All Saints Brewery Leicester - A History

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All Saints Brewery Co. (Leicester) Ltd, 21 Silver Street, Leicester, Leicestershire.

Despite the office address, the actual brewery building was on High Cross Street. It was shown on Fowler’s map of 1828, next to the new gaol, suggesting that it had been in business for some time. Later advertising by the firm suggested that the brewery dated back to 1800, and possibly as early as 1795. It was probably the site originally used by the Forresters.

The 1826 poll book lists Robert Birkley as a brewer in Northgate Street, but this seems to have been his home address. In 1832-35 he was listed on High Cross Street as a brewer, maltster and spirits merchant.

On 1st January 1843, Richard Gibbon & Company, Anchor Brewery, were advertising as previously the All Saints Brewery, some nine months in the property, late Robert Birkley. However, given the difficulties with names and entries in some of the early directories, this may be the same individual shown as Bickley (see entry). However, Gibbon also seems to have continued to run a separate business in Newarke Street (see entry).

In 1846, Thomas Cock & Company were shown as brewers and maltsters at the Red Bull on High Cross Street. In 1815 William Gillespie had been shown at the inn as a victualler. Cock & Company were also listed as victuallers, and wine & spirit merchants; although, John Goodwin of London Road was described as the brewer in the firm. In 1832, George Goodwin, described as a brewer, was living in Wigston. In 1847, Thomas Cock, brewer, was living in Charlotte Street.

In 1848, Goodwin & Hobson (late Thomas Cock & Company) were shown as ale and porter brewers, maltsters and wine & spirit merchants in High Cross Street. This suggests that they had taken over the brewery at the Red Bull. However, in 1855 Goodwin and Hobson were also shown as brewers at the Pied Bull. The pub was called the Pyed Bull in 1805, when it was described as being near All Saints Church. They also owned the Falcon, 18 Granby Street. In 1835, the Pied Bull had been kept by John Westley Gillespie. In 1857, Stephen James Hobson was listed in the poll book as a brewer in High Cross Street.

In 1863 the listing was for John Willis Goodwin & Company brewers, maltsters, wine & spirit merchants at 97 High Cross Street. In 1864, TG Cock was advertising in the Chronicle that he had succeeded the late JW Goodwin in High Cross and was trading as Goodwin, Cock & Company, The Brewery, All Saints Brewery. In addition to their own ale, East India Pale Ale and stouts, they were also able to supply London stout from Elliott, Watney & Company.

The confusion over name changes continued, since from 1860 to 1873 they were trading as Cock & Moon, 21 Silver Street. However, in 1867 Moon, Cock & Company were also shown as brewers in Charlotte Street. Yet in 1868, the Craven Arms was owned by Cock & Langmore.

In 1870 the business was listed as Goodwin, Cock & Company at 97 High Cross and at the Falcon Vaults. The Falcon Vaults, a wine and spirits business at 20 Granby Street was run as Goodwin, Cock & Company, suggesting this name was then used for the subsidiary. They were also in business under this name at 9 Horsefair Street, next to the Dolphin. Nevertheless, they were also still shown as Moon, Cock & Company, 103 High Cross, next to the Pied Bull run by Edward Smalley, which they owned. Thomas Godfrey Cock, the brewer at Moon, Cock & Company was living at No 97 High Cross, suggesting that brewing had ceased at this building. Frederick Greaves Moon’s home was in London. Just to confuse matters even more, in 1871 they may also have been shown as JF Moon & Company.

Nevertheless by 1871 William Langmore had certainly joined TG Cock and gone to live at the brewery house at 97 High Cross Street. Thomas Godfrey Cock, of Cock and Langmore, presumably moved out, since in 1875 his home was Shelbrook House, Humberstone Road. In November 1874, Langmore was shown as the licensee of the Britannia on Belgrave Gate. They were now trading as Cock & Langmore, All Saints Brewery. Confusion still continued in that in 1876 they were also still listed as Moon & Cock at High Cross Street.

In 1877 Cock & Langmore were shown on High Cross Street (F2707). In White’s directory for that year, they were listed for 20 Granby Street, 67 Corn Exchange and the All Saints Brewery, 103 High Cross. They may have become linked with Watts & Sons around this time (see entry), but they were listed until 1882 as Cock & Langmore. Indeed, the Britannia was listed for Cock and Langmore as late as November 1896. They were renting bonded stores for £25 pa from the Midland Railway Company.

