Death of Messrs. Flint & Co. Ltd’s Head Brewer

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Death of Messrs. Flint & Co. Ltd’s Head BrewerPeter Moynihan

When researching brewery history, one has to bear in mind that documentary sources may state that an individual was a brewer, but not whether he (or she, of course) was a practical (often referred to as operative) brewer or just the proprietor of a brewery. These roles are not mutually exclusive of course, but the distinction can be misleading. It is helpful then if the source can tell us whether the individual was a ‘worker’ or ‘employer' (as per the 1901 and subsequent censuses). In the absence of such details, inferences can be made from other information such as the brewer’s circumstances. For instance, ‘brewery manager’ usually means Head Brewer and ‘brewer’s clerk’ often means Under Brewer. Whether their household includes servants, and how many, can also offer a clue.

I recently came across the following in the Herne Bay Press, for 23rd September 1916. ‘The death took place at his residence, “Somerford.” Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, on Monday evening of Mr. Christopher William Battiscombe, manager of Messrs. Flint and Co., Ltd, St. Dunstan’s Brewery, Canterbury. He had not been in a good state of health for some time past, but it was only for about three weeks that he had been confined to his house… the deceased gentleman came from Sevenoaks to Canterbury, where he had been for about twelve years.’

Messrs. Flint & Co’s Head Brewer was born in London in 1858, the son of Robert William Percival Battiscombe, a prosperous Merchant, of Sussex Gardens, Paddington, Middlesex, but later resident at Shaw Well, Sevenoaks, and an annuitant of no profession. By the late 1880s Christopher was living in Somerton, Somerset, and seemingly an upstanding local citizen, being elected to the Board of Guardians of the Langport Poor Law Union and gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry. Their band played rousing airs at his residence, The Mount, in celebration of his promotion. He was a Brewer at this time; the Somerton Brewery was listed in Directories as Messrs. Ord, Battiscombe & Elwes, Brewers and Wine & Spirit Merchants, although this style does not appear in advertisements until 1888. One might surmise from this reference that Christopher may have been manager, but was now a salaried partner, in the concern. Essex-born Herbert William Ord was in his sixties and had been proprietor of the Somerton Brewery for over 30 years so may have been looking to retire. His health may also have been failing; he died in Lynmouth, Devon, in September 1889, leaving effects valued at some £26,406.

It is possible that Christopher Battiscombe may have obtained this position through family connections; Battiscombe is a fairly common name in Somerset. Although the Somerton Brewery survived until 1921, Battiscombe had left by 1901 when he was living in Blakebrook, which lies to the west of Kidderminster, Worcs. He was the manager of a brewery and, significantly, a worker rather than an employer. There were many small breweries in and around Kidderminster at this time, the West Midlands being the last bastion of the home-brew pub. However, it is likely that he may have been the Head Brewer at the major common brewery in the town, the Worcester Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. in Blackwell Street. He was listed at the same address in a 1904 Directory, but the death notice above has him moving to Canterbury at about this time. It may be no coincidence that the Worcestershire concern was restructured as the Kidderminster Brewery Co. Ltd. in July 1905.

Christopher William Battiscombe’s wife, Beatrice Lucy Battiscombe (née Smith) was in Cornwall when he died; she passed away in St. Ives less than three months later, those of a romantic inclination might think, of a broken heart.