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Catalogue description ISLEWORTH BREWERY COMPANY LIMITED
This record is held by London Metropolitan Archives: City of London
| Reference: | ACC/1214 |
|---|---|
| Title: | ISLEWORTH BREWERY COMPANY LIMITED |
| Description: |
The main bulk of this accession relates to two amalgamated breweries, the Isleworth Brewery Ltd. of Isleworth, and Messrs. Sich and Co. of Chiswick, with a few items relating to Watney Combe Reid and Co. the firm that eventually took over the resulting amalgamation in 1924. |
| Date: | 1796-1949 |
| Arrangement: |
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS Isleworth Brewery Ltd: ACC/1214/1-3332 Records of the Brewery management ACC/1214/1-21 Minutes and account books, 1796-1949 ACC/1214/22-75 Reports and annual balance sheets and related papers, 1886-1894 ACC/1214/76-1309 Agreements etc. with directors and employees, 1909-1922 ACC/1214/1310-1311 War-time pooling arrangement, 1917 ACC/1214/1312-1324 Papers relating to debentures and shares, 1895-1921 ACC/1214/1325-1328 Miscellaneous agreements, etc., 1873-1922 ACC/1214/1329-1332 Amalgamation of Isleworth Brewery Ltd. and Sich and Co. Ltd., 1919-1920 Isleworth Brewery Ltd: ACC/1214/1333-1435 Records of the Brewery estates ACC/1214/1333-1420 Title deeds, 1780-1911 Isleworth Brewery Ltd: ACC/1214/1421-1435 Farnell family wills, etc. ACC/1214/1421 William Farnell, 1817-1822 ACC/1214/1422-1426 Charles Farnell, 1832-1865 ACC/1214/1427-1429 John Farnell, 1863-1866 ACC/1214/1430-1432 William Thomas Farnell, 1869-1870 ACC/1214/1433-1435 Henry Farnell, 1885-1886 Messrs. Sich and Co. Ltd: ACC/1214/1436-1440 Records of the Brewery management ACC/1214/1436-1438 Partnership deeds, 1819-1869 ACC/1214/1439-1440 Shares and debenture papers, 1889-1923 Messrs Sich and Co Ltd: ACC/1214/1441-1675 Records of the Brewery estates ACC/1214/1441-1574 Title deeds ACC/1214/1575-1588 Mortgages: Hoare mortgage, Henry Sich's mortgage, 1782-1880 ACC/1214/1589-1602 Land tax papers, 1819, 1898-1899 ACC/1214/1603-1649 Solicitors' drafts of title deeds, etc. 1802-1882 ACC/1214/1650-1669 Abstracts of title, 1820's-1882 ACC/1214/1670-1675 Solicitors' correspondence, 1832-1886 Messrs. Sich and Co. Ltd: ACC/1214/1676 Family papers ACC/1214/1676 Records relating to separation of Dora Espin and John Espin, 1850-1851 Watney Combe Reid and Co. ACC/1214/1677-1683 Sundry agreements and title deeds, 1913-1956 |
| Related material: |
For a more detailed account of the companies and the records see an article entitled The Isleworth Brewery Co. Ltd. in the Greater London Record Office and Library annual report for 1973 or pp. iii-iv of this list. |
| Held by: | London Metropolitan Archives: City of London, not available at The National Archives |
| Language: | English |
| Creator: |
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| Physical description: | 1683 files |
| Unpublished finding aids: |
INDEX OF LICENSED HOUSES ACTON Acton Brewery Tap see Cottage Brewery Blue Anchor, The Steyne, 1899, 1589 Bull's Head, East Acton, 1899, 1590 Cottage Brewery, High Street, later Acton Brewery Tap and Wellington, 1870-1911, 1333-1338 Horse and Groom, East Acton, 1889, 1441 Wellington, see Cottage Brewery. BRENTFORD Lamb, High Street, 1875, 1442 Red Lion, 1838, 1443 Seven Stars, 1856, 1404 CHELSEA Three Crowns, 1832-1860, 1555, 1584 CHISWICK Barley Mow, 1899, 1593 Bull's Head, Strand-on-the-Green, 1899, 1596 Burlington, Church Street, 1899, 1594 Feathers, Hogarth Lane and premises adjoining, 1819-1898, 1487-1489. 