Catalogue description ISLEWORTH BREWERY COMPANY LIMITED

This record is held by The London Archives: City of London

Details of ACC/1214
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: The London Archives: City of London, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Isleworth Brewery Company Limited, 1866 - 1920

Farnell Brewery, 1800 - 1866

Farnell and Watson's, 1865 - 1866, brewers

Sich and Company, 1819 - 1920, Chiswick

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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