BYGONE Salisbury this week features an advert for Richardson Brothers who at one time, had one of the largest wine cellars in Great Britain.

Founded in 1625, it was situated in Bridge Street (now Barclays Bank) and the magnitude of the business may be judged from the fact that the firm always maintained here a stock of 60,000 bottles of wine ready for immediate delivery. The firm also housed an unrivalled selection of Champagnes which included the Companies own Gold Foil brand of extra-sec Champagne. The cellars, it is said, were very large and the ample space not only catered for the wine, but also for bottle washing, bottling, packing and all the various operations connected with such a business.

Richardson Brothers were also extensive cigar importers, and their reserve stocks generally comprised of around 1,000 cases of the finest brands, which were kept maturing in specially constructed stores and supplied in splendid condition.

Alderman John Wyche who was head of the firm from 1775 to 1805 was a native of the city. He had retired from the Service of the East India Company in 1769 and resided on an estate which he had purchased at Winterbourne.

Owing to the loss of £10,000 by an unfortunate investment, John Wyche came into Salisbury during 1774, and purchased a wine merchant's business from Richard Sambourne, who had just received an extension of his lease from the Corporation. In the following year John Wyche became a member of the Corporation, he was made an Alderman in 1780, and elected Mayor of the City in 1783. His portrait hangs in the banqueting room of the Guildhall, Salisbury)

After his death in 1805 his son (Alderman) Hezekiah Wyche, who was Mayor in 1807, entered into a partnership (which was dissolved in 1815) with Wyatt & Foot, Wine Merchants, of Endless Street.