Crowsons

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Crowsons, Patent Steam Brewery, Cross/New Street, Oakham, Leicestershire.

The brewery was built in 1842, according to the datestone on the malting. It was described in 1846 as a recently started “patent steam brewery with a new process” (Union) started by James Crowson, a maltster as well as brewer. The business was trading as Crowson, John & Son, Patent Steam Brewery, Cross Street, and maltsters. Jas. Barrow Storey was described as the manager of the brewery.

John Crowson’s home was shown as being in the Market Place, but the family is thought to originate from Lincolnshire. He ran the George Inn from 1828 to 1850, and was also shown as a maltster from 1842 to 1863. He was at the Crown 1855 to 1858. He was also a wine and spirit merchant from 1831, until he died on 9th November 1858, aged 64. He had two sons, William Cheltenham Crowson and John Crowson. The Crown on the High Street, dated back to at least 1760, when at that time it was run by William Gill.

In 1855 the location was shown as Cross Street and New Street, with Henry Workman as the managing brewer in New Street. William Thomas Bell, living in Church Street, was listed as a brewer in 1855 and seems to have replaced Mr Workman. In 1861, he was described as a professional brewer, aged 40, originally from Tonbridge in Kent.

In 1855 William Cheltenham Crowson was running the wine and spirit business at the Crown. Mrs Catherine Crowson was living in the High Street. John Crowson was a maltster in Cross Street.

A book on the town history (LIHS) records that the Patent Steam Brewery was advertised for sale in the Stamford Mercury in August 1856. The book states that it was bought by WR Morris of Luffenham, for £3,050. However, in 1862, the business was still listed as White, D & Crowson, J and John Crowson was still shown as a brewer and maltster at 121 New Street around this time.

Certainly, by 1866 the site had become owned by Morris Clarke & Co (see Morris' Rutland Brewery - A History) who moved their operations here from their Northgate brewery. It is possible that they continued to use both breweries until around 1870.