As handwriting is often unclear, all name transcriptions below are indicative only.
When accuracy is important, the original documents should be consulted.
PRO (Public Record Office) documents are at The National Archives, Kew.

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One of the original shareholders in the company was Dr James Watson, a close friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the model for Sherlock Holmes's biographer, Dr John H Watson. From July 1882 Doyle lived and practised at No.1 Bush Villas, Elm Grove, close to the baths in King's Terrace which Henry Collis had opened at least eight years earlier.

If, as seems fairly certain, Doyle frequented these baths with his friend, they were probably the inspiration for the 'weakness for the Turkish bath' which, according to The adventure of the illustrious client, Holmes and Watson shared.

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TNA: PRO: BT31 6707/47143 All unfootnoted information is taken from this file.

1896 Memorandum of Association: 9 March
Objects include: execution of an agreement between William Billett Martin and the Company for the sale of 23 and 24 King's Terrace.
Capital: £3,000 divided into 3,000 shares of £1
Subscribers:
Cornelius-Wheeler, John (401 shares) Dentist (Dir)
Cornelius-Wheeler, Laura (31 shares)
Helby, Sylvia Sidney (26 shares) Widow
Matthews (26 shares) Naval outfitter
Owen, Charles (6 shares)
Robertson, John Robert Stevenson, MD (51 shares) (Dir)
Rurl, Percival (26 shares) Physician and surgeon
Registered Office: 24 King's Terrace (10 March)
Shareholders include:
Britton, Charles Levers (100 shares) Major
Hall, Ernest (200 shares) Surveyor
Watson, James (100 shares) Doctor
and 49 others

1901 Directors: Cornelius-Wheeler, John
Hall, Ernest
Robertson, John Robert Stevenson
Shareholders include:
Watson, James (100 shares) Doctor

1905 Directors:
Cornelius-Wheeler, John
Hall, Ernest
Robertson, John Robert Stevenson
Shareholders include:
Watson, James (100 shares) Doctor
Extraordinary Meeting: Voluntary winding up (6 November)
Liquidator: G W Edmonds

1906 Sale: The Turkish baths were sold by liquidator to a new owner. This might have been the Company's Manager, F Brough Burden, although entries in directories continue to list him as the manager.
Winding up: (7 August)

This page last updated 05 November 2018