Samuel Allsopp and Sons Ltd.
Based in the High Street of Burton-on-Trent, the history of this company can be traced back to the 1740's. Samuel Allsopp acquired the brewery in 1807. A new brewery and offices were constructed in 1859-60 close to the railway station. Throughout the 19th century Allsopp's brewing business was second only to Bass in size. The new brewery site alone stretched between Station Street and Horninglow Street. They retained the original brewery in High Street, built a large maltings at Shobnall and numerous premises elsewhere. Samuel Allsopp was the first to export Burton Pale Ale to India in 1822. By 1890 their output had reached 460,000 barrels and they had a workforce of 1,750. However, the 20th century was not so favourable for the company and they went into receivership in 1913. Allsopp's was eventually merged with the neighbouring Ind Coope & Co.Ltd. to form Ind Coope & Allsopp Ltd. The offices of the new brewery were later used as the headquarters of Punch Taverns and the Spirit Group.
© Copyright Beer label images from Digital Photographic Images Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Daniel-Batham and Son Ltd
The first beers produced by the Batham's family were by Charlotte Billingham who had married Daniel Batham. They had set up home together in Corngreaves Road, Cradley Heath, close to The Plough and Harrow public house. Daniel worked in a local mine whilst Charlotte kept a house with three lodgers. It was there that she cultivated her talent for brewing ale. In the 1870's the couple moved to Cradley High Street and soon began working at the White Horse Inn. This pub has long since vanished but stood almost opposite the Rose and Crown. Daniel Batham took over the licence from John Attwood in 1882. And so the legend that has become Batham's brewery was officially born - Charlotte brewed the ales and Daniel kept the pub, though it is thought he started to become a brewer himself. Sons Daniel and Caleb entered the business which had begun to flourish. In 1904 Daniel took over the King William in Cole Street, Netherton, where production of Batham's beer continued for another 17 years before it was sold to Julia Hanson's brewery at Dudley. In 1905 Daniel Batham bought The Vine on The Delph which was previously owned by Caroline Fox, a close friend of the family [she was an Attwood, the family who had kept the White Horse Inn]. Because Daniel was busy brewing at the King William, he decided to lease The Vine but interest was minimal - competition was fierce on The Delph which already had the large Elwell's Brewery. Production of Batham's beer was slowly transferred to The Vine from the King William which was sold in 1921. Another pub was added to the estate in 1923 when they acquired The Royal Oak in Lye. In 1926 the brewery bought The Bird in Hand at Oldswinford and The Brickmaker's Arms in Lye and also leased the Spread Eagle Inn at Brierley Hill. Another pub was bought in 1931 - The Fountain Inn at Quarry Bank and a year later the company took the lease of The Railway Tavern in Cradley Heath, a pub that was not too far from where Charlotte Batham first began brewing ales. A family dispute in the 1930's between Daniel and Caleb Batham led to the sale of many of their pubs to larger breweries. However, they were back into taking on pubs again in the following decade when famous names like the Royal Exchange and The Lamp Tavern were added to the estate. It was in 1951 that the really significant move was made. The Swan Inn at Chaddesley Corbett, which was acquired by the Trustees of King Henry VIII in 1927, was leased it to Batham's on 27th July 1951. At that time the brewery only brewed traditional Black Country Mild. The locals of Chaddesley Corbett however were used to a paler drink and would have been up in arms were it not for the company introducing their first bitter to satisfy the palates of the North Worcestershire folk. The company almost amalgamated with Holden's during the 1950's but thankfully remained independent. The joint venture would have meant the closure of the brewery at The Vine and all production would have been moved to Woodsetton. Now with Matthew and Tim Batham at the helm, the brewery is now in its fifth generation of family ownership. In 1991 Batham's Bitter was voted Champion Beer of Britain by CAMRA. Batham's has ten tied houses in the Midlands plus a pub in Wales. The company sells to an increasing number of free houses in the region although brewing is near to capacity.
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Bent's-Brewery Co. Ltd.
Founded by William Bent during the 1790's in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Bent's Brewery tends to be more associated with Stone because the company acquired the large brewery of Montgomery and Co. in 1889. This was when the company's name was established and registered as Bent's Brewery Co. Ltd. to acquire R. Bent and Co. and the Montgomery Brewery. The head office and main brewery was based in Liverpool's New Brewery at Johnson Street. The acquisition of the Montgomery Brewery included an estate of 23 tied houses. The brewery at Stone was altered and enlarged throughout the early 20th century. Production at the site ran around the clock during the Second World War to counteract the bombing of the Liverpool brewery. By the time Bent's was absorbed by Bass Charrington in 1967 the company operated 514 public houses.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

