Joseph Hodgson - Aerated Water, Cordial and Vinegar Manufacturer

 Joseph Hodgson and Isaac Ham arrived in Ipswich in 1886. They had traveled to Australia   together by ship from England and were also brothers-in-law. After a few years they entered into a partnership to manufacture cordials, aerated waters, and vinegar. This company was Isaac Ham and Co. They started in South Street around 1892 but moved to premises in East Street soon after. The premises in East Street had been the site of Mrs White's boarding house. Coincidentally, Hodgson and Ham had resided at the boarding house when they first arrived in Ipswich. Now only a few years after, they were in business on the same spot that they had started from. 

Mid nineteenth century this site was also the location of W. Hendren's store.  The property was owned by Mr Darvall at one stage. This was probably Anthony W. Darvall,  manager of the Australian Joint Stock Bank until 1900.  Later this site would be the location of Dr J. A. Cameron's residence that was destroyed by fire in 1936.

In 1893 the business was inundated by floodwaters. The record flood was devastating and caused the premises to flood twice in only 8 or 9 days however Hodgson & Ham were able to get back on track fairly quickly due to their tanks being on high stands above the flood level. Now Isaac Ham & Co. also manufactured baking powder, sauces and brewed beers, like Horehound. Towards the end of that year or  in January 1894 Hodgson bought out Ham and Isaac Ham & Co. was no longer the name under which they traded. 

Hodgson carried on factory production, becoming also licensee of the Racehorse Hotel in Bundamba for four months in 1895. At the same time, despite having 11-13 employees and claiming to be "the largest and best business of its kind" in Ipswich & West Moreton district, Hodgson offers his aerated water business for sale with all plant and equipment. Times must have been tough. In January 1897 Joseph Hodgson declares insovency:  his household goods are offered for sale and his house in East Street to let.  By May of that same year, Dr Robertson and Dr J. A. Cameron are using the factory property for a doctor's surgery. By March 1898 Dr Robertson is the owner of the property and Dr Cameron lives there after substantial renovations to the factory.

However, Hodgson was not yet finished with beverage production.  He and Robert McClymont had a short-lived cordial business described as being in West Street and in Darling Street in the early 1920s.