A saltglaze stoneware spirit flask that I have, impressed
with the wine and spirit merchant details "R NEECH/CAPE
OF.GOOD HOPE/LIME ST/CITY". From its form, the date
of manufacture should be between 1840 and 1850.
From an emailed contribution from Neil Smith ....
In an attempt to date it more accurately, I have searched
the contemporary street directories for London, but have
been unable to find any reference to R.Neech at the Cape
of Good Hope public house. I suspect his time as the publican
there was probably limited; perhaps less than a year,
as there don't seem to be any significant gaps in the
dates for other publicans at the Cape of Good Hope around
this time, although 1849 might be a possibility.
Directories show the following publicans:
1838 C.Chedzoy
1839-43 J.W.Porter
1844-46 Robert Sparks
1847-48 Johnson
1849?
1850 Bishop
1851-52 Wm.Hn.Richards
There were a father and son both named Robert Neech,
born in England; the
father in 1788 and the
son in 1816. Either of these could be candidates.
