Genuine labels from small bundles of identical labels.
Edward Werge was born in Stockton-on-Tees, Durham on 21st July 1892. Edward’s brother, Matthew, was born in Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1894. Their father, James Werge, was an ice manufacturer from Middleton-in-Teesdale, Durham. 1n 1911, the family was living at 24 Church Avenue, Pendleton, Salford, Manchester. Edward was a chemist’s apprentice and Matthew was an engineering student.
Edward Werge qualified as a pharmacist in 1914 and went into business in Cadishead, Lancashire. The Werge brothers came to Grimsby in 1919. By 1921, Edward had a chemists’s shop at 342 Wellington Street. Matthew was his assistant. Edward married Alice Young in Grimsby in the same year. Matthew married Constance M A Carter in Grimsby the following year. By 1926, Edward Werge had additional shops at 266 Heneage Road and 176 Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes. By 1933, he had another shop at 30 Alexandra Road, Cleethorpes (formerly Joseph Forrester, chemist & druggist). By 1937, the business was operating as Werge Bros. The shop in Heneage Road had gone but they also had a shop at 1 Kingsway, Cleethorpes (formerly a butcher’s shop).
The Werge shops in Wellington Street, Kingsway and Grimsby Road were still operating in 1958. In 1967, only the original shop in Wellington Street was still going. By 1970, this shop was Cottingham Pharmacy, which is still there today.
Edward Werge died in Cleethorpes in December 1958, aged 66. Matthew Werge died in Grimsby on 8th March 1964.
Note: Edward Werge lived at 240 Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes. He was an active member of the Grimsby & District Pharmacists’ Association and a keen musician. He played second violin in Grimsby Borough Orchestra.
Note: One of Edward’s apprentices, Thomas Albert Parker, went on to co-own Parker & Spyvee, a business with 4 shops in this area. Mr Parker was the head pharmacist.
Note: Werge Bros. sold ‘Ferric Food’, a product developed in Cleethorpes by Joseph Forrester.
Research by Grimsby & Cleethorpes Museum.