1940's Beer Label

Bindley & Co. Ltd
Founded in 1873, this brewery was based in New Street, Burton-on-Trent. I first came across the name when writing up the history of the Bush Inn at Lower Gornal. The old Georgian pub was sold by its owner, the Earl of Dudley, to Bindley & Company Ltd in November 1898. The sale was part of a bundle of nine local pubs that included two Court Houses at Sedgley and Kingswinford. The deal cost the expanding Bindley & Company Ltd £18,000.0s.0d. The company was registered in 1888 but by the time it had an estate of 63 public houses it was acquired by rival Burton brewers Ind Coope in 1914. Bindley's brewery was closed shortly after the acquisition. This image below shows the brewhouse, viewed from the cooperage yard.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Booth's [Red Lion] Brewery
Booth's Brewery was located behind the Red Lion Inn at Gornal Wood. The pub had a brewery long before Thomas Booth bought the premises. These included the legendary Thomas Malpass who held the licence for 38 years and whose antics led to a nickname of Pokeymon and the street became known as Pokey Row. He sold the Red Lion Inn to brewer William Thomas Clewes of the Home Brewery based in Quarry Bank who paid £2,500.0s.0d. William Jones was appointed as licensee. He succeeded in the difficult task of following Pokeymon and became another Gornal legend. They called him Billy on the Ob. Black Country brewer Tommy Booth bought the Red Lion Inn on August 4th 1935 for £3,650.0s.0d. He later rebuilt and extended the ancient brewery which he needed to supply his seven local houses and expanding free trade. His wholesale prices were probably the lowest in the Black Country and he had a reputation for 'the long pull' where the licensee gave a quart measure for the price of a pint. The brewery was rebuilt in the 1920's, when most of the adjacent terraced houses called Pokey Row were demolished. The Red Lion and Brewery was acquired by Julia Hanson's brewery at Dudley in 1953.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

