Montgomery & Co
Montgomery & Co, New Brewery, Mount Street, Stone, Staffordshire
Later: Bent's Brewery Co. Ltd, Mount Street, Stone, Staffordshire
Montgomery & Co were acquired by Bent's Brewery Co. Ltd in 1889 with 23 tied houses. The much enlarged brewery traded as Bent's thereafter until acquisition by Bass Charrington Ltd in 1967.
The Stone brewery was closed by Bass Charrington Ltd in 1968.
Much of the brewery is still standing, in use as an industrial estate.
Parts later occupied by Lymestone Brewery.
Thomas Montgomery was a licensed victualler in Liverpool, selling as part of his trade Joules’ Stone Ale. In 1888 he built a new brewery in Stone, calling it the Stone Brewery and adopting a sign with the words STONE ALE either side of a circle containing the initials TM. The large T was red and the overall effect was very similar to Joule's Brewery Ltd registered trade mark.
Joule's Brewery Ltd promptly took action and the case was heard in the Chancery Division of the High Court on 9th November 1888. The court found that historically “Stone Ale” had become specifically associated with Joules product, which had a high reputation, and that they were entitled to sole use of the term, it did not refer to any ale brewed in Stone. The trade mark adopted by Montgomery was also deliberately confusing and an attempt to pass his beer off as Joules.
Montgomery appealed, this hearing took place on the 20th February 1889 and the Law Lords again found for Joules. Shortly after this Montgomery sold the brewery to Bent's Brewery Co. Ltd of Liverpool together with 23 tied houses.
Bent’s origins were actually in Newcastle-under-Lyme where they had a brewery in the years 1799-1836 before moving to Liverpool. They were taken over by Bass Charrington Ltd in 1967.
Images of the brewery:
The brewery in 1900
