Brunswick Brewery (Leicester)

Brunswick Brewery, 24 Upper Brunswick Street / 17 Christow Street, Leicester, Leicestershire

The public house and brewery are thought to have been built in 1859 by Thomas Crane, who had moved here from Kegworth (see Thomas Crane (Kegworth)). He had briefly run an off-licence in Carley Street, but was shown as a maltster in Brunswick Street in 1861. Crane died in 1866 and was succeeded by Samuel Flewitt and then Mrs Louisa Flewitt around 1869. Around this time, Christow Street was built parallel to Upper Brunswick Street; hence the change in address for the brewery, whilst the pub’s remained the same.

Thus, in April 1870, John Flewitt was shown at the Upper Brunswick Brewery and was also shown as a maltster (F2713). Additionally, in 1871 a Mrs Louisa Flewitt was a maltster at Huncote. Until 1877, John was at the Brunswick Brewery, and described as such by All Saints Brewery who were supplying the wines and spirits. In 1877, he was also listed for Christow Street. Occasionally his name may be mistakenly shown as Fletcher.

In 1881, John Flewitt was shown as the brewer and victualler at the Brunswick Brewery; however, his address was also shown as 17 Christow Street. He was still also a maltster. He then seems to have moved to the Duke of Devonshire until the following year.

In January 1887 Johnson Gibbins was shown as the brewer at the Brunswick, but he seems to have held the licence for only a few months, since John Sharp took the pub in the April. Around 1888, the brewery was shown as owned by George Harrison, when described as the Brunswick Brewery, Christow Street (see LB&M entry). However, Harrison had died around 1881. In 1891, Harrison’s nephew, Henry Harrison Parry, was shown at the Brunswick Brewery, 17 Christow Street, and also at 99 Humberstone Road and Langham. He had been listed there from at least 1888, but had most likely taken over on the death of his uncle. He was still operating in 1892 as the Brunswick Brewery to 1895.

In August 1896, John Flewitt, who in the intervening years had been a milk dealer, returned. However, on 25th April 1898, the pub and brewery were sold to the Nottingham Brewery Company. Brewing ceased, and a new business, The Brunswick Bottling Company, was established at the Christow Street premises, although the address was later shown as No 15a. Edward John Neale was the manager of the new concern which bottled various products from the Nottingham Brewery Company, until it closed in 1922.

The Brunswick pub was closed on 29th April 1914, with the owners receiving compensation of £1,379 and the tenant some £160. It was demolished soon afterwards and the Saint Matthew’s housing was built on the site.