Plews & Sons - A History
by
Mike Brown
In 1803 John Plews mentioned as a brewer in North Cowton. He died November 1828 with execs Christopher Robinson and Thomas Plews, the latter may have continued there until around 1870. Then in 1823 a John Plews living at Fleetham Lodge.
York Herald 20th Sep p1
In 1839 John Lumley shown as a brewer here. Then in 1840 partnership dissolved as spirit merchants with Christopher Pybus and John Bowman, when the latter left, and October the partnership with Pybus was dissolved. Bowman was at the Old Salutation until his death in 1860, when it was to let with maltkiln, brew house and wholesale spirit business. In July 1842 Lumley was a bankrupt brewer, Low Street. To let September and on 12th October furniture etc under assignment, “Late”Lumley; however, he then seems to have entered into a partnership at Northallerton with John Bowe, a common brewer there in 1851. Though:
Partnership hitherto carried on between us John Lumley and John Bowe, of Northallerton, Common Brewers and Maltsters, was dissolved by mutual consent on this day. 27th day of September, 1855.
In October 1857 Lumley was looking to leave Northallerton and letting a malting at the rear of H Hirst’s house. Then in 1858 Yorkshire Gazette 13th February p6
This would seem to be the same property which had been for sale 25th March 1847, with wine and spirit business, brew house and malting, and which may have been that mentioned in Brewers of British Isles (BoB). John, brewer aged 70, died 25th June 1860 at Northallerton, despite still being listed in 1871. In 1862 a John Lumley was a brewer and maltster at Yarm when his daughter married, but 24th March subject to an indenture. He may have later been an auctioneer and possibly a son?
On 11th April 1843 Low Street was for sale “recently built trading many years”, and in the July Messrs Linton advertised for a working brewer. In 1853 mention of G Linton at Fleetham and in 1859 George Linton was at the brewery, with mention of Brewery Farm. In 1871 George was a brewer and landowner, with David, aged 33 a brewer’s traveler, and John, aged 36, a maltster.
George sen died 24th June 1874, aged 79, brewer and spirit merchant, and in July John & David mentioned as Low Street. In May 1875 selling two copper boilers and June 1881selling a 4hp engine and boiler. That year brewer John (46) with sons David (15) and George (18) were supplying the Old Salutation. In 1883 John & David Linton to around 1889, confusingly sometimes referred to as the “Bedale Brewery”. Then 1891/1901 George T Linton, brewer Great Fencote with father John; however, George died in 1909. The business was for sale 24th February 1914, but the brewery was withdrawn at £1500; Lot 2 Fleetham Lodge Farm occ Mrs Elizabeth Linton; Lot 4 Three Horseshoes, Catterick; Lot 5 Railway, Leeming Lane withdrawn at £2250. It was for sale again in May and presumably ceased brewing. David aged 85 died 28th April. https://maps.nls.uk/view/102344338 The 1857 map on the NLS site above shows it as the Lane End Brewery just north of Fleetham Lodge, on the 1911 map as the Low Street Brewery, which by 1927 was Melton House. Some parts remain:
Plews Vale of Mowbray Brewery, Bedale and then Leemng Bar
Probate of Thomas Plews of Thornton Watlass 2 March 1802; copy will of Henry Plews of Bedale, mentioning a house and lands at Crakehall and farm stock and brewing concern at Bedale (1821)
Covered in Vol4 of Barnard, which can be accessed online:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.0035544031&view=1up&seq=420&q1=plews
In 1796 Thomas Plews was an overseer at Thornton Watlass, then 1798 Henry providing sureties for alehouses at Aiskew and John similarly at Kirkby Fleetham. They are thought to have started as common brewers around 1795 in Bedale Market Place. Henry, born 1759 in Thornton Watlass, in 1809 was at Bedale, 1811 living Rand House, died 7th Mar 1821. Then 1832 Henry, presumably the son, was mentioned as a brewer and 1841 a maltster. In 1830 his brother Thomas was in Edinburgh, mentioned as a chemist, though later described as involved with brewing there. By 1839 he had returned to Bedale after the death of his wife and in 1842 was a brewer wine & spirit merchant. In 1850 Messrs Plews were shown as maltsters and as H Plews & Co in October 1852 advertising for maltster. In 1857 letting the Buffalo, Pickhill; however, brewer Henry Plews of Bedale died in 1858 and their partnership was dissolved:
Partnership heretofore subsisting between the undersigned, Henry Plews, Thomas Plews, and John Mackay Plews, as Common Brewers and Wine and Spirit Merchants, at Bedale, in the county of York, under the firm of Henry Plews and Co., was dissolved on the 13th day of May, 1859, so far as regards the undersigned, Henry Plews only. The said businesses have since that day been, and still are, carried on by the said Thomas Plews and John Mackay Plews only, under the same style or firm of Henry Plews and Co. As witness our hands this 23rd day of April, 1860.