Burton-Brewery-Company
Former tanners Henry and Thomas Wilders founded this business as Wilders' Burton Brewery Company in 1840. The brewery was erected on the family's High Street premises that had been used as a tannery. In order to facilitate expansion the company was registered in 1845 and capital of £50,000 was raised by issuing 2,000 shares. The new venture was known as the Burton Joint Stock Brewery Company; the directors were Nehemiah Isaac Stevens of Derby, Edward Mammett of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Bartholomew Hoskins of Burton-on-Trent. Thomas Wilders remained as a major shareholder. When they held their first Annual General Meeting in 1846, the company, managed by John Proudman, announced a dividend rate of seven per cent because the business was thriving and expanding rapidly. In 1854 the company enlarged the brewery and celebrated the construction of the new buildings with a dinner for over one hundred of their employees which was held in the large Union room. As the workers feasted with a roast beef dinner, the Saxhorn Band from Ashby-de-Zouch played celebratory music. The chairman, Edward Mammett, commended the work of the architect H.J. Stevens and the contractor W. Smith who was in charge of the new brewery's construction. Edward Mammett was a very astute businessman and regarded as a visionary by fostering a community-based relationship with his workforce. He died in 1860 by which time the Burton Brewery Company had become the third largest brewery in the town and employed almost 300 people. The altruistic spirit lived on within the company and many day trips to London and Liverpool were organised for all employees. As the company continued to prosper, the workforce increased to around 500 by the early 1870's; this number being reported on a day trip to Buxton. The late 1870's and early 1880's was a successful period for the Burton Brewery Company. At the annual general meeting held in 1886, the company reported business being "vastly ahead of any previous year of their existence." The dividends were equal to 14 shillings on each preference and 18s.3d. on each ordinary share for the year. Little wonder that when shares were made available by individuals they were keenly sought-after in local auctions. Mr W. Wright was the chairman during this boom period and, in reporting similarly good business during the following year, he announced that shareholders should be very pleased with a seven per cent dividend considering the fact that trade was generally depressed in other parts of the country. The company was re-registered in June 1888 when the company's policy was geared towards the purchase of a large tied estate. They had seen profits eroding as other breweries were buying up large numbers of public houses. Consequently, they joined the race of developing an estate of pubs throughout the region. During the 1889 AGM, the chairman expressed his "regret that the result of the year's workings were not so favourable as usual, or as they might wish. In explaining the cause for the decrease in profits, he reminded the shareholders that seven years previously "a resolution was passed, contrary to the desire of the directors, that no public house property should be purchased without first obtaining the consent of the shareholders." He added that "this was like tying their legs together and them telling them to run a race." He reported that "during the 1880's no less than 235 public houses that had traded with the company for years had been bought by other brewers." It was for this reason that the company was restructured in 1888 so that the directors had the power to acquire licensed properties. In the following twelve months the firm purchased 52 houses. In 1891 Mr E. Rudgard was appointed as general manager whilst, at board level, chairman Mr. W. Wright was succeeded by Mr. J.W. Beech. With a policy analogous to that of other large breweries, the Burton Brewery Company acquired smaller operations in order to expand their tied estate. Consequently, in 1895 the company bought the Bridge Brewery of Messrs Nunneley & Co. for the sum of £13,000.0s.0d. This purchase however, only included a small estate of public houses. Acquisitions were not restricted to the local area; in 1897 the company purchased the business of the Penn Brewery Company Limited near Wolverhampton. The brewery also secured a contract to supply beer to army canteens throughout the British Empire. However, the growth of their tied estate fell behind that of their competitors and the brewery relied heavily on supplying the free trade market which was more expensive; the cost of distribution during 1898 was £56,000. The company found themselves in financial difficulties in the mid-Edwardian period. There was a proposal to join forces with the neighbouring Thomas Salt & Co. Ltd. and Samuel Allsopp and Sons Ltd. but this arrangement did not materialise. In June 1907 the company went into receivership. The brewery was later acquired by Worthington's.
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Burton-Bridge Brewery
This brewery takes its name from the bridge over the River Trent at Burton-on-Trent. It is situated twenty yards from the end of the present bridge, a short distance from the brewery tap which was once known as the Fox and Goose Inn. Many old breweries existed very close to the pub, including Wilders' and Nunneley's. Some brewery buildings still exist, including a small floor maltings dated 1823 at the bottom of what is now the brewery's yard. In the early 19th century the freehold of the Fox and Goose Inn was purchased by Bass it remained with the brewery until it was closed and sold in 1981. Geoff Mumford and Bruce Wilkinson later bought the old pub with a view to opening another commercial brewery in Burton. The main attraction of the old Fox and Goose was not the pub, which was in a dreadful state, but the outbuildings to the rear which would suit their plans to launch the Burton Bridge Brewery. This was the start of the 201st brewery company to have operated from the town since the early 18th century. Whilst developing the liquor system at Ind Coope's Romford brewery in 1979, Engineering Manager Geoff Mumford and Technical Manager, Bruce Wilkinson, discovered a mutual interest in starting their own brewery. Information was shared and many small breweries visited. Both men quickly realised that a pub connected to a brewery could reap the benefits of beer in the very best condition, with the added bonus of delivery and cask costs being minimised. But neither had pub experience and were anxious that the tail [pub] should not wag the dog [brewery]. Indeed, neither really wanted to run a pub - it was the brewing route that they really wanted to pursue. However, they were given what has proved to be sound advice from a director at Ind Coope when he told them a pub was essential "both as a shop window and for the cash flow over the bar." The Midlands was decided as the location for such a venture as there were properties within their budget and their parents were within visiting range. The Fox and Goose was advertised in the Morning Advertiser and a visit was made during the May bank holiday in 1981. The pub had been closed for some two years and had been sold [de-licensed] to a solicitor. There were no services [gas, electricity, water] and the building needed much maintenance to get it habitable, let alone trading as a brewery tap house. The back building had been used for stabling in the old days and, at the time of the pub's closure, had been used as a store for defunct furniture. It is thought that the old malthouse in which Geoff and Bruce produce their ales is an old malthouse that dates back to 1824. After much thought and talk it was decided to make an offer for the building subject to planning permission being granted for brewing on the site. In October 1981, notice to leave was given to Ind Coope at Romford and various items of equipment were purchased from diverse sources. Brewing finally started on 25th May 1982 after six months of long, hard work with the help of two lads on a Youth Opportunity Scheme. The first brew was Bridge Bitter with an Original Gravity [OG] of 1042 [4.2% ABV] the strength determined by the fact that all the other main bitters produced by Burton's brewers were around that strength but none with a original gravity of 1042. It was only when beers were starting to be produced that Geoff and Bruce fully appreciated that many of the so-called free houses in the area were actually tied to other brewers. As they were not allowed to sell their beer to any pubs in Burton, work was started on a temporary bar at the front of the building. The seating was located in a quarry in North Derbyshire where a stonemason had removed the pews from the Methodist chapel in which Harold Wilson's parents had been married. The beer engines were found in the back of a local garage. The bar was opened on August 1st 1982 with a barmaid employed at lunchtimes and evenings only, Geoff and Bruce worked alternate nights and brewed and delivered during the day! The company has grown steadily over the years and other public houses have been acquired when sufficient funds were raised. The former Prince Alfred on Derby Road was a former Truman's house, the Devonshire Arms in Station Street was formerly an Ind Coope outlet, and the Great Northern on Wetmore Road was an old Marston's pub.
The Brewing Process and Raw Materials used at Burton Bridge Brewery
When producing their first beer, Bruce and Geoff wanted an all-malt brew so they selected Maris Otter, as it was the malt being used by the brewers producing beers that had a good reputation. Target and Challenger whole hops were chosen as it was considered they produced a good balance and they were hop varieties that would last for some time. Styrian dry hopping was also chosen because, when Bruce and Geoff were at the Romford brewery and the company launched their regional cask ales, the dry-hopped ale proved the most popular with the tasting panel. To get a more consistent Styrian hop aroma in the guest beer market, when volumes of sales and hence age of dispense are not consistent, the Bridge Bitter was later Copper hopped with Styrian. Having worked in larger breweries with multi-yeast cultures, it was decided that it was very important to have an independent yeast supply. The yeast was selected from the National yeast collection catalogue, now based in Norwich. Five yeast strains were selected for the following reasons: Firstly, topped cropping, for ease of skimming. Secondly, comparatively slow fermentation for better control and the ability to stop the fermentation in time so priming sugars would not be required. Thirdly, quick fining for commercial advantages in the free trade. And finally, a chain former for ease of identity under the microscope. These five yeasts were propagated and then brewed in five gallon buckets to evaluate flavour. By chance the final selection also has a wild yeast killer factor. New cultures were propagated every month until it was considered only necessary. The brew length at Burton Bridge remains at 15 barrels, which is the same as in 1982 but the number of different brews required for the present market is larger. Geoff and Bruce have found that some landlords, when asked what beer they wanted as a guest beer, would only buy something new and a beer they had not stocked previously. The same happened when selling to some organisers of beer festivals. Maris Otter malt is crushed on a 2 roller Bentall Mill [bought at a farm auction], then manually lifted and roused into the Mash Tun along with the heated incoming water from the town's water supply. The liquor is treated to produce analytically similar liquor to that used in producing classic Burton ales. The brewing liquor is heated overnight in the copper to 77ºC by a gas fired tubular burner. Burton Bridge were the first brewery to use the Lanemark system. By the time the liquor has pre-heated the plant, the temperature has dropped to the strike heat of 71ºC. Mashing in 420kg of malt takes ¾ hour of hard physical labour! The wort is then allowed to drain through the false bottom - originally a stainless steel top to one of the fermenting vessels until its edge was ground and 9000 3/16th" holes drilled with a Black & Decker! The sparge arm was made by converting an Ansell's horizontal tank CIP unit. The wort continues via an underback into the 14brl. copper which uses a 450,000 BTU per hour gas-fired tubular burner. Natural gas is burned and drawn through a 4" pipe circulating inside the copper. After mashing, the remaining liquor in the copper is boiled and then dropped into the hot liquor tank for use in sparging. A ninety minute conversion time is observed followed by recirculation until the wort is bright before being transferred to copper. A ninety minute boil is achieved with whole cone hops while the spent grains are dug out into a one tonne builders bag supported by the fork-lift truck. The mash tun then becomes the hop filter and the wort is recirculated through the paraflow until the outlet temperature is 90 C, with any late hop additions with yeast nutrient and copper clear are added at the start of recirculation. There are nine fermenting vessels of various types and sizes. The 7brl. capacity plastic vessels came from Cotleigh Brewery in Somerset on a cold January day. In fact, one of the vessels became so brittle with cold, it snapped and rolled to the hard shoulder of the M5. Quickly checking that there were no identification features on the stricken vessel, it was rolled out of sight and the journey continued. Fermenting takes five days, after which the yeast is skimmed off, and 12 hours later the beer is chilled to 12ºC. The beer is then pumped to an outside Racking Tank and then racked into steam-sterilised casks. The brewery owns some 20 barrels, 350 kilderkins and 980 firkins. It is aimed to store the beer for a week before it is fined and goes to trade. This proves difficult at times as there are at least four different qualities required for sale and a large amount of the beer goes to outlets as guest beer. Deliveries are typically made to within 35 miles of Burton each week [Nottingham, Birmingham, Stoke and Leicester]. Each week a two-day trip is made to a different part of the country on an eight-week cycle. Beer swaps are made with other brewers and deliveries are made to free houses. Bottled beer is also exported to USA and Canada.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

