Chronology of Eldridge Pope & Co. Ltd: Difference between revisions

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'''A Chronology of Eldridge Pope & Co. Ltd'''
'''A Chronology of [[Eldridge, Pope & Co. Ltd]]'''





Revision as of 11:27, 31 May 2020

A Chronology of Eldridge, Pope & Co. Ltd


  • 1791 Birth of Charles Eldridge
  • 1797 Birth of Sarah Eldridge
  • 1827 Charles engaged as wine steward by Robert Williams of Brideshead
  • 1829 Marriage of Charles & Sarah (widow of John Balson landlord of the Green Dragon Tavern & Dragon Brewery, Dorchester)
  • 1831 Birth of Emily
  • 1833 Birth of Charles
  • 1835 Birth of Sarah Albina. Further daughter by Charles first marriage Sophia
  • 1837 Dragon Brewery enlarged (land on 10 year lease from Williams family)
  • 1846 Death of Charles
  • 1850 Death of Charles (son)
  • 1851 Alfred Mason joined Sarah as partner in the business
  • 1850 Sophia (step-daughter) marries John James Besant a Dorchester brewer
  • 1852 Emily marries John Tizard
  • 1856 Sarah dies. 2/3 of her estate goes to Emily Tizard; the balance remaining with Alfred Mason. The Besants fight this in the courts & lose. John Tizard now becomes Masons partner
  • 1870/71 Alfred Mason retires. Alfred Pope, with the help of his father John Allen Pope, purchases Alfred Masons 1/3 share of the business on behalf of his brother Edwin who had been trained as a brewer
  • 1871 Death of John Tizard. Edwin Pope has 6 months to exercise an option to purchase John Tizard’s interest in the business
  • 1873/74 After various legal battles the business is in the sole hands of the Pope family
  • 1873 4th April, Edwin & Alfred Pope trade as partners under the name of Eldridge Pope & Co.
  • 1879 Alfred & Edwin purchased some 20 acres of land from the Prince of Wales
  • 1880 The partnership agreement between Edwin & Alfred is formalised
  • 1881 The new Dorchester Brewery opened, complete with railway sidings
  • 1897 The Partnership was dissolved & a Limited Company was formed (Eldridge Pope & Co.Limited). The capital being raised by means of debenture stock to the value of £300,000 @ 4% p. a. Alfred’s eldest son Rolph had by now joined the Company as a Director. The board consisted of Alfred Pope (chairman), Edwin Pope & Alfred Rolph Pope “The Major”
  • 1900 Edward Alexander (Alex) Pope, Alfred’s second son was made a Director
  • 1900 The company purchased the Poole Brewery from George Pope (the third son of Alfred) and George was admitted to the Board of Directors which now comprised Alfred, Edwin, Rolph, Alex & George
  • 1913 Clement Pope (Alfred fourth son) joins the brewery to take over from Alex due to the impending war
  • 1919 Death of Alex from wounds received during the First World War
  • 1921 The trade mark Huntsman (thought up by Clement) established with trading rights below that mythical line between Bristol and the Wash
  • 1922 The brewery gutted by fire (brew house)
  • 1922/24 The new brewery designed & being built under the supervision of Rolph
  • 1924 Cecil Pope (elder son of Rolph) joined the brewery
  • 1925 New brewery in production with Rolph responsible for production & Clement for retail sales. At this time an assistant brewer was appointed (the first non Pope)
  • 1928 Death of Edwin. The Brewery Recreation Society received a bequest from Mr.Edwin’s estate to enable each employee to have at least one good meal a year
  • 1931 Death of Clement (succeeded by Philip Pope, second son of Rolph)
  • 1934 Death of Alfred Pope, Rolph appointed chairman
  • 1935 Expansion & improvement to the estate by raising capital via a further debenture. Philip being responsible for this expenditure
  • 1939 The first pub manager appointed. War declared. Philip in forces 75th.Light A.A.battery. R.A.Rolph now over 70. Cecil running the brewery
  • 1945 Cecil appointed Managing Director
  • 1951 Death of Rolph Pope
  • 1951 Cecil Pope appointed Chairman (Philip being appointed Managing Director)
  • 1961 Anthony Pope (grandson of Alfred Pope) & Christopher Pope (great grandson of Alfred Pope) join the Board of Directors
  • 1975 Cecil Pope retires as Chairman his place being taken by Philip
  • 1974 Christopher Pope (elder son of Cecil) appointed Managing Director
  • 1976 Death of Cecil Pope
  • 1977 Martin Cree (great grandson of Alfred) joins the Board
  • 1982 The Company’s Shares quoted on the USM one of the first to enter the USM
  • 1982 Philip resigns as Chairman. Christopher appointed Chairman & Jeremy (eldest son of Philip) appointed joint Managing Director with Christopher
  • 1986 Dear Cousin reunion, all the descendants of John Allen Pope (who had retained their shares) arrived from all over the world
  • 1988 Jeremy appointed Managing Director, Christopher - Chairman