1555, 1591-1592, 1606 Lamb, Church Street, 1795-1899, 1479-1486, 1595 Prince of Wales, Turnham Green, 1852, 1649 Ship, Strand-on-the-Green, 1837-1899, 1597, 1605 FULHAM Crab Tree, 1825-1857, 1580, 1660 George, 1832, 1609 King's Head, High Street, 1831-1832, 1615 King's Head, Walham Green, 1870's, 1674/C1-42 Royal Oak, Fulham Fields, 1859-1876, 1611, 1674/B1-30 GREENFORD Load of Hay, 1899, 1598 Red Lion, 1833-1899, 1599, 1612 HAMMERSMITH British Queen, 1826-1869, 1493-1504 Black Lion, 1887, 1626 Chaise and Horses, King Street, 1842, 1505 Coach and Horses, Shepherd's Bush, 1832, 1616 Duke of Sussex, Clifton Street, 1841-1851, 1622, 1653, 1672/B1-3 George, Broadway, 1749-1838, 1578, 1618, 1657, 1666 Grotto, Creek Wharf, 1889, 1510 Hampshire Hog, King Street, 1842, 1505 Maltman and Shovel, Broadway, 1735-1857, 1580, 1615, 1659 Queens Head, Brook Green, 1832-1838, 1578, 1610, 1618 Rising Sun, Cardross Street, 1890, 1511 Ship, 1738-1857, 1580, 1654 Ship (or Cannon), 1857, 1580 Six Bells, Queen Street, 1802-1857, 1492, 1580 Swan, 1831-1832, 1615 Three Jolly Gardeners, 1757-1857, 1491, 1578, 1618, 1658 White Bear, King Street, 1819-1889, 1509, 1619 White Horse (or George), Broadway, 1832-1857, 1505, 1580, 1617 HAMPTON White Horse, 1836, 1404 HANWELL Duke of York and adjoining premises, 1835-1882, 1627, 1667 HARLINGTON Coach and Horses (formerly Angel), Harlington Corner, 1778-1857, 1514-1534 1628-1633, 1661, 1668 HAYES Canteen, Southall, 1914, 1327B HILLINGDON Dawley Arms, 1884-1898, 1340-1343 HOUNSLOW Crown and Cushion, 1780-1843, 1344-1350 Queen Victoria, 1820-1887, 1351-1357 ISLEWORTH Bell, 1899, 1601 George, Gurnley Row, 1780-1843, 1344-1350 Half Moon, Brentford End, 1815-1887, 1358-1367 Rose and Crown, 1738-1899, 1602, 1654 KENSINGTON Wheat Sheaf, High Street, 1737-1857, 1535-1546, 1578, 1618, 1634-1638, 1662 ST. GEORGE'S HANOVER SQUARE Sun, Curzon Street, 1716-1844, 1547-1554, 1639, 1669 TWICKENHAM Labouring Boy, 1886-1892, 1381-1382 Phoenix, Orleans Road, 1780-1915, 1327b, 1368-1382 Rose and Crown, Bell Lane, 1886-1892, 1381-1382 White Hart, Whitton, 1850's, 1672a. WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE Royal Adelaide, 1887-1893, 1383-1387 GRAYS THURROCK, ESSEX Bull, 1832, 1555 Sun, 1832, 1555 White Hart, 1839, 1642, 1656 EAST MOLESEY, SURREY Castle Hotel, 1901-1916, 1388-1393 EGHAM, SURREY Nag's Head, 1815-1914, 1394-1402 KEW, SURREY King's Arms, 1831-1891, 1560-1574, 1671/C1-6 KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES, SURREY New Inn, Ham, 1856, 1404, 1407 RICHMOND, SURREY Artichoke (or Forester's Arms), 1857-1901, 1403-1417 |
| Administrative / biographical background: |
The records of this company in fact incorporate the surviving records of two amalgamated family brewing businesses both having their origins in the eighteenth century: The Farnell Brewery, later to become the Isleworth Brewery company, taking over the business of Sich and company of the Lamb Brewery, Chiswick, in 1920. A brewery is known to have existed in Isleworth in the early years of the 18th century but it was not until 1800 that the Farnells, a prominent local family, purchased it at a cost of £1,145. From this date, William Farnell developed and enlarged the existing business considerably and on his death in 1820 bequeathed it to two of his sons , John and Charles. These two entered into a formal partnership in 1824. Over the following thirty years they acquired, by lease or purchase, control of a large number of licensed houses while at the same time enlarging the Brewery, building malthouses and erecting cottages for their workmen. As wealthy and respected members of the local community they contributed large sums of money to charity, and helped in the building of St. John's Church, Isleworth. In 1854, William Farnell Watson, a relation by marriage, entered into partnership with the two Farnell brothers, and in 1865, the business became known as "Farnell and Watson's" In 1866, William, the son of W. Farnell Watson, to whom the business had been bequeathed in his father's will, converted it into the Isleworth Brewery Company limited. The surviving records of the company consist mainly of an interesting series of account books and ledgers, covering the period 1796-1949, reports and annual balance sheets, 1886-1914, and a number of bundles of