In 1881, the address was shown as 103½ High Cross, and sometime after this Samuel Nevins Bankart was in partnership with William Langmore. Samuel Nevins was the son of Samuel Stephen Bankart, who had been Chairman of the Leicester Banking Company. It is not clear whether the Bankarts were actively involved in the day to day running of the brewery. The family was living at Hallaton Hall around this time.

For the period 1884-96 the business traded as Langmore & Bankart at the All Saints Brewery, High Cross Street. Around 1892 the relationship with Watts & Sons seems to have become more formal.

The popularity of Burton beer was shown in the 1880s, when All Saints Brewery were buying beer from the Burton Brewery Company, Nunneley & Company and Marstons. They were also buying stout from Sharpes of Sileby and . soda water from Schweppes & Company of Derby. In 1882, a sign of the times was that they were buying paper labels etc. from Billing Brothers in Birmingham, some 7,000 small round labels at 3s 6d per thousand. Bottles were still corked, with corks from Thomas Peet & Sons of London. Twenty gross half-pint corks cost some £1 10s. The bottles came from Cunnington & Company of St Helens. Two gross and 11½ dozen for £1 9s 7d.

In 1893, like many other brewers they made much use of sugar in brewing, particularly from Manbres and Clarks e.g. 80 cwt for £53. They also bought caramel sugar and Caramaline from Clarkes, presumably for the dark beers, which were still the most popular. They were also buying maize around this time, possibly for its benefits in giving a good head to beer, rather than simply because it was cheap. Another more common ingredient was the June malt purchase from Long & Company of 30 quarters at 34/- each. In July they bought 205 quarters of malt, including some from Walmersleys, their prices being:- Patent 36/-, Brown 31/-, Crystal 37/-. They were also looking to buy foreign malt from Pauls, including both Californian and Chilean. Hops from Meredith & Company were at 155/-, but they were also buying Oregon hops from Morris & Company at 56/-.

The casks for the beer came from Allen Shutco, 100 strong kils at 16/- each and 4½ gallons at 6/3d. To support their wine and spirit trade, in August they were buying cider from B Wood & Sons, some 38½ gallons for £1 15s 4d. In comparison, they also bought 4 dozen pints of Bollinger at a cost of £7 14s.

The All Saints Brewery Company Ltd was registered on 30 September 1896 with offices at 21 Silver Street. It was set up to run the Langmore and Bankart brewery and Watts and Sons wine and spirits, both businesses described as having been in existence for over 100 years. However, for several years they had traded as All Saints Brewery Company and Watts and Sons. The business was financed by £100,000 in £10 shares, equally divided between ordinary and 5% cumulative preference shares, all of which had been retained by the owners. There was also a 4% First Mortgage Debenture Stock of £100,000, which was redeemable after 1st January 1916 at 110%. The brewery address was given as 103½ High Cross.

The £200,000 raised was used to pay the vendors. The profits prior to the registration had been as follows:-

  • 1893 £10,701
  • 1894 £9,626
  • 1895 £10,029

In 1897, the Swan With Two Necks, where the Watts family had started their business, was on the property books at £1,800, with a 3¾% mortgage. They also seemed to have owned the Malthouse on Vine Street, which may actually have started out as a malting, but later seems to have become an off-licence. That year they bought the Cross Keys at Kings Cliffe for £2,550. This had previously brewed its own beer, but presumably the purchase led to its supply from Leicester.

In 1899 the directors were shown as William Langmore, S Nevins Bankart, H Fletcher, and Frederick Watts. Around 1907, they were reducing their usage of the cold store at RC Allen, in which they had a part share (see entry). This may be seen as an omen of later events.

In 1908, a share issue of 1,080 new preference shares generated some £21,800, suggesting that successful trading had been reflected in a premium on their nominal value. At this time, the Nominal Share Capital of £125,000 comprised:-

  • 5,000 £10 Preference
  • 1,250 new Preference
  • 6,250 Ordinary

The directors were still:- SN Bankart, living at Hallaton Hall and described as a brewer and the owner of 2,043 of the ordinary shares, Frederick Watts the other brewer was living at Kibworth, H Fletcher of East Norton Hall and FG Langmore of Manor Road in Leicester. One of the shareholders was a Walter H Goodwin, a manager in Turner Street, and presumably a descendant of the earlier brewer.

