Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Charles Wells (16 August 1842 – 1 April 1914) was the British founder of Charles Wells Ltd, which became the largest privately owned brewery in the United Kingdom, and the

progenitor In genealogy, the progenitor (rarer: primogenitor; german: Stammvater or ''Ahnherr'') is the – sometimes legendary – founder of a family, line of descent, clan or tribe, noble house, or ethnic group.. Ebenda''Ahnherr:''"Stammvater eines G ...

of the Wells Baronets of Felmersham.

Life

Wells was born on 16 August 1842, the second son of George Wells, a cabinetmaker. He left Bedford Modern School at the age of fourteen and went to sea, ‘signing up with the shipping company Wigrams as a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

on the frigate Devonshire’. Wells was made a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 16 December 1868 and offered command of Wigrams's first

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

. While on leave in the early 1870s, Wells became engaged to Josephine Grimbly of Banbury,

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. Josephine's father, although in favour of the match, said that ‘Charles Wells must leave the sea and find a new and less dangerous career’. In 1872 Charles and Josephine married; they had five sons (one of whom, Richard Wells, was created a baronet) and three daughters. Charles Wells (brewer) grave

In 1876, Wells became a brewer when he took over a coal wharf, a malt house and brewery in Horne Lane, Bedford, and thirty five public houses, sold to him at public auction in December 1875. He subsequently sold off the coal business. In 1903, Wells became a member of

Bedford Borough Council Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. The executive of the council is the direct ...

, which he served until 1909. Four of Charles's sons became partners in the brewery on condition that they live in Wells's native town of Bedford. In 1910, the business was registered as a private limited company, valued at £150,000 and owning 140 pubs. Charles Wells died in Bedford on 1 April 1914. He is buried at the Foster Hill Cemetery, a few metres east of the chapel.

References

1842 births 1914 deaths People educated at Bedford Modern School People from Bedford 19th-century English businesspeople Burials in Bedfordshire {{beer-stub