Monthly Guest Ales
Brewed using an appropriate hop, Burton Bridge produce a different beer each month featuring an unusual or amusing event in history. The official line is that "these often forgotten or little known events are intended to add fun and conversation to the bar as well as providing an excellent pint." Of course, recipes are repeated and rotated but these have been fun and they have managed to keep them going for longer than most. Indeed, Burton Bridge were one of the first microbrewers to adopt a monthly guest ale policy. Here's a sample of the beers along with the brewery's tales as they appeared on the pump clips.

William-Butler and Co. Ltd.
I took some photographs of this site in the summer of 2004 when the old Springfield Brewery of William Butler and Co. Ltd still stood but only as a sort of ghost town. Plans for a redevelopment of the extensive site were being mooted. It was hoped that some of the historic buildings would be retained and incorporated into the designs. Soon after the whole place went up in smoke - probably the result of yet another arson attack. The company was founded in 1840 and registered in April 1891. Much confusion still exists about the name of the brewery because the company was acquired by Mitchell's and Butler's in 1960. The former managing director of this company was a completely different William Butler. I can remember drinking in some M&B pubs in the Black Country during the late 1970's and if they sold beers produced at the Springfield Brewery it was always preferable to those brewed at Cape Hill. The Springfield Brewery was eventually closed around 1990.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

Darby's Brewery Ltd
The Dunkirk Brewery operated by Darby's was based in Whitehall Road in Greets Green, to the west of Guns Village. Founded in 1894, the company enjoyed moderate growth by acquiring small scale breweries in the Black Country. Their tied estate numbered more than 100 public houses when they were taken over by Mitchell's and Butler's in 1951.
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James Eadie Ltd
Established in Burton-on-Trent in the middle of the 19th century, this company operated an extensive estate of public houses throughout South Staffordshire. Born in Perthshire in 1827, the young James Eadie travelled south in 1842 to work for his uncle John Eadie, a tea dealer trading in Fazeley. Once settled, James Eadie started a business supplying malt to homebrew houses and common brewers in and around Fazeley. This enterprise proved very successful and the firm's sales area extended to Burton-on-Trent. Making frequent visits to the brewing capital of the Midlands, James Eadie decided to implement a forward extension strategy for his business and established a brewery in Cross Street in 1852. Despite fierce competition, the brewery flourished and the company's growth was rapid. However, the company foundered shortly after it was registered in 1893 and went into liquidation in the summer of 1896. The brewery survived following restructuring. James Eadie was a benefactor of Fazeley and Burton and was responsible for the construction of chapels in both towns. When he died in June 1904 his personal estate totalled £337,966 [that's over £24m in today's money]. The company and its tied estate of 308 public houses was acquired by Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton Ltd. in 1933.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

George-Elwell [Delph Brewery]
This brewery was established in 1876 next to the Duke William Inn on The Delph. A rebuilt pub stands on the site - today it is called the Dock and Iron. The company was registered in December 1895. During the following year the Delph Brewery amalgamated with Bucknall's Brewery of Kidderminster to form the Worcestershire Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. Towards the end of the Edwardian period, the old brewery buildings at the Delph collapsed through subsidence of the Dock-o-Nine pit owned by the Earl of Dudley. Brewer George Elwell was running the Stewponey and Foley Arms at Stourton by the end of the 19th century, Born in 1839, he spent his early years working as an iron moulder but somehow made good in his middle age years. He retired to Greyfields Court in Kinver in the early 20th century and died in April 1908.
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Elwell-Williams
This firm operated at the old Delph Brewery of George Elwell after the collapse of the Kidderminster Brewery Co.Ltd.