The business also included maltings at Cow Pasture, Wothorpe in Northants and property in nearby Stamford. The malting was run by BW Aldwinckle, presumably the Bartholomew William Aldwinckle brewing at the Exeter’s Arms (Brewed In Northants, page p114). In 1910 they sold the High Street property at Stamford, but retained the King’s Head and the Albion, later compensated and closed. They were leasing the Marquis of Exeter for 7 years in 1891. They had also owned the Cross Keys, at nearby Kings Cliffe from 1897, and it is not clear whether these properties had all come from the same purchase, but they do seem rather isolated from the rest of the estate.

In January 1909, Mr Bankart was in discussions with the Board of LB&M about a possible amalgamation, talks which presaged later events.

In 1910 the High Street property was described as the House Vaults, and they also owned the adjoining house and shop. The brewery on Silver Street may also have still been in use. The Pied Bull was still trading. Around this time, Herbert Fletcher bought Hallaton Hall from the Bankarts, who moved to Rutland. Their move may have been a factor in the previous amalgamation talks.

There was an investment in a new engine and hoist for the bottling department and the following January a new wort receiver for £10. In February 1911 they bought a National Cash Register machine for £50. In April there was a new bottle washing machine costing £20, and a labelling machine for £6. Then in July, there was a bottling plant from Adlams £300 and from Lumley a corking machine for £7. All these purchases show the increased sales of bottled beer at the expense of draught. To some extent this represented declining sales from the off-licensed premises, but also changes in sales in public houses as the local brewers tried to gain back some of the bottled market from the likes of Bass.

In 1911, there was an issue of 4% Preference Shares which raised £98,200. However, as a result of the 1911 Compensation Fund, the business also had to identify pubs for possible closure. In the September there was a loss on the sale of Flying Scud of some £179.

1912 saw the purchase of vehicles from Thorneycroft as the brewery switched away from horse-drawn delivery. There were also repairs to the brewery.

In 1913, the Compensation Fund was looking for the closure of the Swan with Two Necks and the Axe & Square, Countesthorpe, but they were still being supplied in 1925. The business was shown in 1913 as brewers at 103½ High Cross, where Watts & Son were also listed. The entry as maltsters was for No 103 and the offices were shown as 21 Silver Street.

As with many other businesses, profits during the First World War were quite healthy, although much was paid back e.g. 1914 War Loan of £3,000. In 1916 they issued £50,000 5% Preference shares, presumably in connection with the redemption of the debenture stock falling due. The Chairman was S Nevins Bankart, living at Marton Grange in Rutland, the other directors being:- F Watts, Francis Graham Langmore and H Fletcher.

That year, they bought the Queen’s Head, Barnwell for £500. As well as investing in their estate, July saw them buy a new hop back and in September, Morris & Sons supplied new fermenting squares for £242. At this time, the brewing plant from the White Swan, Syston and the Coach & Horses, Kibworth was sold for £44, presumably for scrap. However, on Saturday 14th April 1917, FG Langmore proposed that owing to the 25% restricted output of beer at 1913 standard barrels, they should temporarily close the brewery, leaving two men to look after the maintenance. It had been agreed with Mr Turner the MD of LB&M that the latter business would supply them with beer. In May they took 330 barrels of beer and by the end of the year were taking some 5 to 600 barrels per month. However, they were still doing their own malting.

Total sales for the period were as follows:-

  • 1912 £26,542 bottled £9,285
  • 1913 £26,799 bottled £10,566
  • 1914 £27,300 bottled £16,104
  • 1915 £22,096
  • 1916 £27,177

The decision to buy in beer saw a profit in October 1918 of £3,598. This allowed a dividend of 6½%. In addition, director’s fees were £800, £1,000 went to the reserves and £4,678 was carried forward. The following year they were averaging some 1,000 barrels a month from LB&M.

