importer of what?

[jackski]

Any ideas what this might say, and what it means please? "Jno Henry Chapman fund holder, formerly importer of perfumed spirits", or possibly spices. Which is it please? And if it says spirits, does it mean wines or perfumes? First entry on the page.
Thanks

[Treetotal]

That's what I see.
Carol

[shanreagh]

perfumed spirits means

' a product obtained by mixing alcohol with essential oils or essences';

'Spirits means any beverage which contains alcohol obtained by distillation mixed with drinkable water and other substances in solution, including, but not limited to, brandy, rum, whisky, and gin'.

As well as perfumes as we know them I think perfumed spirits may include the ingredients used in making pipe tobacco.  I saw this once and it is quite a process spraying all sorts of spirits with additives onto the pipe tobacco leaves.

[jackski]

Ahhhhh that kind of makes sense. Long story, but I'm looking at a group of men who all seemed to be involved in importation of things from America, which is quite a surprise, and not what I expected them to be doing. One was involved in sugar and another in cotton. So if this was to do with tobacco it makes more sense than a perfumer as we might think of it. Thanks!!!

[GR2]

The St James Chronicle and General Evening Post, 12th August 1834:

AROMATIC SPIRIT OF VINEGAR. -
This agreeable perfumed liquor (the original inven-
tion of Mr. Henry) which is of well-known efficacy in
relieving faintness and headach*, and in counteracting the
effects of overheated, close, or infected air, continues to be pre-
pared, in the greatest perfection, by Messrs. Thos. and Wm.
Henry, Manufacturing Chemists, Manchester. It is sold in
London, wholesale and retail, by Messrs. Bayley, Blew, and
Chapman, perfumers, Cockspur-street; and retail, price 2s. 9d.,
by one or more agent in every principal town; but it cannot be
genuine unless the names of the above preparers are engraved
on the Government Stamp, which is fixed over the cork of each
bottle. Proper Sponge Boxes are sold by Bayley, Blew, and
Chapman, as usual.

* spelling as in advertisement

Bayley and Blew were in Cockspur Street from before 1813. Chapman joined later.

The fact that this is your man is shown by reports in the newspapers of partnerships being dissolved. In 1837 there is a report of the dissolving of the partnership of "William Blew and John Henry Chapman, Cockspur-street, perfumers."

Obviously the place to go if you wanted your vinaigrette topped up.

[jackski]

Wow that's really interesting, thank you. Chapman was an importer, so whatever ingredients he was using were being shipped in from somewhere else. This explanation certainly makes more sense than the word "perfumer" first brings to mind.