Enville-Brewery
Beer production in Enville ceased in 1919 but was restored, albeit slightly out of the village, in 1993 when the Enville Brewery was founded at an old farm in Coxgreen. The brewery was established by former glass designer, Will Constantine-Cort, who had been made redundant from his job as head of design at Royal Brierley Crystal. Basing his first beer on a recipe he had used for a home-brewing hobby, he first produced his Enville Ale at the Chainmaker brewery in Stourbridge's Mill Race Lane. The first barrel was sold at his local pub, the Robin Hood Inn at Amblecote. Using the same water as the original brewery at Enville, the beers are made using several tons of honey a year, all of which is produced on the site's farm. The brewery also grows its own barley and its beers are now sold in many outlets around the Midlands region. Apparently, Will Constantine-Cort originally intended to keep bees on a full-time basis but somewhere along the line diversification into beer production led to a change of direction within the company.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Enville Ales and reproduced with kind permission.

The Fazeley-Brewery
Established by George Thorneloe in 1845, The Fazeley Brewery was set up a short distance from the George Inn on Coleshill Street. Indeed, the George Inn was kept by George's son Francis who followed in his father's footsteps and continued the brewery business along with his brother Thomas. The Fazeley Brewery was acquired by Arthur Evans in 1872. Born in the Herefordshire town of Kington, he was the son of a wealthy farmer. He possibly sourced his hops from the family's farm. Enjoying success, he moved from the premises to a house in Drayton Bassett where he and his wife Edith employed a governess, nurse, gardener and domestic servant. The Fazeley Brewery ceased production in 1907 and when the site was placed on the market it was described as having a "large stores, a yard with gateway entrance, stabling, lofts and premises, together with engine, pump, boiler and certain fixed plant in addition to substantial maltings for 24 quarters with three floors and kiln."

Holden's-Brewery
Son of a boot and shoe maker, Edwin Alfred Holden was born in Rowley Regis in March 1875. He followed the family business moving to Netherton and taking lodgings in Northfield Road. In Netherton he met and married a publican's daughter, Lucy Blanch Elizabeth Round at St.Andrew's church on October 25th 1898. Lucy's father, who had a long-established reputation in the licensed trade, persuaded them to take the tenancy of a public house. It was the beginning of the link with the Holden name and beer. Two months after their wedding, Edwin and Lucy Holden moved into the old Britannia Inn, a short distance from their rooms in Northfield Road. They stayed there for six years, moving to the Struggling Man Inn at Shavers End. Three years later and the Holden's were on the move again to take the Atkinson's-operated Horse and Jockey in Dibdale Lane, Lower Gornal, some half a mile away. Son Teddy was born at the pub on November 13th 1907. Their fourth house, again run by Atkinson's, was the Bloomfield Inn at Bloomfield Road in Tipton which they took over in October 1909. However, they only remained there for a short period. Within a year, the family had taken over a free house - The Summer House at Woodsetton, where they remained until 1920. In 1916 Edwin Holden, now in failing health, bought the Park Inn in George Street, Woodsetton, taking the license in 1920, shortly before his death. It was, like the Summer House, a home-brew pub with a small brewery at the rear and in the cellar. This proved to be an exciting new turning point for the family and after developing a popular ale for the locals the brewing equipment was enlarged from within the cellar to adjoining buildings, which had been previously been used as a malt store by Atkinson's Brewery. Lucy proved to have a strong business head on her shoulders. Over the next three years and through great personal endeavour she was able to purchase a second pub, the Painter's Arms in Coseley, which was owned by Butler's Brewery. This acquisition was principally for her son who had returned from Birmingham University after earning his brewing colours. From the traditional dark strong mild brewed twice a week on the premises, the brewery developed during the 1950's and 1960's to its present size, with a capacity of 250 barrels a week. There is a large bottling plant at the brewery, the last remaining such plant in the Black Country. Holden's brews and bottles beers for PDH [formerly Davenport's] in addition to its own range.
© Copyright Brewery images from Digital Photographic Images Other images supplied by Holden's Brewery and reproduced with kind permission.

