There’s evidence of a Joseph Phelps from a prominent mercantile family whose activities centered on Madeira—and by extension, on the flourishing trade in Madeira wine—during a period that bridges the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Joseph Phelps—a figure embedded in the legacy of Madeira’s export trade—represents the entrepreneurial spirit of his age. By founding a firm that adeptly navigated the lucrative Madeira wine market and later diversifying into related industries like embroidery, he contributed both to the economic history of Madeira and to the evolving role of English merchants. Although much of what we know comes from detailed family archives rather than mainstream histories, his story reflects a broader trend among English merchants who leveraged international connections and local expertise to succeed in a rapidly globalizing economy.

Joseph Phelps was the founder of the firm Phelps and Morrison, which was notably active in the wine trade. During the 18th century, Madeira wine had become hugely popular in England. Merchants like Phelps recognized the commercial opportunity that Portugal’s famed island offered, establishing networks to export this sweet, long-lasting wine to satisfy English palates. This connection was not merely about commerce; it also helped to shape the reputation of Madeira as a source of quality wine. In addition to wine, his business interests later expanded into Madeira’s embroidery industry, which also enjoyed considerable demand back in England. -

The Phelps family of Clapham left behind an impressive collection of diaries, correspondence, and related papers which shed light on the daily operations and personal life of the merchant family. These documents—even if they stretch into the early decades of the 19th century—indicate that Joseph Phelps was deeply involved in the transnational trade networks of his time. His administrative and social records, preserved at institutions like Lambeth Archives, reveal both the commercial strategies and the day-to-day realities of running a merchant enterprise during a pivotal era in British overseas trade.

References

• 1. UK National Archives
• 2. Oxford Academic
• 3. Wikipedia

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