Detailed History of Palmers Ltd

The Detailed History of Palmer Ltd of Bridport

by

Mike Brown

Palmers (Listed grade II) was established on the site in 1794, although a former rainwater head was dated 1833. The two-storey main block is built of stone with a thatched roof and finials in the form of barrels; the three-storey west block is also of stone. There is a tall red brick chimney stack. At the rear of the brewery is a large breast undershot water wheel made by Helyear’s Bridport foundry in 1879; it is still in good working order and drives a water pump. Inside the brewery is a vertical steam engine by Brown and May of Devizes, which works a water pump and drives a sack hoist. In 1723 Samuel and John Gundry were maltsters, though earlier a malting adjacent the Swan at Broadwey near Weymouth was owned by John Gundry. In 1766 Joseph Gundry, as well as being a twine spinner etc, was also described as a maltster and brewer living in West Street. In 1762 also held the Court Works. In 1794 the family built the brewery on the banks of the River Brit in Bridport.

In November 1815 merchants Joseph Gundry sen and jun and John Gundry Downe dissolved their partnership. In May 1817 Rose was bankrupt and the business was trading as Gundry, Downe & Co. The families intermarried eg 1821

Samuel married Caroline Downe, with mention of Nathaniel’s brewery. That year the family banking partnership, established 1790, was dissolved and there were serious financial problems.

In 1825 John Gundry Downe’s home was at Pulham and in 1828 brewer William Battiscombe, Walditch. In 1830 fire destroyed a malting at the rear of the Bridport Arms in South Street.

In May 1837 John Symes Davie, brewer in Lyme Regis, was bankrupt, trustee William Battiscombe, brewer Bridport. In 1840 William of the Bridport Brewery was letting the newly erected Dove Inn, East Street. In 1842 trading as Gundry, Downe & Co, South St, Battiscombe being a partner with Samuel Bowden Gundry, John Gundry Downe and James Templer; however, JGD died 31st November. Samuel, aged 82, died in 1848 and the following year Battiscombe also died.

On 24th July 1850, sale of malting south side East Street, they occupied. The address in 1855 was Harbour Road. In 1856 Samuel Bowden Gundry & George Templer, shown 1860 as the Old Brewery.

On 12th November 1857, the Bridport Railway Company opened its branch line from Maiden Newton to Bridport. The various brewers being founding members of the company. Perhaps as a result of the improved transport, in 1860 Dorset Ale Stores in Exeter and 1863 Bristol. In 1861 Samuel Bowden Gundry, aged 68 living in West Street, was a sleeping partner in the brewery and in the Pymore flour mill.

In 1864 Nathan Hawkins, manager of Lyme branch aged 56 died. Jimmy Young in his research on the county suggests that at some point they bought the “Horse Street” brewery in Lyme, in terms of which: Palmer & French, Church Street

Notice, is hereby given, that the Partnership between William Palmer, of Lyme Regis, in the County of Dorset, and James French, of the Parish of Widworthy, in the County of Devon, carrying on business under the firm of William Palmer and James French, Common-Brewers, is dissolved. All debts due to or from the said firm will be received and paid by the said William Palmer: 1st June 1814.

1830 Palmer listed in Horse Street, 1837 at Bridport, then William listed Church Street, but not 1851. The Bridport Old Brewery Company Ltd, capital £150,000, located Harbour Road, was formed 16th July 1864. Some 70% of the shareholders were based in London, noting that in 1865 they had stores in Belvedere Road, Lambeth.

The manager William Charlton, previously ran the Bristol agency, which was taken by his brother Henry. It was stated that Henry Downe Gundry had run the business for 17 years. The company underwent a period of investment with new buildings on the old brewery site and the acquisition of five new pub leases.

However, in 1866 the business was in liquidation. One of those in debt was George Dennis O’Kelly Templer, lime and cement merchant of Lyme Regis, described as a sleeping partner. On 15th December, 1866, it was ordered that the said Bridport Old Brewery Company (Limited) be wound up.

Petition for the winding up of the above-named Company by the Court, or that the voluntary winding up of the Company may be continued subject to the supervision of the Court of Chancery, was, on the 4th day of October, 1866, presented to the Master of the Rolls by Robert Collis and Thomas Collis, of 45 Highstreet, Southwark, in the county of Surrey, Hop Merchants, creditors of the said Company. Thomas Legg took it over, and moved his own operation to what is now the Old Brewery. On his death in 1874, the business passed to his son Job. In 1878 Legg with some 40 employees. Around then there was mention of John Stickland in Harbour Road, though in 1885 Job’s manager was a Mr Mead.