Home-Brewery
The Home Brewery was based in Quarry Bank's Evers Street. It's no good wandering down to see the old buildings - the spiritual home of Simpkiss beers has been lost forever. The Simpkiss story didn't start here and, indeed, didn't end here. But for a number of years [1903-1916] this was where the nectar was brewed. The first photograph below was once the only known image of the Home Brewery. It was unearthed by Doris (Dolly) Proctor whose father worked his way up the ranks to become head brewer. Originally called the Swan Brewery, the main outlet for the beers in the early days was an off-licence in Evers Street. This was operated by the Cartwright family; John Cartwright had purchased the site from William King in 1851. The street was named after Samuel Evers who operated Cradley Forge during the 1830's and 1840's. The thoroughfare leads down to the forge on the River Stour. The Evers family later owned Homer Hill colliery in Cradley and established a brickworks in Netherend. Following John Cartwright's death in the 1880's, the Evers Street brewery and shop was bequeathed to widow Phoebe Cartwright; she subsequently leased it to John Mason who, in the agreement, was described as a brewer's clerk. The agreement provided an insight into the scale of the business at this time. He leased two houses, a coach house, stables, outbuildings and other premises in Evers Street. Helped with mortgages from other maltsters and brewers, John Mason acquired adjacent land and established a larger enterprise. He had three tied houses - the Maypole Inn at Cradley Forge, the Red Lion at Wollescote and the Rising Sun Inn at The Lye. Four more pubs were added before the business was acquired by brewer John Samuel Arnold Bell of Kensington, Middlesex. He paid £1,900.0s.0d. for the going concern. Thomas Cornelius Homer was a financial backer during this period and it is thought that the title of the Home Brewery is derived from his surname. It was in 1903 that 29 year-old Joseph Paskin Simpkiss became involved at the Evers Street brewery. In March of the following year the Brewing Trade Review recorded that the "Home Brewery (Quarry Bank) Ltd. had registered with capital of £10,000 in shares of £1 to carry on the business of brewers, wine and spirit merchants, etc., as hitherto carried on by Mr.J.P.Simpkiss, Swan Brewery, Quarry Bank, Staffordshire." Joseph Paskin Simpkiss was the son of William Henry Simpkiss of the Royal Oak Brewery in Brierley Hill, a business in which he learned the trade of brewing and distribution. Joseph Paskin Simpkiss developed a range of seven beers which were retailed through tied houses acquired from John Mason along with others such as the Albion Inn at Wollaston and the Red Lion at Careless Green. Other pubs were acquired including some in Quarry Bank - the Pilgrim's Cottage, Elephant and Castle and The Vine. However, despite almost constant advertising, the company failed to acquire more public houses and relied on the skills of Joseph Paskin Simpkiss to sell through the free trade. He held the post of Managing Director but left the Home Brewery in rather bizarre circumstances. He had inadvertently signed away control of the company to his office manager William Thomas Clewes but, despite a lengthy County Court case in which the judge commented in his favour, Joseph Simpkiss was ousted from his position. He subsequently joined Smith and William's of the Town Brewery at Round Oak before acquiring the Foley Arms on Brettell Lane to continue the Simpkiss story. Jointly managed by William Clewes and William Proctor, the Home Brewery continued until May 1921. Despite further investment in the brewery, including a new bottling plant, the company's downfall was their inability to expand their tied house estate. The brewery stood for many years but was finally demolished in February 1959 when the grandson of William Proctor built a bungalow for himself.

Ind-Coope
Though not strictly a Midlands brewery, Ind Coope has to be included because of its association with Burton-on-Trent. The photograph below shows the company's four maltings that stood next to the main railway lines close to the railway station. Ind Coope initially owned the Star Brewery that was founded by George Cardon in 1709 at Romford, Essex. The brewery was acquired by Edward Ind and J.Grosvenor C.E.Coope in 1799. They opened a brewery in Burton-on-Trent in 1856. Indeed, that was the first instance of a London brewer opening an establishment in Burton to take advantage of the Staffordshire town's famed water. Part of their 19th century brewery still stands, including the water tower. In 1934 Ind Coope merged with their next door neighbours at Burton and traded as Ind Coope and Allsopp Ltd. Merging with Ansell's Brewery and Tetley Walker in 1961 to form Allied Breweries. Ind Coope is part of the Carlsberg Tetley Group.
© Copyright Label images from Digital Photographic Images Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

