY john rowley, cordial manufacture

This bottle was known as a torpedo bottle. As the bottle had to lie on its side the soda was kept in contact with the cork and stopped the cork from shrinking and causing loss of pressure. This bottle comes from the Warrnambool aerated waters factory of John Searle Rowley (1837-1893). John Rowley, born in England, came to Australia in 1856 and in 1865 he opened a branch of the Geelong Corio Brewery at the corner of Timor and Banyan Streets in Warrnambool, bottling the beer, not brewing it. In 1870 this business was closed and Rowley developed his soft drinks business which he had established in 1868. In 1872 the business was called the Warrnambool Steam Aerated Works when a steam engine was purchased from Melbourne. In 1872 the factory was turning out 600 dozen bottles a day. By the 1880s the factory was occupying half an acre of land, was employing 13 people and manufacturing 20 varieties of drinks. Rowley died in 1893. He had been active in community affairs, serving four years on the Warrnambool Council and on the committees of the Warrnambool Hospital and the Mechanics Institute. This bottle is of great interest as it comes from the factory of the prominent 19th century Warrnambool aerated waters manufacturer, John Rowley. Few of his bottles have survived today. Cordial and soft drinks manufacturing was an important industry in Warrnambool for over 100 years and John Rowley was a key figure in this industry.This is a glass bottle, tinted green. The body of the bottle has an oval shape tapering to a point at the end and is known as a torpedo bottle. It can only be stored lying on its side. The neck of the bottle ends with a moulded glass top. There is no stopper. The bottle is slightly discoloured inside. The information on the maker is embossed into the body of the bottle.‘J.S. Rowley’s Aerated Waters Timor Street Warrnambool’john searle rowley, cordial manufacturers in warrnambool, history of warrnambool