In 1893 Job, aged 55, died. It seems Eldridge Pope may have expressed some interest in the business just prior to this; however, in 1896 Job’s Exors sold up to brothers John Cleeves and Robert Henry Palmer. Bridport News 24th March 1899.

Palmer came from the Odiham Brewery, where he had been since 1884. His partnership there ended November 1890, when Henry King was bankrupt. The business was sold to Crowleys of Alton.

In 1899 Edward Cox, aged 59 died, manager here having trained at Hine’s brewery, Netherbury. William Stickland seems to have been involved in the business. That year RHP married Octavia EA Flower, when Cleeves was described as the senior partner. Interestingly, one guest was their uncle Mr Pring of Exeter. In September 1900 Cleeves, mayor of Bridport, married Catharine Lighting of Newark. The brothers were living at 4 and 6 West Bay Road. Two of Cleeves’ sons died during the First World War, both in 1917. His eldest son Henry Robert Cleeves (Bob) was head brewer at Adnams’ brewery Southwold. In 1920 they ordered their first motorised dray – a 1-ton Ford lorry. By 1923 only one horse drawn dray was left in use, which continued in service until 1949.

In 1928 A few months before the death aged 74 of Cleeves, his son Bob came home to Bridport. Then in 1935 Bob became the sole owner, following death of Henry Palmer two years earlier. In 1936 Henry Robert Cleeves Palmer was mayor. Tony Palmer joined the business as a brewer in 1939. In 1958 Bob Palmer became a consultant and Tony became sole proprietor. The business became a limited company in 1976.

Legge or Legg, Gundry Lane

In 1584 Robert Thressher, brewer Michaels Lane, which is next to Gundry Lane, held property which in 1603 widow Joan Jones. The records office has deeds from 1757.

In 1817 Thomas Legg, wine cooper and agent of Tower Hill, involved with sales in Bridport. In 1818 John Cole mentioned as a brewer. There are deeds for 1822, Job Legg re Ann Cox nee Symes deceased. In 1833 Cole near St Michaels Lane, with clerk Richard D Paul and in 1837 trading as Cole & Legg. Thomas Legg’s partnership with Cole was dissolved 17th September 1841, Cole died 16th October. Thomas, aged 34, lived in West Street. Listed in one directory of 1842 ‘Budden’s Lane’ and malting West Mill, West Street. In 1851 described as the Old Brewery, Gundry Lane. Thomas was mayor in 1857, He died in 1874, aged 67.

The family had bought the West Bay site and transferred their brewing. For sale 19th July 1867, the property leased to Francis Long until 1887. In 1859 Long was a manufacturer of ginger beer in Barrack Street, in 1865 Station Road, and it seems unlikely that he brewed here. In 1870 described as a warehouse former brewery near West Mills. Mike Bone writing about the town’s industry quotes an 1864 lease from Thomas Legg to Henry Hansford of a brick building, former brewery but now and for many years past a warehouse (BIAS 1985 No18 pp 19-31).

Bridport established a public brew and malt house in the 17th century which was next to the West Mill and the Court works. This was leased by various brewers and maltsters until a fire in 1906. Nearby are the remains of Perham’s brewery which was built in 1811. The Gundry family had a number of businesses of which the Old Brewery site was purchased in 1794. The location has remained but the street names have changed – South Street, Harbour Road and West Bay Road. Bridport harbour was re-named West Bay when the railway was extended here.

The other remaining brewery is the New Brewery in Gundry Lane which dates from 1811, later a bonded store for Palmers and malt house.

South Street

In terms of some background to brewing in the area, in 1643 brewer Walter Wakeley held property, which in 1657 he received from his mother Sarah and which in 1643 was held by Valentine Oliver. In 1661 Walter was a beer brewer South Street to around 1697. His property in 1657 may have included a brewhouse on the north side West Street, but it is not clear if this was domestic, though (see Legg entry). 1841 three brewers were living in the street, presumably employed elsewhere.

It is worth noting that Robert Patten seems to have been distinct from the main concerns and in 1855 William Patten held the Five Bells in the street.