Frederick Stenson

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Frederick Alan Stenson, Steam Brewery, King Edward Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Although not shown in 1911, Frederick Allen Stenson was listed as a brewer the following year on King Edward Road (F3101), which was newly built. He is thought to have started originally as an ale and porter merchant around 1910. Certainly, a Rowland Stenson was a beer retailer at 44 Moor Lane in 1908, and the family involvement in beer retailing may go back some twenty to thirty years before this date. FA Stenson had married into the Sharpe brewing family of Sileby.

In 1922 the business was listed as King Street. However, as early as January 1924, Stenson was trying to sell the business to Offilers of Derby (see Cavendish Bridge entry). The business included a detached villa and brewery on King Edward Road, together with the following estate:-

  • Druid’s Arms, Pinfold Gate, Loughborough
  • Bull’s Head, Diseworth
  • Blackamoor’s Head, Loughborough, Market Place
  • Navigation, Barrow upon Soar
  • Albion, Canal Bank, Loughborough
  • Old Plough, Sutton Bonnington

Together with an off-licence at Hall Croft, Shepshed and plant and machinery, stock and goodwill, the whole was available for £30,000. After an inspection by their MD, [[Offiler's Brewery Ltd] declined to purchase the business. Stensons’ advertisements of the period state that not only could people visit the brewery to see how the beer was made, but that they could taste it “free of charge”! He also stressed that the beer was sold at pre-war prices, with the exception of Government duties, a novel marketing campaign.

Despite the previous attempted sale, there may have been some extension to the brewery around 1930. In 1933, Stenson bought the King William IV at Quorn, which had been supplied by Offiler's Brewery Ltd. However, in April 1935, the business was offered and rejected again at £12,000, but this time the estate included only the brewery, and the following pubs:-

  • Bishop Blaize, Woodgate, Loughborough
  • King William IV, Quorn
  • Falcon, Long Whatton

There was also a wine and spirit business on Main Street and the following February, Stenson was looking to sell this as a separate concern, but Offiler's Brewery Ltd were still not interested and the brewery was still listed for the following year.

Yet again, on 22nd June 1948, the business was put to the board at Offiler's Brewery Ltd for £50 to £60,000. The accounts showed a net profit for 1947 of £9,729, but[ Offiler's Brewery Ltd]] suggested that this was more likely to be around £4,874, giving a value of £45,450. The properties were examined by HC Offiler and John Shields and found to be very poor and in need of spending. They declined the opportunity to purchase the business.

The brewery closed in 1951, but Stensons may have bottled until 1958. However, FA Stenson died in 1956, aged 79, the same year that the King William at Quorn was demolished. The brewhouse at Loughborough, which stood between Nos 10 and 18, may have remained standing into the 1970s, but nothing now remains.

List of Frederick Stenson pubs

Entry in the Trade Mark Registry

Registration No  : unknown
Description  : FAS in design
Date of Application  :
Used Prior to 1875?  :