Wright’s Coal Tar Soap was a popular brand of household soap, manufactured by William Valentine Wright from 1867. The yellow soap was antiseptic, designed to cleanse the skin thoroughly. It was originally named Sapo Carbonis Detergens, which remains a registered trademark. The product was developed from ‘liquor carbonis detergens’, the liquid by-product of the distillation of coal to make coke. The liquid was made into an antiseptic soap for treating skin diseases. William Valentine Wright was born in 1826 at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. He was a wholesale druggist and chemist who had a small business, W.V. Wright & Co., at 11 Old Fish Street Hill, City of London, where he first sold the soap. In 1863 Wright moved his firm to small premises at 50 Southwark Street, Southwark, London, and not long afterwards M. Sellers and Mr Charles Noel Layman joined the partnership. The company's name changed to Wright, Layman & Umney, when Charles Umney (1843–1909) was taken into the partnership on June 17, 1876, after the death of M. Sellers. William Valentine Wight 1877. Rob Umney, great-great-grandson of Charles Umney, provided further details about the firm, adding that in the late 1960s, the Wright’s Coal Tar Soap business was taken over by LRC Products Ltd who sold it to Smith & Nephew in 1994. The current owners of the brand, Simple Health and Beauty Ltd are based in Solihull and the soap is called Wright's Traditional Soap ‘With coal tar fragrance’. The coal tar has been replaced with tea tree oil. There were concerns that ingredients in coal tar could cause cancer when a person is exposed to very high concentrations, such as in roofing and road paving. In January 2025 the current manufacturers still produce the Wright's Coal Tar Soap.The flier states that Wright's Coal Tar Soap was sold throughout the United Kingdom and Colonies, which includes Australia. The soap is representative of the many consumer goods sold at pharmacies and chemist shops across the world, such as Sambell and Son, who operated a pharmacy in Fairy Street, Warrnambool in the 19th century. The paper flier is rectangular and has printed text and a logo. The top right corner has stamped punch marks. It promotes Wright's Coal Tar Soap, made by Wright, Layman & Umney Ltd. England.Punch mark; "1176"flagstaff hill, maritime museum, wright's, coal tar soap, soap, bathing, antiseptic, washing, personal hygiene, london, southwark, chemist, pharmacist, colonies, wright's coal tar soap, sapo carboni detergens, punch marks, england, soap tablet, babies soap, nursery soap, advertising, poster, flyer, wright, layman & umney ltd., w.t. wrifght & co., soap bar, soap cake

Wright’s Coal Tar Soap was a popular brand of household soap, manufactured by William Valentine Wright from 1867. The oval yellow soap tablet was antiseptic, designed to cleanse the skin thoroughly. It was originally named Sapo Carbonis Detergens, which remains a registered trademark. The product was developed from ‘liquor carbonis detergens’, the liquid by-product of the distillation of coal to make coke. The liquid was made into an antiseptic soap for treating skin diseases. William Valentine Wright was born in 1826 at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. He was a wholesale druggist and chemist who had a small business, W.V. Wright & Co., at 11 Old Fish Street Hill, City of London, where he first sold the soap. In 1863 Wright moved his firm to small premises at 50 Southwark Street, Southwark, London, and not long afterwards M. Sellers and Mr Charles Noel Layman joined the partnership. The company's name changed to Wright, Layman & Umney, when Charles Umney (1843–1909) was taken into the partnership on June 17, 1876, after the death of M. Sellers. William Valentine Wight 1877. Rob Umney, great-great-grandson of Charles Umney, provided further details about the firm, adding that in the late 1960s, the Wright’s Coal Tar Soap business was taken over by LRC Products Ltd who sold it to Smith & Nephew in 1994. The current owners of the brand, Simple Health and Beauty Ltd are based in Solihull and the soap is called Wright's Traditional Soap ‘With coal tar fragrance’. The coal tar has been replaced with tea tree oil. There were concerns that ingredients in coal tar could cause cancer when a person is exposed to very high concentrations, such as in roofing and road paving. In January 2025 the current manufacturers still produce the Wright's Coal Tar Soap.Wright's Coal Tar Soap was sold throughout the United Kingdom and Colonies, which includes Australia. The soap represents many consumer goods sold at pharmacies and chemist shops across the world, such as Sambell and Son, who operated a pharmacy in Fairy Street, Warrnambool in the 19th century. The product has endured for over 150 years.Soap; yellow oval tablet of soap engraved with the brand Wright's Coal Tar oval."WRIGHT'S / COAL TAR / SOAP"flagstaff hill, maritime museum, wright's, coal tar soap, soap, bathing, antiseptic, washing, personal hygiene, london, southwark, chemist, pharmacist, colonies, wright's coal tar soap, sapo carboni detergens, england, soap tablet, babies soap, nursery soap, wright, layman & umney ltd., w.t. wrifght & co., soap cake, soap bar, medical, cleansing, baby care