John-Joule and Sons Ltd.
This brewery was founded in 1780 in Stone's High Street but the story of the family concern started in 1758 when maltster Francis Joule acquired the White Horse Inn. The adjoining brewhouse proved too small for the successful business so he moved to the King's Arms in the High Street during 1767. The White Horse Inn was demolished in the same year when Francis Joule built a house on the site. It would later serve as the home of the company's head brewer. The King's Arms is thought to have been established in the early 1600's, making it one of the oldest breweries in England. By 1780 Joule had established a public brewery to supply the firm's other pubs. The founder's son John Joule took over the company in 1813 and it was named John Joule and Son. Why the name of Francis is omitted is curious. The Trent and Mersey Canal flowed past the rear of company's Newcastle Street Ales Stores which enabled the brewery to sell to other parts of the country. In the mid-19th century beers produced at John Joules and Son were being exported to the United States, Australia and Europe. In 1873 Joules was sold to three brewers from Liverpool - John Parrington, Thomas Harding and John Harding. Thomas was the father of John but the three men controlled Harding and Parrington Ltd. based at the Brunswick Brewery in St. James's Street, Liverpool. This company was registered on January 1st 1898 but acquired by Cain's in 1920. Joules was acquired by Bass Charrington in 1970 and production at the Stone brewery ceased in September 1972. A Somerfield supermarket was later built on the site.
© Copyright Label images from Digital Photographic Images Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Lichfield-Brewery Co. Ltd.
This company was registered in July 1869 to acquire two brewing operations in Lichfield - J.A. Griffith & Company and the Lichfield Malting Co.Ltd. The first of these enterprises was established by the wine merchants John and Arthur Griffith. The brewery, located in Beacon Street behind Cathedral House, was operational by 1847. The company had two malthouses in the city, one of which can still be seen next to the railway line close to Upper St. John Street. Located in Tamworth Street, the Lichfield Malting Co.Ltd. was founded in 1864 by John, Henry, and William Gilbert. Following the merger of these two firms, a new brewery was erected on the west side of Upper St. John Street, the offices of which still stands next to the railway bridge. Often experiencing trading difficulties to the extent of being reconstructed in 1890, the company was eventually acquired by Samuel Allsopp and Sons in 1930. The sale included the estate of 182 public houses.
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Marston, Thompson & Evershed
Difficult to know where to file this company following the merger/takeover by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries Ltd. Indeed, the whole group started to trade as Marston's PLC in January 2007. J. Marston & Son was founded in 1834 by John Marston and from 1864 was based at the extensive Horninglow Brewery at Burton-on-Trent. During the 1890's the company made acquisitions in Burton, Hinckley and Coventry thus expanding their estate of tied houses. In 1898 the company merged with John Thompson & Son Ltd. and in 1902 the combined venture moved to the Albion Brewery in Shobnall. The latter was built in 1875 by Mann, Crossman and Paulin. In 1905 the company acquired Sydney Evershed Ltd. to become Marston, Thompson & Evershed. Evershed's was founded in 1854 and based at the Bank Brewery in Bank Square. The company gradually expanded during the 20th century. In 1984 a major expansion into the Cheshire and North Wales markets was made when they acquired Border Breweries [Wrexham] Ltd. The Albion Brewery is the only remaining production plant that has retained the Burton Union system of fermentation - for its stronger ales at least. Marston's ales were already widely available until the late 1990's but now the best-selling Pedigree can be found in most Banks's houses throughout the Midlands region. Indeed, according to a survey carried out by The Publican magazine, Pedigree has overtaken Draught Bass to become Britain's top-selling bitter. Naturally, the arguments rage as to whether it is the same brew of old. Incidentally, the Burton Union system is a series of large oak casks which are linked by pipes so that the fermenting beer rises from the casks through vertical pipes under the pressure of its carbon dioxide. It then flows through a swan's neck into an open trough that extends the entire length of the casks. The beer then runs back down into the casks, leaving the yeast in the top trough. Beer and yeast circulate through the unions in this way, at a carefully controlled temperature, until fermentation is complete.
© Copyright Horninglow and Albion Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Old-Wolverhampton-Breweries Ltd.
This company was established and registered in 1910 brewery was founded in 1910 in order to amalgamate two notable breweries, that of J.& J. Yardley Ltd and I. Yardley & Sons of Bloxwich and the South Staffordshire Brewery Co. Ltd of Wolverhampton. The newly combined tied-estate totalled 134 public houses. The company was based at the South Staffordshire Brewery premises in Market Street, Wolverhampton. The whole enterprise was acquired by Frank Myatt Ltd in 1919.

Thomas Salt & Co. Ltd.
The carts on the right of the second photograph below give the appearance of a ramshackle yard. However, the brewery of Thomas Salt & Co. was a very large concern, as can be seen in the first illustration. The premises were based at 119 High Street in Burton-on-Trent. The company was founded in 1774 by the maltster Thomas Salt. Subsequent members of the family expanded the business with other sites being acquired and utilised. For example, in the early 19th the family business had a maltings at Stapenhill and brewing also took place on Bridge Street. The company was registered in November 1893; the tied estate was extended over a large area with pubs as far as Norfolk and Gloucester. In the latter county Salt's operated the Rising Sun in Gloucester and Unicorn Inn at Cheltenham. The company was acquired by the Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton empire in 1927; brewing on this site ceased soon after this date.
© Copyright Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

J. P. Simpkiss and Son Ltd.
Following the sale of the Home Brewery, Joseph Paskin Simpkiss bought the Foley Arms at Silver End [between Brierley Hill and Amblecote] in 1921. Within four years he had increased production of beer to the rear of the pub to 145 barrels per week. In 1934 the brewery was rebuilt to the designs of son Dennis Simpkiss and it was even named the Dennis Brewery. A five quarter brewery, production of 40 barrels a day was now possible. The company acquired more pubs in which to sell the popular Simpkiss ales. In 1936 a bottling plant was installed at the Dennis Brewery and two years later the business was registered. Joseph Simpkiss died soon after this and Dennis Simpkiss took over the company. His son Jonathon Simpkiss would later lead the company which, in the 1970's, even had a kegging line installed by Ansell's. As managing director, Jonathon Simpkiss sold the Dennis Brewery in 1985 to Greenall Whitley in a cash a share deal worth £1.9m. Simpkiss beers were last produced in July 1985 and Greenall's demolished the brewery three years later. In July 2003 John Richards reported that Jonathon Simpkiss was a tax exile living on the Isle of Man.
© Copyright Label images from Digital Photographic Images Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Smith-and-Williams
This company was based at the Town Brewery at Round Oak, Brierley Hill though W. H. Smith founded his brewery at the Delph Brewery in 1897. The company was acquired along with a tied estate of 60 pubs by Julia Hanson and Son Ltd in April 1934. The County Express newspaper commented at the time that this "was the largest purchase of licensed property in South Staffordshire and North Worcestershire."

