James Vickers and Co , wine and spirit merchants

This company began trading as wine and spirit merchants, spirit distillers, and isinglass manufacturers and rectifiers, specialising later on in the manufacture of isinglass and wine filtration aids. The company began trading in 1841 from 11 Mark Lane. By 1842 it had moved to premises at 6 Devonshire Square which housed a distillery, a warehouse and one of the family homes. The family remained there until 1940. The company then moved to Coggeshall, Essex. The company also had premises at 23 Little Britain, 1851-79, and 74 Aldersgate Street, 1856-80. James Vickers appears to have been a substantial City business man. In addition to his business premises, he also owned or rented the following private addresses: 52 Parliament Street, Westminster; 41 Holland Park; and Woodlands, Tooting

James Vickers and his brother Edward were partners between circa 1841 and 1863 when the partnership was legally dissolved. Upon James Vickers' death (30 April 1877), Edward Vickers was once more actively involved with the company for a short time, primarily with the premises at 74 Aldersgate Street. Some of the Vickers papers are family and household papers relating to the division of James Vickers' estate and the provisions he had made for his children. His widow, Mrs Frances Vickers, became a partner with John Watney and oversaw the company as executors of James Vickers' estate until October 1887 when their partnership was legally dissolved. In 1887 John Watney retired from his position in favour of S.F. Vickers.