Charles Day (boot blacking manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Charles Day was a British
industrialist who was co-founder and then sole proprietor of the Day and Martin boot blacking company.
On his death he left the then enormous sum of £450,000. There are stories that the "Black Diamond" blacking formula was originally obtained from a soldier in return for a favour, but this was denied by the company.
The Day and Martin company is an early illustration of the power of advertising and marketing. For many years they had a factory in High Holborn
, and a picture of the factory appeared on the uniquely shaped bottle. It is also reported that they promoted the product by hiring large numbers of men in suits to ask for it in shops around London. The company also features in company law because, after Charles' death, one of his nephews, William Charles Day, had to be legally restrained from manufacturing counterfeit Day and Martin blacking, as this infinged the rights of the original company.
Charles Day married Rebecca Peake at Stafford St. Mary's on 6 September 1806. They had one daughter, Letitia Caroline, (c1808-1877), who when young was a sought after heiress until she eloped with Horatio Clagett (or Claggett), a well-known "playboy" and serial bankrupt, in 1832.
Charles Day's will mentions his main residence as Harley House, Regents Park. He also owned a second house at Edgware
, remembered for its lodge in the shape of a boot blacking bottle. He left £100,000 to found an institute for the blind, and also built alms houses at Edgware. After Charles Day's death his will, which contained five codicils made in the weeks before his death, was heavily contested for several years. His widow Rebecca lived on at Edgware with her daughter and son-in-law until her death in 1843.
United Kingdom
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industrialist who was co-founder and then sole proprietor of the Day and Martin boot blacking company.
On his death he left the then enormous sum of £450,000. There are stories that the "Black Diamond" blacking formula was originally obtained from a soldier in return for a favour, but this was denied by the company.
The Day and Martin company is an early illustration of the power of advertising and marketing. For many years they had a factory in High Holborn
High Holborn
High Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
, and a picture of the factory appeared on the uniquely shaped bottle. It is also reported that they promoted the product by hiring large numbers of men in suits to ask for it in shops around London. The company also features in company law because, after Charles' death, one of his nephews, William Charles Day, had to be legally restrained from manufacturing counterfeit Day and Martin blacking, as this infinged the rights of the original company.
Charles Day married Rebecca Peake at Stafford St. Mary's on 6 September 1806. They had one daughter, Letitia Caroline, (c1808-1877), who when young was a sought after heiress until she eloped with Horatio Clagett (or Claggett), a well-known "playboy" and serial bankrupt, in 1832.
Charles Day's will mentions his main residence as Harley House, Regents Park. He also owned a second house at Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, remembered for its lodge in the shape of a boot blacking bottle. He left £100,000 to found an institute for the blind, and also built alms houses at Edgware. After Charles Day's death his will, which contained five codicils made in the weeks before his death, was heavily contested for several years. His widow Rebecca lived on at Edgware with her daughter and son-in-law until her death in 1843.