The Story of Timothy Taylor & Co
The Story of Timothy Taylor & Company Ltd by Malcolm Toft
Timothy Taylor, born on the sixth of August 1826 at Bingley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, was the eldest son of Richard and Elizabeth Taylor (neé Petyt).1 The family lived at Myrtle Place, Bingley, in 1841. Richard’s trade was tailoring and at that time they had an apprentice living with them.2 By the following census, Timothy had joined his father in business, then at premises on the Main Street, Bingley.3
Between the years 18544 and 18575 a branch of Taylor & Sons, tailors and drapers, became established in Low Street, Keighley, with Timothy moving there, presumably to manage the outlet. The town had a population of 18,259 in 1851,6 with its main industries being the manufacture of textiles and engineering. Drinkers were able to slake their thirsts at eighteen fully licensed public houses and nine beerhouses. Three pubs were situated in Low Street, the thoroughfare where Timothy had set up shop.7
Next door to his premises was the business and residence of Robert Aked, printer, stationer and stamp distributor.8
Robert had one daughter, Charlotte, who married Timothy on the seventeenth of September, 1857 at the parish church.9 The following year Timothy commenced brewing in Cook Lane, a road that adjoined Low Street.10
Whether his father-in-law instigated this new career move or was entirely of Timothy’s own volition it is not known, obviously he would have seen the amount of trade done by the local inns. He continued with his tailoring and drapery business, which had by 1861 been removed a short distance along Low Street, to a point where it became Change Gate.11 The company purchased their first public houses during 1859, the Volunteer’s Arms, Lawkholme Lane, Keighley, and New Inn at Bocking.12
Richard Metcalf of Barking, Essex, presumably a property speculator, offered for sale in May 1863, the Knowle Park Estate, either in one lot or several lots.13 Timothy bought an area of land 5,000 square yards, forming part of Walker Royd Close, opposite Knowle Park Farm.14 The purchase of this green field site, about half a mile from the Cook Lane property provided the opportunity to move away from what was at that time the rather insanitary centre of Keighley and secure a pure supply of brewing liquor.15 An application to build at the Knowle came before the Keighley Local Board of Health in June 1863,16 sometime after that date Knowle Spring House, brewhouse and maltkiln were erected. The dwelling house was built as two homes for the Taylor and Aked families.17 Ownership of the land changed in September 1863 to Robert Aked.18 In this rural idyll, Timothy also farmed and when he later advertised for a malt kiln worker, one with agricultural experience was preferred.19
By 1867 it appears he had severed all connections with the textile trade20 and a couple of years later showed his commitment to the local brewing trade by joining the Bradford and District Brewers’ Association’s first committee.21 Robert Henry Taylor, Timothy’s eldest son had entered the trade by 1881.22 Keighley elected its first town council in 1882, a number of townsfolk who had previously taken no interest in the public affairs of the town decided to stand, one of these was Timothy and on this, the only occasion, he put himself forward he was unsuccessful at the ballot.23 Robert Aked died in January 1885,24 the property held in his name then passed to the company:-
- Knowle Spring House, brewhouse and outbuildings
- Burlington Arms, Keighley
- Cricketer’s Arms, Keighley
- Fountain Inn, Keighley
- Beerhouse (Volunteer’s Arms), Keighley
- Queen’s Arms, Guiseley
- New Inn, Cononley
Percy Taylor, the second son of the founder joined the family firm in the 1890s.26 The company produced malt for their own use and outsale, a large amount of which went to Leeds.27 They purchased a maltings in that city during 1890,28 probably to supply the many public houses that brewed there. After Timothy’s death in January 1898, aged seventy one,29 his sons formed a partnership to manage the firm. They acquired the following property:-
- Knowle Spring Brewery, maltings and associated buildings
- Albert Hotel, Bridge Street, Keighley
- Beaumont’s Arms, High Street, Keighley
- Bolt Maker’s Arms, East Parade, Keighley
- Brown Cow, Cross Leeds Street, Keighley
- Brunswick (later club premises), Brunswick Street/Adelaide Street, Keighley
- Burlington Arms, Market Place, Keighley
- Cricketer’s Arms, Conley Lane, Keighley
- Fountain Inn, Church Street, Keighley
- Friendly Inn, Aireworth Street, Keighley
