“[A] choice parcell of Madeira Wines…&…the best Gundpower”: A Madeira advertisement from Charleston in 1735

South-Carolina Gazette Tuesday, Jun 07, 1735. [1]

In early 18th century America, merchants typically sold a variety of goods rather than specializing in one.  It is common to see their advertisements list Madeira alongside such items as beer, nails, fabrics, and paper.  My attention was caught then by a unique offering of “a choice parcell of Madeira wines & likewise a quantity of the best Gunpowder” which ran during the summer of 1735 in the South Carolina Gazette.[1]  This was just three years after the Gazette became the first newspaper to publish south of Virginia in 1732 and just five years before the fire of 1740 burned half of the city.  Madeira and gunpowder might seem an odd combination but it must be remembered that Charles Town was a walled city designed to defend against attacks from the Spanish, French, and pirates.  Development did begin to expand rapidly beyond the town walls when this advertisement ran during the 1730s.  It appears, though, that there was still a need for gunpowder.

The ichnography of Charles-Town at high water. 1739. [3]

Cleland & Wallace sold this Madeira out of their store at the Widow King’s house on Broad Street.  Broad Street originated at the half-moon battery then ran west.  Today, the foundation of the battery lies under the Old Exchange at Broad Street and East Bay Street.  The house is described as “opposite to the Market in Broad-street”[3]  The market was located at the north-east corner of Broad Street and Meeting Street since the 17th century.  It has since been replaced by Charleston City Hall. There are several possible locations for Widow King’s house located on each corner of the intersection. If the Widow King’s house was located in these areas, it would have survived the 1740 fire.  This fire destroyed homes and buildings from East Bay to the north-west corner of Broad Street and Church Street.  In other words, the Widow King’s house was one block away from the destruction.  In the wake of the fire, the city saw significant fire-proof rebuilding.  I do not know if this is when the house was rebuilt but it is no longer standing for a picture.

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[1] South-Carolina Gazette Tuesday, Jun 07, 1735 Charleston, SC Page: 3
[2] The ichnography of Charles-Town at high water. B. Roberts and W. H. Toms. 1739. File Name: 29852-000. Image Collections, The John Carter Brown Library. URL: https://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCBMAPS~1~1~2833~101286:The-ichnography-of-Charles-Town-at-
[3] South-Carolina Gazette Tuesday, May 03, 1735 Charleston, SC Page: 3

“Rich and Rare Wines”: The 19th c. Madeira advertisements of Higham Fife & Co. of Charleston

Southern Patriot, 1830, 12, 09. Charleston, SC. [1]

The firm of Higham, Fife & Co. was founded by Thomas Higham and James Fife in January 1820.[2]  They were first located at 43 East Bay in Charleston, South Carolina where they traded in a variety of goods including Madeira.  By the fall of 1820, Higham & Fife was selling old London Particular, Malmsey, and “very fine Tinto”.[3]  They soon established an agency with the Madeira house of Newton, Gordon, Murdoch, & Scott in 1822, by which time they have moved their store to 75 East Bay.[4]  They advertised as the “only authorized Agents” of Newton, Gordon, Murdoch, and Scott Madeira wines in South Carolina.[1]  Through the early 1830s, their advertisements often list not only new, old, and “extra old” Madeira but also the undoubtedly more expensive offerings of Malmsey, Sercial, and Tinto.

Charleston Courier Friday, Sep 12, 1834 Charleston, SC. [5]

The Madeira listings begin to change in 1834 with an offer of 4 pipes of an 1827 reserve which was sent on an East Indian voyage. [5]  This wine was noted “for its richness, fine flavor, and full body.”  The following year an even more detailed offering was made. [6]  This was comprised of 1825 “very OLD MADEIRA”, 1824 “rich old SERCIAL”, 1824 “old and finely flavored MALMSEY”, and 1834 “very superior BURGUNDY”.  Given the rarity of these wines, they were sold in small 13 gallon casks.  Note how the Burgundy Madeira, given that it was the current released vintage, was recommended both new and old.

Charleston Courier Thursday, Sep 10, 1835 Charleston, SC. [6]

The firm continued to operate and sell Madeira under Higham, Fife & Co. until the death of James Fife in 1846. [7]  During this period they spent more than two decades at 75 East Bay Street.

75 East Bay St, Charleston, SC.

Today, 75 East Bay is located one building south of the intersection of Tradd Street and East Bay Street.  It is not clear to me when the building was constructed, though Zillow lists it as 1816.  The address has been in use since at least 1790.  It is a two-storey stucco building with a flat roof.  When it was surveyed in 1972, the front door did not have a transom.  On the second floor, there was no central door nor porch. Instead there were three symmetrical, shuttered windows.  In a postcard image from the 1920s, the street level had the appearance of a store-front with large, plate-glass windows.  Barring the plate-glass, I imagine this is similar to the configuration when Higham and Fife were operating.

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[1] Southern Patriot Dec 09, 1830 Charleston, SC. Genealogy Bank.
[2] Southern Patriot Friday, Jan 07, 1820 Charleston, SC Page: 3. Genealogy Bank.
[3] Charleston Courier Monday, Oct 30, 1820 Charleston, SC Vol: XVIII Issue: 6476 Page: 1. Genealogy Bank.
[4] Charleston Courier Tuesday, Dec 31, 1822 Charleston, SC Page: 3. Genealogy Bank.
[5] Charleston Courier Friday, Sep 12, 1834 Charleston, SC Page: 3. Genealogy Bank.
[6] Charleston Courier Thursday, Sep 10, 1835 Charleston, SC Page: 3. Genealogy Bank.
[7] Southern Patriot Tuesday, Jan 06, 1846 Charleston, SC Vol: LV Issue: 8249 Page: 3. Genealogy Bank.