Ipswich Aerated Water Company

Thomas Barnes and George Pitman took over an existing cordial factory in East Street in 1903. Their business was known as Ipswich Aerated Water Company. The factory had previously been owned by W. G. Livermore, and operated by W. E. Thomas. It was situated down from the corner of Brisbane Street, going towards the river. Many years later this would be the approximate site of the Health Plaza carpark. 

Part of the factory was damaged by fire on 28th September 1904 with an amount of bottles and soda drinks being affected or destroyed. Luckily the company had insurance and a few months later tenders were invited by local architect H. E. Wyman for construction of a new building. Just two months after that in April 1905,  the Ipswich Aerated Water Company moved into new, modern premises on their East Street property. Attention to hygiene and product purity was a feature of the new factory. Helidon Spa water was used.

Very soon afterwards on 17 May 1905, George Pitman and Thomas Barnes dissolved their business relationship by mutual consent. Barnes retained Ipswich Aerated Water Company and continued to trade.

As time went on Ipswich Aerated Water Company became agents for Boonah and Helidon Spa waters, Burgess's lemon squash, and Gardner's K. M. Punch.

Early in 1914, Thomas Barnes, John  Henry Hooper and William George Livermore issued a prospectus for a new entity to be known as Ipswich Aerated Water Company Ltd. The object of the exercise was to acquire and amalgamate the established drink companies of the 3 men including property, equipment and horses:  Hooper's business in South Street, Livermore's in East Street, and Ipswich Aerated Water Co.  Interest of 12.5% was projected for investors. Livermore was to be the new company's Managing Director. Both Hooper and Livermore were long-established aerated water manufacturers in Ipswich.

The Ipswich Aerated Water Company continued to produce drinks and trade in Ipswich for many years. By 1943 Thomas Herbert Barnes, son of the founder, was proprietor. By at least 1950 McGrath was the proprietor of the Ipswich Aerated Water Company. In the second half of the 1940s decade Rex Drinks were being manufactured in the East Street factory.  In 1951, the local council granted permission for Ipswich Aerated Water Company to build a new cordial factory at the corner of Brisbane & Keogh Streets, West Ipswich. The soft drink firm moved into their new modern premises in 1953 and soon after this the old name seems to have fallen from view, to be replaced by Rex Soft Drink Factory.