In 1919, they lost the Britannia Inn on Belgrave Gate, which was de-licensed. It had been owned by Langmore from November 1874. However, they paid £1,400 for the Chequers at Ashby Magna. On Mr Bethell’s retirement, JW Whyte was appointed as Secretary and General Manager on a salary of £300 pa. That year the maltings at Wothorpe were let to Mr JG Dainton; although All Saints Brewery still seemed to be undertaking some malting until the following year.

January 1920 saw further expansion of the estate with £7,500 for the following:-

  • Neville Arms, Nailstone
  • Three Tuns, Barlestone, to be sold on for £1,250
  • Red Lion, Desford

These were all previously LB&M properties which had been sold to WF Adams in the 1890s, as part of the LB&M policy of concentrating on the town business. In September they sold to Everards, some 100 surplus barrels at £5 each, and 50 hogsheads at £6 each. However, they were still increasing the estate, with an off-licence at Station Street, South Wigston from LB&M for £1,600. It is still possible to make out the later markings of Ind Coope and Allsopps on this now de-licensed property in Wigston. They were also the leasing the Fox & Hounds at Skiffington.

Further property changes saw the White Swan at Syston de-licensed, and the leasing of the Half Moon and King’s Arms, Nuneaton.

The 1921 Balance Sheet showed the following:-

  • Freehold property £201,519
  • Goodwill £33,832
  • Plant £2,800
  • Motors £1,750
  • Malt £45
  • Hops £2,891
  • Fox Plant £530

In 1922, the King’s Arms in the High Street, Swan with Two Necks at 58 Granby Street, and the Bowling Green on Oxford Street were all re-fitted as competition for trade grew.

They were still supplying the Albion, 22 All Saints Street, Stamford. The distance for supply, perhaps being off-set by the name of location. However, the Albion at 34 Albion Street, Leicester was de-licensed and sold at auction for £870. Another loss was the Pied Bull in High Cross Street, which was part of the origins of the business. It was compensated at £1,822.

In January 1923 they bought the Wheatsheaf and an associated baker’s shop at Crick for £2,250. In the April, they bought the Plough at Sileby for £4,600. In the August, perhaps showing developing links in the trade, FG Langmore was writing to Ind Coope for advice on how they had recently handled tenant problems. The September saw a 564 increase in barrelage for the last two months compared with previous year. In April 1924, the chilling plant in the bottling department was sold for £120 and they were also looking to sell the fermenting vessels.

In 1925, the country trade consisted of some 57 pubs and 2 off-licences supplied with IPA, XXX, PA, and Guinness, Youngers and Bass in bottle. They lost the Earl Grey at Markfield and the General Sir John Moore at Sileby under the compensation scheme. Nevertheless, they continued to invest in their estate, with alterations at the Railway Tavern in Leicester, the Crown in Tur Langton, Star at Thrussington, Fox & Hounds at Syston, Greyhound at Great Glen, New Inn at Sharnford and the Queen Victoria in Leicester. They also bought the Bull’s Head at Burbage for £7,250.

In March 1926, what remained of the brewing plant was sold for £300 to Smith & Sons, Coppersmiths of Leicester. They were letting part of the brewery, including the old tun room.

In 1927, the Bull Hotel at Rugby was bought for £5,500 and the Fox & Hounds Skeffington was taken on a 7 year lease. In September Mr Langmore’s 30 years of service was marked. Langmore was still the MD on £1,250 pa.

In 1928 they were comparing the two months of May and June with the previous year’s sales to show that they were up 49 barrels to 2,443 barrels and £353 to £16,754. That year they bought the Horse & Groom at Rearsby from Mr Moore for £5,000 and were still leasing the Albion at Stamford, which they later bought. However, the maltings at Wothorpe, previously leased out as such, were now let as a garage.

In March 1929 they arranged to withdraw the excise entries as beer dealers at 103 High Cross and as publicans at 32 High Street and 21 Silver Street. In April, the entire tied estate of 81 pubs was leased to Ind Coope for 21 years at £20,000 pa. Neale Dudley Thompson and Clement Thorley of Ind Coope replaced Samuel Nevins Bankart and Frederick Watts on the Board and the registered offices of the business were transferred to 12 Midland Chambers, Station Street, Burton on Trent. NB In 1895 an ND Thompson moved from being the assistant brewer at Blencowes of Brackley to become the 2nd brewer at Kidd & Hotblack, Cannon Brewery, Brighton. In 1900 ND Thompson, 4 years at Kinnell & Hartley, Emsworth became the manager at Dover & Newsome, Thornton le Moor in Yorkshire and was to later play a crucial role in the development of Allied Breweries. One of the Ind Coope managers involved in the take-over, was a Louis E Walker. This may possibly be the same person who had previously been at the Aylesbury Brewery Company, before having a somewhat torrid time with Phipps of Northampton around the turn of the century (Brewed In Northants page 66).