- Mason’s Arms, Longcroft, Keighley
- Royal Oak, Damside, Keighley
- Vine Tavern, Hope Place, Keighley
- Volunteer’s Arms, Lawholme Lane, Keighley
- New Inn, Halifax Road, Bocking near Keighley
- Ferrend’s Arms, Queen’s Street, Bingley
- Boston Hotel, Back Wood Street, White Abbey, Bradford
- Bull’s Head (formerly London Hotel), Sackville Street, Bradford
- Plumber’s Arms, Salt Pie Street, White Abbey, Bradford
- New Inn, Cononley
- New Inn, Cowling
- Black Lion Inn, Mill House Bank, Leeds
- Lisbon Tavern, Lisbon Street, Leeds
- Maltings, Danube Street, New Wortley, Leeds
- Star Inn, Andrew Street/Bush Street, Leeds
- White Swan, Mabgate, Leeds
- Prince of Wales, Albert Street/ Saltaire Road, Shipley
- Old Star Inn, Steeton 30
Trade had increased sufficiently by 1911 to require the enlargement of the brewery, plans were drawn up by their architects John Haggas & Sons of North Street, Keighley.31 They went before the council’s Buildings Committee in August 32 and at the end of that month the Keighley News carried an advert requesting contractors to submit tenders for the required works. The new extension was built alongside the existing brewery tower and a new higher chimney erected, which possibly may have been to serve a new boiler and steam engine.
The brother’s mother, Charlotte, died in October 1915 aged eighty one.38
With most of the able bodied men heeding the call to arms during the Great War, the partners had to carry out the brewing operations themselves, both taking the task in turn.34
The restricted public house opening hours introduced as a result of D.O.R.A. (Defence Of the Realm Act) during the conflict helped boost bottled sales after the end of hostilities and into the 1920s. Demand for Taylor’s products was shown in 1925 when thieves forced an entrance to the brewery and stole thirty pint bottles of beer.35 The company ceased making its own malt in 1927,36 this decision may have been partly due to the gradual decline in the number of brew pubs in Leeds as they were bought up by larger concerns.37 Part of the redundant malting area was used to expand the bottling department.38 Their new supplier of malt obviously provided an excellent product as the company won a first prize and silver medal for mild ale at the Brewers’ Exhibition of 1928.39 In the following year the business was formed into a private limited company and the brothers as vendors received £41,270 19s 6d. The new firm acquired the following:-
- Knowle Spring Brewery, maltings and associated buildings
- Albert Hotel, Bridge Street, Keighley
- Bolt Maker’s Arms, East Parade, Keighley
- Brown Cow, Cross Leeds Street, Keighley
- Burlington Arms, Market Place, Keighley
- Cricketer’s Arms, Conley Lane, Keighley
- Fountain Inn, Church Street, Keighley
- Friendly Inn, Aireworth Street, Keighley
- Mason’s Arms, Longcroft, Keighley
- Royal Oak, Damside, Keighley
- Vine Tavern, Hope Place, Keighley
- Volunteer’s Arms, Lawholme Lane, Keighley
- Club premises, Brunswick Street/Adelaide Street, Keighley
- Ferrend’s Arms, Queen’s Street, Bingley
- New Inn, Halifax Road, Bocking
- New Inn, Main Street, Cononley
- Prince of Wales, Albert Street/ Saltaire Road, Shipley
- Star Inn, Andrew Street/Bush Street, Leeds
- White Swan, Mabgate, Leeds
- Maltkiln, Danube Street, New Wortley, Leeds 40
As can be seen from the schedule of property, a number of houses had been lost through various reasons such as being sold, for slum clearance and de-licensed. Robert H Taylor died in 193141 and his brother Percy became chairman. Philip Taylor, son of R H Taylor, trained in the art of brewing at the Ilkley Brewery,42 and had joined the family concern late in 1923 after his former employer’s business was purchased by Hammonds of Bradford and closed.43 Upon the death of his father, Philip became a director of the company44 but still remained a “hands on” brewer.45 During the thirties they picked up a small number of pubs and off-licenses, the Eastwood Tavern and Globe Hotel along with two shops, all situated in Keighley, came from the estate of the deceased Aaron King,46 who brewed at Taylor’s first brewery at Cook Lane.47 Another house bought in that decade was the Dog and Gun at Malsis.48
Sidney Taylor, brother of Philip, joined the company in the thirties49 and their cousin, John Aked Taylor, now after being created a Life Baron named Lord Ingrow,50 came to the brewery in 1937, he learned the trade at Rotherham. During the last war he served firstly in the Duke of Wellington’s and later due to his ability with figures, transferring to the Signals Regiment.51
