Alfred Romary was born 24th April 1844 at Southborough the fifth child of John and Sophia Romary
Alfred Romary set up in business in 1862 at 26 Church Road, Tunbridge Wells. Initially he was classified as a 'Water cake maker', but it was his wafers that made his name famous around the globe as they sold at Macy's of New York; Harrods, Fortnum and Mason and many others in London; as well as food stores in Belgium and Paris. A Romary advertisement describe the wafers 'As thin as lace, of a flavour so delicate as to be indefinable. The clubs serve them with port, but they are also excellent with ices or at afternoon tea. Many people prefer them to sweets and chocolate. In two flavours, Sweet and Ginger.'
Queen Victoria visited Alfred Romary's shop on 23rd December 1876 and liked the wafers so much that she awarded him a Royal Warrant as Biscuit Manufacturer on 31st July 1884. The warrant was renewed by King Edward VII on 9th August 1901 and subsequently through the years until awarded by Queen Elizabeth II on 1st August 1963. In 1926 A. Romary & Co. became a limited compnay when W.A.P. Lane bought it and then in 1935 Romary and Co. was acquired by British Biscuits a subsidiary of Rowntree and Co. (now part of Nestle).
Alfred married Martha Harvey on 5th December 1865 and together they had a family of nine children, all at Tunbridge Wells. Alfred died on 30th March 1929 at the age of 85
John Romary | m: 3rd Dec 1753 Beckley, Sussex | Mary Monk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c 1730 | b: c 1730 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Richard | Stephen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1754 Beckley, Sussex ch: 15th Sep 1754 | b: 1762 Heathfield, Sussex ch: 21st Jan 1762 All Saints Church | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd marriage | Stephen Romary | m: 12th May 1804 St. John the Baptist, Penshurst, Kent | Mary Smale | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1762 Heathfield, Sussex ch: 21st Jan 1762 All Saints Church | b: c 1770 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John | Charlotta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c June 1804 Penshurst, Kent ch: 17th Jun 1804 St. John the Baptist d: 9th Oct 1853 | b: 1806 Penshurst, Kent ch: 16th Nov 1806 St. John the Baptist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd marriage | John Romary | m: 21st Apr 1835 Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells, Kent | Sophia Stapley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c June 1804 Penshurst, Kent ch: 17th Jun 1804 St. John the Baptist d: 9th Oct 1853 | b: 1805 Rotherfield, Sussex d: Apr to June 1855 registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1855 Q2 Vol 2a Page 248 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Susan | John | Sophia | William | Alfred | Albert | Charlotte Elizabeth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1836 Penshurst, Kent | b: 1838 Penshurst, Kent | b: July to Sep 1840 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1840 Q3 Vol 5 Page 439 | b: 1843 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1844 Q1 Vol 5 Page 531 | b: 24th Apr 1844 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1844 Q2 Vol 5 Page 504 d: 26th Mar 1929 aged 85 years registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1929 Q1 Vol 2a Page 1791 bur: 30th Mar 1929 Borough cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, grave B10 31 | b: Apr to June 1847 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1847 Q2 Vol 5 Page 495 | b: Oct to Dec 1850 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1850 Q4 Vol 5 Page 557 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alfred Romary | m: 5th Dec 1865 St. John's Church, Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1865 Q4 Vol 2a Page 899 | Martha Harvey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 24th Apr 1844 Southborough, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1844 Q2 Vol 5 Page 504 d: 26th Mar 1929 aged 85 years registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1929 Q1 Vol 2a Page 1791 bur: 30th Mar 1929 Borough cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, grave B10 31 | b: 1843 Ascot, Warwickshire d: September 1930 aged 88 years registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1930 Q3 Vol 2a Page 877 bur: 19th Sep 1930 Borough cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, grave B10 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
William Alfred | Martha Elizabeth | Maud Alice | Frederick John Ralph | Laura Susanna | Edith Beatrice | Mabel Violet | Lily Gertrude | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: Oct to Dec 1866 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1866 Q4 Vol 2a Page 508 ch: 28th Oct 1866 St. John's Church | b: Apr to June 1871 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1871 Q2 Vol 2a Page 535 ch: 25th Jun 1871 St. John's Church d: 31st Jul 1886 aged 15 years registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1886 Q3 Vol 2a Page 360 bur: 5th Aug 1886 Borough cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, grave B10 32 | b: Apr to June 1873 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1873 Q2 Vol 2a Page 511 ch: 27th Jun 1873 Trinity Church d: 16th Jun 1887 aged 14 years registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1887 Q2 Vol 2a Page 354 bur: 18th Jun 1887 Borough cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, grave B10 32 | b: Oct to Dec 1876 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1876 Q4 Vol 2a Page 583 ch: 20th Oct 1876 Trinity Church | b: July to Sep 1878 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1878 Q3 Vol 2a Page 607 ch: 31st Jul 1878 Trinity Church | b: Apr to June 1881 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1881 Q2 Vol 2a Page 632 ch: 17th Jun 1881 Trinity Church | b: Apr to June 1884 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1884 Q2 Vol 2a Page 650 ch: 11th Jun 1884 Trinity Church | b: July to Sep 1887 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1887 Q3 Vol 2a Page 670 ch: 20th Jul 1887 Trinity Church | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anne Sophia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: July to Sep 1868 Tunbridge Wells, Kent registered at Tonbridge District, Kent ref: 1868 Q3 Vol 2a Page 524 ch: 26th Jul 1868 St. John's Church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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