The mid 1900's provided the start of "the body beautiful" revolution. The cosmetic industry, with the help of quasi scientific selling advertising slant targeted those "customers" that needed the "extra care" factor that only their product could offer. At this period in time their advertising power was based on in store, radio and newspaper media channels with saturation levels relatively low. In the later years of the 1900's saturation levels and a wider range of products and increased competition further increased the product saturation levels available to the buying residents. With the introduction of television the advertisements become more elaborate and "catchy" words, phrases and comedy type situations helped boost the advertising "pitch" and subliminal undertones to effective levels required for a highly competitive health related market place. 'sellingThis subliminally,"medically" endorsed product was one of many during the great "spin" revolution of product marketing and selling. This item is significant in that it demonstrates that greater infusion of product awareness throughout rural areas was highly successful through a greater variety of advertising media. It also demonstrates that in a highly competitive marketplace there are no physical boundaries that impinge upon the distribution of products and services. The rural sector is a highly lucrative region for any product that helps protect the body from all the "nasty's" that become more noticeable in a rural environment. This rectangular box which had contained cuticle soap is constructed from cardboard and reinforced by a black nylon impregnated sheeting. This impregnation was required to keep the box from soaking up any water from the user's hands. The top section of the box(lid) has and in large print "KELSEY'S" top line followed by "CUTICLE" off to the right and underneath and to the right "SOAP". Below this and in smaller print is "MEDICINALLY..." below this and in smaller print "EMOLLIENT AND REFRESHING, REDOLENT, CLEANSES, CURES, PRESERVES, PURIFIES." and last line underneath "SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TENDER SKIN" On each of the sides of the top lid are, side 1 "INVALUABLE FOR THE NURSERY." underneath in smaller print "JOHN M. KELSEY CO." to the left of this and on a green backed highlighter "No. 1744 - Guaranteed under Pure Food Act, 1908, N.S.W. by John M. Kelsey Co. - No. 1744. Melbourne, Victoria." On the right side and in large print "KELSEY'S CUTICLE SOAP" on the next side and also a similar sign on the opposite side "SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TENDER SKIN." below this "JOHN M. KELSEY CO." "Registered" and on the other long side in large print "SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TENDER SKIN" underneath in smaller print JOHN M. KELSEY CO. Registered"specialised soap, toilet requisites, nursery health., bathroom, domestic

Articles for Royal Historical Society (Bendigo Branch) Newsletter December 1972. 1. ''Bells in and around Bendigo - No 3 - The Hand Bells of St Pauls Church, Bendigo'' - mention of Mr Bill Robertson; Dr J B Pounds; Bendigo Bell Ringers Club; Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London; Odd Fellows Hall; St Pauls Bell Band; Dr A M Bush. 2. ''A sight worth seeing'' - description of the rolling down from the top of Mr Alexander of a large boulder (for entertainment!) in 1860 (extract from the Bendigo Advertiser); mention of Mr Plowright, Talbot Hotel, Harcourt; Mr Wheatcroft.3. ''Memories of Old East Bendigo'' - original draft with alterations in handwriting; mention of 71 Strickland Rd; Government Powder Magazine; Purdon family; the ''Irish Castle'' (at one time the Charlston Hotel); Mr Sullivan; Mr Burns; Pritchard and Chamberlain (brewery); Solomons Hill; Day's asphfelt (sic) and bone works; Marist Brothers 'Jounerate ' (sic)??; Hines Flower Nursery; Mr Hamson MP; Carlile Bros skin and hide store; Kitchen's Soap factory; ''Green Gates'' Hotel; Bendigo Fertiliser Works;bendigo, history, city history. the goldfields.