Henry Lambirth

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Henry William Lambirth, Little Stambridge, Essex.

Henry Lambirth was a common brewer as from 28th November, 1803.

An inventory taken in 1834 of "the late Henry William Lambirth's brewery" indicated that there was a 15 foot diameter horse wheel for generating power, it had 224 cogs, gudgeon bottom frame, three upright shafts which drove cold liquor, wort and beer engines, malt bruisers and mill stores. The liquor back was lead lined and made of stout fir framing. There was a pair of malt mill stones and a 42 barrel copper set in brickwork. A "Jock Back" had a perforated Elm bottom. The Oak underback held 50 barrels. All the pipework was three inch lead with brass taps. The well was 60 ft deep. This inventory was valued at £5,623 and seven shillings (35p) on 14th April, 1836, when it was sold to John English.

Lambirth moved to the Chelmsford area to set up another brewery in partnership with James William Porter at Writtle.

In 1855, Joseph Hardcastle and Company, with William Griffin as manager was recorded, with the chief establishment noted as at Writtle. In 1874 the Stambridge Brewery is listed as joint ownership with the Middleton Brewery of Henry Luker & Co. Ltd of Southend.

The beers brewed were Stock, Old Beer, Old Mild, Mild and Table Beer, using "Goldings" and "Buchy" hops. At the 1836 sale there were 370 casks of various sizes with debts of £2,834. In stock there was 87 quarters and 6 bushels of "Clarks" pale malt and 31 quarters and one bushel of "Randells" pale malt.

The brewery's tap house, The Cherry Tree which stands beside the roadside and well forward of the old brewery. Several cottages which stood close by were demolished in the mid-1930's as was the main part of the brewery buildings behind the tap house. The owners house and a few outbuildings, sealed-off well and water reservoir all remain.

From ESSEX BREWERS - The Malting and Hop Industries of the County by Ian P Peaty 1992 now out of print ISBN 978 1 873966 02 4