Barnard states that JMP, second son of Thomas, had been running the business from 1850, though this doesn’t fit with other reports, since he is thought to have been born around 1833. He married in 1861, then:
NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership between us the undersigned, Thomas Plews and John Mackay Plews, carrying on business at Bedale, in the county of York, as Ale and Porter Brewers and Wine and Spirit Merchants, under the firm, of Henry Plews and Company, was dissolved on the 1st day of November, 1863; and that the said business has since that date been curried on, and will be continued, by the said John Mackay Plews on his own account, under the firm of Henry Plews and Company. —Witness our hands this 7th day of January, l867. Thomas Plews. John Mackay Plews
In November 1866 the Black Swan, Westgate, Ripon from Thomas Wintersgill to Thomas Plews, Bedale. In April 1867 there was an advert for a brewery and malting to let at Romaldkirk, occupants Plews & Wilkinson (Richmond & Ripon Chronicle 7th April p1). Although there are no clear links, in December 1867 Plews requested tenders for a new brewery. In December 1869 gales damaged the nearly completed new brewery near Leeming Bar station (see also Lynn Pearson: British Breweries- Architectural History).
In 1872 they were advertising for a cooper and by 1877 trading as Plews & Son. In 1873 John Mackay Plews was living at Fencote Hall. In 1879 they were letting the White Swan, Middleham and the Fleece, Bedale. Thomas Plews, home Leeming Bar, was described as the principal traveller for the firm. In March 1881 they wer letting the Royal Oak, Bedale and the Royal Hotel, Stockton on Tees, and in December the Woodman, Burneston. William Harrison, Bedale, innkeeper, to John Mackay Plews of Fencote Hall par Kirby Fleetham, brewer and wine and spirit merchant - Strip of land adjoining National School 20 May 1884
April 1886 letting the Railway Hotel, Northallerton and May 1889 the Malt Shovel at Aiskew. John Mackay Plews, aged 57, died December 1889 at Fencote Hall, having 30 years previously succeeded his uncle Henry and recently acquired his late brother TRM Plews’s business at Darlington etc. Another brother Henry Taylor Plews, engineer, died 1886 in Norwood.
In 1890 shown as Plews and Sons brewers, maltsters, wine and spirit merchants The Vale of Mowbray Brewery Leeming Lane station, with T Plews commercial traveler and BG King the cashier. In July 1891 head brewer Arthur T Thornewilll, of the Burton on Trent family, married at Faversham. November 1893 and December 1894 saw yet further gale damage. August 1894 Plews & Son letting Majestic Inn, Darlington - being Elizabeth Ann Plews, widow Fencote Hall; William Robinson and Henry Plews of Darlington; John Plews of Northallerton and Walter Edward Plews of Fencote Hall. In 1895 Fleetham Lodge burnt down 20th February. Henry Plews of Darlington, died 24th December 1898, aged 35, execs being his brothers William John and Walter Edward, and cousin Thomas Walter Plews.
Northern Echo Weds 4th Jan 1899
In 1900 under brewer WJ Rogers left for war service. In 1905 Plews & Son was registered by WJP, WEP, and TWP. However, in 1907 Walter Edward the MD was seriously injured when thrown from a dog-cart.
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LABELS COURTESY KEITH OSBORNE
In July 1925 the business, including around 100 pubs, was sold to Cameron & Co. Ltd of Hartlepool, for £250,000. The 16 acre site with two lofty buildings was bought by Rider Bros of Northallerton and became the Vale of Mowbray bacon factory. The remaining buildings burnt down 2000, but the photos from the late David Parry and myself show the site before the fire.
Vale of Mowbray premises
Mainly to resolve some listings, since these operations, as shown above, were depots rather than breweries, though Darlington included a malting. See also Brian Bennison’s Brewers of N Eastern England (BHS publications)
Around 1833 Nathaniel Plews, brother of Henry, was a porter merchant in Hungate, Darlington, having been a clerk in Backhouse’s bank. He later added the wine and spirit business. His premises occupied an acre or so of ground. In the 1960s some of the building was the Old Coaching House, closed 1983.
In 1841 Nathaniel’s daughter married Alfred Compton Birchall. In 1849 TRM Plews (son of Thomas and born in Edinburgh) joined uncle Nathaniel, becoming a partner 1st January 1856. In November 1856 Plews, Birchall & Plews wine merchants letting Black Lion at West Hartlepool and the Royal Hotel, Middlesborough. They opened a branch in Middlesborough in 1869 and Durham in 1875.
Nathaniel died 12th November 1859, aged 62, described as involved with banking and railway companies, as well as being a JP involved in local politics.
Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Thomas Plews, Alfred Compton Birchall and Thomas Robert Maddison Plews, at Darlington, in the county of Durham, as Ale, Wine and Spirit Merchants, under the firm of Plews, Birchall and Plews, was on the day of the date hereof duly dissolved; the said businesses are now, and will be in future, carried on by the said Thomas Plews and Thomas Robert Maddison Plews, under the firm of Plews and Son, and they will receive and pay all debts due to and from the said late partnership firm. 23rd April, 1860.
Then in 1863 Thomas retired and it was continued by his son until January 1867 when the partnership was dissolved. In 1872 appointed sole agents for Truman’s London porter and stout.
In November 1874 new 200qtr malting for Plews & “Macfarlen”, being TRM with brother in law Walter Macfarlane. The premises were known as the "North of England Maltings" located in Neasham Road and occupied over 7 acres. TRM died 1885. In 1904 fire destroyed 1/3rd of the building, when being operated by JP Simpson & Co. Site later Matalan trading estate. Parts of the bonded warehouse, shown in Barnard, remain.