title deeds relating to the licensed houses acquired by the firm. One splendid item, worthy of greater comment, is the general ledger, 1796-1810. This volume, still impressive in its worn vellum laced binding, records the sale of ale, porter, hock, and other liquors to innkeepers in Isleworth, Hounslow, Ealing, Heston, Brentford and other places in south west Middlesex and Northern Surrey. In addition to this are recorded direct sales to such eminent persons as the Duke of Northumberland, the Duke of Marlborough, and the Earl of Jersey and to many members of regency society living at Twickenham. At the other end of the scale the dairy maids at Osterley regularly purchased large quantities of ale as did anonymous haymakers working in the fields of aristocratic landowners just mentioned! As well as these more formal business transactions the ledger includes accounts of family and household expenses. Of the 20th century accounting records, a wages book, 1914-1949 is of considerable interest. Detailed lists are given of the workers employed by the Brewery at Isleworth, including coopers, engineers, maltsters, draymen, stablemen, and office cleaners, together with the wages paid to each individual over a long run of years. The light thrown on changing wage rates - a cooper receiving 31.16s. weekly in 1914, and the same man £4.10s. in 1920 - is obviously of value. Sich and Co., taken over by the Isleworth Brewery Company in 1920, was likewise a small family concern. The earliest mention of a Sich connected with brewing was in a conveyance of 1790 when John Sich purchased the lamb Brewery at Chiswick from a group of persons including members of the well-known Thrale family. In 1809 John Sich the Elder, John Sich the Younger and Henry Sich entered into a formal partnership as common brewers, a partnership which was dissolved and renewed between John Sich the younger and Henry Sich in 1819. As a slight diversification of their business interests they agreed to act together as coal merchants, side by side with brewing. Throughout the remainder of the Nineteenth century the business was carried on by a varying combination of members of the Sich family. They pursued a similar policy to the Isleworth Brewery Company and acquired a large number of licensed houses in the vicinity of the Brewery. The bulk of records relating to this second company are deeds of title relating to licensed premises situated in Chiswick, Kew, Hammersmith, Chelsea and Brentford. Unfortunately, for this company, unlike the Isleworth Brewery, no accounting records have survived to indicate the extent of its business. On the other hand, a considerable quantity of correspondence between the company and its solicitors exists for the period 1830-1880. This deals with such matters as the purchasing, leasing and selling of property, and the solving of disputes arising between the company, as landlord, and its tenants. A more personal note is introduced by a small bundle of letters and legal papers concerning the separation of John Sich's daughter from her erring husband in 1850. Four years after the amalgamation of these two family businesses in 1920, the enlarged company was taken over by Messrs. Watney, Combe Reid and Co. Apart from a few title deeds, the wages book described above is the only record to go beyond the take-over date. As business records are particularly vulnerable to loss and destruction, this deposit is a welcome and valuable addition to the holdings of the office, particularly as the only other coherent group of brewing records held here are those of Fuller, Smith and Turner of Chiswick. The nature of the records of the two companies concerned is such that they in great measure complement one another, enabling a relatively comprehensive picture to be created of the small beginnings of part of what is today an enormous commercial structure. |
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