Copyright © 2003 the Brewery History Society

Dear Tim

Reading the letter and picture on page 60/61 of last Winter's Journal (Issue Number 110) reminded me that a similar piece of equipment was designed by J W Flower for Guinness to hoist hop bales in the hop stores at their Park Royal and Dublin breweries. The Heritage Brewery in Burton had one donated to their museum circa 1988. The later is still there, languishing in the car park getting wet and old as the only activity there is the locals using the Thomas Sykes pub.

I enclosed two photographs taken at the Heritage site earlier this month. The inscription plate says "J W Flower Patentees and Manufacturer Eclipse Works, Wimborne, England. No. 445".

I have since spoken to the Guinness Archive in Dublin who confirms it was called the Guinness Iron Man used for lifting hop pockets. Full details of its history are still being catalogued but they too have photos from 1948 in their archive and there is a crane on display in the Guinness Storehouse museum in Dublin. I wonder if J W Flower used the idea for lifting other items?

Chris Marchbanks, Burton-upon-Trent