Truman,-Hanbury,-Buxton & Co. Ltd.
This brewery started life in London in 1666 but became very much a Midlands brewer when the company purchased Phillips' Brewery at Burton in 1873. This was a response to the invasion of Burton-based beers into London after the development of the railways. The company rebuilt the brewery at Burton between 1874 and 1876 and called it the Black Eagle Brewery after their original brewery in Stepney. Pictured here next to the Midland Railway's yard and bordering Derby Street, the Black Eagle Brewery was sadly demolished in 1973, just two years after production ceased on the site. The company's name was changed to Truman's Ltd in 1971 when Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd. acquired the group. Three years later the firm was was merged with Watney Mann Ltd.
© Copyright Label images from Digital Photographic Images Brewery images from Staffordshire Past-Track and reproduced with kind permission.

Peter-Walker & Co. Ltd.
This company was founded in 1860 - not at Burton, but at the Willow Brewery in Wrexham that was previously operated by Robert Evans. However, the extensive brewery at Clarence Street in Shobnall, Burton-on-Trent was opened in 1883. It was after Sir Andrew Barclay Walker bought out his two younger brothers, Peter and John, that they established this company. The firm had an outpost in Tipton which was used to supply a number of public houses in Birmingham, the Black Country and South Staffordshire. The company was acquired by the Aston-based Atkinson's Brewery in 1925. The large Goat Maltings of the enterprise can still be found in Clarence Street. The Goat refers to a Welsh goat on the weather vane at the brewery - a reminder of the company's origins in Wrexham. The council bought the Wrexham site after the company moved to Burton-on-Trent and it evolved into the Tuttle Street Baths. The building was destroyed by a fire in the 1970s, after which the the site was levelled.
© Copyright Many thanks to Nick Boles. Label images from Digital Photographic Images

Peter-Walker-and-Son Ltd.
This company was founded by Peter Walker, an inventor who patented the Burton Union system [though there is some doubt as to whether he actually was the inventor]. The company operated as Peter Walker and Son in Liverpool and Warrington. His eldest son, Sir Andrew Barclay Walker, merged his own operations into this and expanded to Burton-on-Trent. Sir Andrew pioneered many of the innovations in brewing production, beer distribution and pub management that we all take for granted today. The company merged with Cain's in 1921 and was eventually absorbed into Allied Breweries. The brothers of Sir Andrew Barclay Walker, John and Peter, started Peter Walker & Co. Ltd. [see above]. However, it was this company that wielded more influence.
© Copyright Many thanks to Nick Boles. Label images from Digital Photographic Images

White-and-Combe
This brewery was established in Albert Road by Thomas White in 1860. Born in Bolehall in 1822, Thomas White was formerly a cabinet maker and established a small business in Tamworth's Bolebridge Street. His wife may have died in childbirth because he was a widow when the census enumerator recorded him as a widow living with his two year-old daughter Ann. When he moved to Albert Road to start his new business as a maltster and brewer, he was accompanied by his sister Catherine. The beers produced by Thomas White proved popular and within a decade he had a small workforce engaged at the site. He re-married in the 1860's; his wife Mary Ann hailed from Husbands Bosworth in Leicestershire. The profitable business enabled the couple to employ servants in the house. Born on the Isle of Skye, the wholesale wine and spirits merchant Norman McFie established a business next to the brewery and shared part of the brewery yard with Thomas White. Nearing the end of his working life, Thomas White went into partnership with John Combe, a younger brewer from Gloucestershire. By 1898 the business was trading as White and Combe. Thomas White died in 1901 but the brewery continued until the First World War. Indeed, John Combe was known to purchase pubs in order to develop a tied estate. In an auction held by Messrs. Winterton and Son in July 1906 he bought the freehold of the Seven Stars, an old pub situated on Watling Street at Wall. The company paid £1,055,0s.0d. Prior to this, John Combe had acquired the Green Man Inn at Clifton Campville.

Wolverhampton-and-Dudley-Breweries Ltd
This company is based at the Park Brewery, the home of Banks's Brewery. Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries Ltd. was formed as a public company in 1890 from an amalgamation of three local brewing businesses - Banks's of Park Brewery, George Thompson and Sons of Dudley and Charles Colonel Smith of the Fox Brewery in Wolverhampton. The company grew to become one of the largest independent regional brewers. Floated on the stock exchange in 1964, by 1990 W&DB controlled 800 tied houses. Other breweries were acquired, notably Mansfield and Cameron's. The prized purchase was that of Marston, Thompson and Evershed of Burton-on-Trent, acquired in February 1999 with an estate of 918 pubs. However, in 2001 the whole group was thrown into confusion when Pubmaster made a £453m hostile bid to takeover the company. Shareholders had to vote on this and the brewery only just about held on to its position. It was still bad news for some when rationalisation was forced - the Mansfield Brewery was closed and production was shifted to Wolverhampton in 2001. Cameron's was sold to Castle Eden in April 2002. In 2005 the company acquired Jennings Brewery and two years later they also acquired the Ringwood Brewery. In 2007 the company changed to Marston's plc.
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Wordsley-Brewery Co. Ltd.
This company was based at the Lion Brewery in Brewery Street (now Brierley Hill Road), Buckpool, Wordsley. Registered in March 1896, the Wordsley Brewery got into financial difficulties in 1906 and was wound up. This led to an auction of the brewery and a handful of tied houses. The sale was held at The Property Mart at Temple Row West in Birmingham on Thursday July 26th 1906.

Worthington
Details of this brewery to follow...

“Or merry swains, who quaff the nut-brown ale, And sing enamour'd of the nut-brown maid.”
James Beattie
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