Combe & Co. Ltd: Difference between revisions

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The Woodyard Brewery closed in 1905. Buildings remain.
The Woodyard Brewery closed in 1905. Buildings remain.
'''From the Brewery History Society Journal '''
The Woodyard Brewery was in Long Acre and was named, not surprisingly, after a woodyard which was said to exist on the site previously.
The brewery was founded by one John Shackley. Shackley died in 1722 and was succeeded by his son also John Shackley.
In 1739 John Junior sold his interest in the brewery to William Gyfford.
Trade flourished and soon expansion was needed.  So in 1759 premises were purchased just off the Tottenham Court Road. At that time the Woodyard Brewery held 5th place in the production league. By 1785 the Gyfford connection had died out and the brewery was looking for a buyer. Enter Harvey Chtistian Coombe.
Combe, and his partner George Shum, raised the capital price of £90,000 and bought themselves the Woodyard Brewery.
One of the other new partners was one Joseph Delafield. A promising young brewer from Whitbreads. If you measure success on when the company ordered a steam engine, Combe, Delafield were 6th in country when it arrived in 1787.
Harvey Combe was quite a political climber and social animal and he was focussed very strongly on the success of the brewery.
In 1790 he was elected Alderman of the City of London and by 1799 he became First Citizen of London.





Revision as of 15:47, 14 July 2019

Combes London advert zn.jpg
Combe Long Acre.jpg

Combe & Co. Ltd, Woodyard Brewery, Castle Street (later Shelton Street), Long Acre, London WC2

Founded in about 1722. Acquired by Combe in June 1787. Registered in 1888.

Merged with Watney & Co. Ltd and Reid's Brewery Co. Ltd in July 1898 to form Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd.

The Woodyard Brewery closed in 1905. Buildings remain.


From the Brewery History Society Journal

The Woodyard Brewery was in Long Acre and was named, not surprisingly, after a woodyard which was said to exist on the site previously.

The brewery was founded by one John Shackley. Shackley died in 1722 and was succeeded by his son also John Shackley.

In 1739 John Junior sold his interest in the brewery to William Gyfford.

Trade flourished and soon expansion was needed. So in 1759 premises were purchased just off the Tottenham Court Road. At that time the Woodyard Brewery held 5th place in the production league. By 1785 the Gyfford connection had died out and the brewery was looking for a buyer. Enter Harvey Chtistian Coombe.

Combe, and his partner George Shum, raised the capital price of £90,000 and bought themselves the Woodyard Brewery.

One of the other new partners was one Joseph Delafield. A promising young brewer from Whitbreads. If you measure success on when the company ordered a steam engine, Combe, Delafield were 6th in country when it arrived in 1787.

Harvey Combe was quite a political climber and social animal and he was focussed very strongly on the success of the brewery.

In 1790 he was elected Alderman of the City of London and by 1799 he became First Citizen of London.


The brewery features in The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland by Alfred Barnard published 1890.


An assortment of images of the brewery

Entry in the Trade Mark Registry

Registration No  : 4,141
Description  : Lion over barrel
Date of Application  : 22/3/1876
Used Prior to 1875?  : 3 years


Registration No  : 171,452
Description  : Australian Magpie
Date of Application  : 16/3/1893
Used Prior to 1875?  : NO