The Langmore family seem to have been the major investors, owning 5,535 of the 6,080 Preference Shares and holding £59,500 of the outstanding £98,200 debenture stock. Until 1931 FG Langmore was managing what had now become the Ind Coope depot, which operated until around 1934, when some of the Silver Street site seems to have been demolished. The brewery site, used as a bottling store, was then let. FG Langmore also became the local agent for the other Ind Coope/Allsopp subsidiaries such as Robinsons and the Lichfield Brewery Company.

Times were still difficult, and on 26th October 1931, Mr Langmore was writing to C Thorley at Ind Coope, stating that he had interviewed the manager of each managed house and that it was “not possible to reduce the wages in many of the houses and run the same in an efficient manner”. The managers were paid some £4 per week, whilst a barman earned from £1 to £3 and a barmaid £1 to £1 15s. Some cuts had already been made, but they managed to trim the wages bill by between 4s and 10s in four of the houses.

In the September, a letter reveals that the increase in duty was hitting sales, although sales of the 6d beer were holding up. It was noted from the manager of the Spread Eagle that the smoke room customers were grumbling at paying 5d per glass for XX and No 3 which had previously been 4½d. The White Swan manager also mentioned his smoke room customers and that those in the vaults were asking for the cheaper XX, together with a switch from bottled beer to the cheaper mild.

The workers who frequented the Railway Hotel found the 6d too dear. The Champion was £4 down, mainly from the smoke room, where there were similar complaints about 5d for No 3 and customers were trading down to the XX at 6d from the 7d. At the Hind, the XX was popular in the vault, where customers had a limited spending capacity.

In January 1932, because of the reduced takings, managers and barmen were to have their wages cut by 10½% and other staff by 5%. The old agreements were to be terminated and the staff were to sign new ones, whilst the bigger houses were to lose some staff. Langmore did his best, some reductions were made, but not as much as Ind Coope had hoped for. In May a letter from Thompson stated that “results in many, if not most cases, are deplorable, and no doubt are primarily brought about by the general depression and consequent shortage of money”. There was a need for further action to curtail the heavy losses, including a 10% discount off the tied list prices. They were looking at the possibility of transferring the managed houses to tenancies, but the problem was that good tenants were difficult to find. Langmore protested in response to the possible imposition of further economies.

Nevertheless, the business still operated reasonably independently. For example in 1933 they agreed to pay £20 per month to LB&M to finance extra capacity at the Charnwood Brewery, which shows that they were still obtaining beer locally rather than from Burton. In 1936 they were still expanding the estate with two off-licenses from Strettons for £1,350.

In June 1937 Francis Graham Langmore, described as the District Manager, was living at Wighton, Manor Road. He was also a director of Strettons Brewery in Derby. The Bankart family lived at Marton Grange Oakham. Alice Mary Watts was living at Oadby. Agnes Emily Watts, Frederick having died in 1930, was a widow living at Sheringham in Norfolk, at a house called Kibworth Lodge, perhaps evoking memories of Leicester.

In 1940, the King’s Arms, 30/34 High Street and the brewery premises in Silver Street were valued at £35,000. The same year, the old boiler was sold for £30 and in 1942, building materials and scrap metal at the brewery brought £60. Finally, in October 1946, the property itself was sold. Nevertheless, the buildings remain remarkably intact.

In 1950 Elizabeth Gladys Bankart of Marton Grange, Oakham, died and the same year the business was wound up and completely liquidated in 1954. The Moon family were also still shareholders; however it is not thought that the Rev CG Moon had any connection with the Korean religious leader!

High Cross Street has some of the oldest brewing links of the town, since Nicholas Smith was a brewer there in 1664-72, with a shop near the Southgate. The All Saints Brewery is still intact, next to the church (SK585048). The High Street offices became a public house called Winstons.