Percy Taylor died in 1953, he had resided at Knowle Spring House all his life.52 Philip then became chairman, unfortunately he only held the post one year before his own death, but in that short period he, along with the assistance of Rupert A Henfrey, created what has become the company’s “flagship” brand Landlord.53 The brew was devised as a bottled product and named by competition, the winning entry is said to have been a suggestion from a club steward.54
Then Lord Ingrow took on the role of Chairman and Managing Director with Sidney as co-director.55 One of the new head’s first acts was to appoint an experienced Head Brewer. Sidney Fairclough started as a trainee in Barnsley before the 1914-18 war, during which he spent time at sea, after the conflict he returned to brewing at Sunderland, followed by spells at Chester and Newark.56 Mr Fairclough and Allan Hey perfected Landlord in its draught form.57
From the early fifties, alterations were carried out to their tied houses.58 In 1956 the company made its largest single purchase of public houses when seven were acquired firm E Parker & Co (brewers) Ltd of Haworth.59 Hammonds United Breweries, by that time a much larger concern than the one which bought the Ilkley Brewery, approached Taylors about building a joint venture pub on a housing estate west of Keighley town centre in the same decade. A number of meetings following but in the end Lord Ingrow decided to maintain the company’s independence.60 Taylor went on to erect two modern houses, both have been sold in recent times. The company has never produced keg beer commercially, only for competition when Landlord, the bottled version, has been put into keg.61
Practically all their pubs had electric dispense systems by the sixties, and a number in Keighley still do, a return to beer engines seems to have coincided with the 1974 reorganisation of local government and the town coming under the control of the new authority centred on Bradford, its health officials allowing the use of recycling devices subject to the use of clean glasses every “fill”. Ayingerbrau lager brewed under license by Samuel Smith was sold for a number of years in Taylor’s estate and in exchange two of the former’s houses were leased to Taylors.62 The firm now have their lagers and stouts supplied by Carlsberg Tetley and Whitbread.63
Sidney Taylor died in 1988 aged ninety five, he continued to work until a few years before his death.64 His son-in-law, Michael Carr, had become a non-executive director in 1975, he was managing director of Bradford wool merchants Heydemann Shaw Ltd.65 The eldest daughter of Lord Ingrow married in the same year66 and her husband, Charles J Dent, became a member of the directorship in 1980, he took up a full time appointment in 1992 and two years later the post of Joint Managing Director.67 Lord Ingrow retired at the end of 1995, taking the position of Life President. Michael Carr is now Chairman (non executive) and Charles J Dent sole Managing Director.68 Allan Hey, who was born in Keighley and joined Taylors shortly after the start of the Second World War as pupil brewer then aged fourteen, he enlisted in 1943 with the Royal Navy, becoming an Engineering Officer. On returning to Taylors in 1947 he was seconded to brewer’s chemists in Manchester. For two years Boddingtons employed him as a trainee brewer, after which he returned to Taylors as an assistant brewer. After the death of Sidney Fairclough in 1966 he became Head Brewer, a director in 1980 and Production Director in 1995.69 His retirement came in April 1996.70
The present Head Brewer, Peter Eells, commenced in the trade at Youngs followed by a spell at Boddingtons before joining Taylors in 1984, and took up his current post in July 1995. Andrew Leman, the second brewer, came from the Henley company Brakspear in November 1987 and Jonathan Stancill is described as the locum brewer.71 About forty staff are based at the Knowle Spring Brewery today.72
As Head Brewer, Sidney Fairclough said at a celebration luncheon to mark the winning of the Brewers’ Journal Challenge Cup in 1960 for draught Landlord “the directors insisted that the best materials available should be used and without their being used he could not do much”.73 This policy of using quality ingredients is still maintained. Malt is stored in temperature controlled bins, Golden Promise pale and crystal, the latter type is used in small amounts in their Best Bitter, and supplied by Simpson’s of Berwick on Tweed, grown around the Moray Firth. The border company have recently introduced a trial variety named Landlord in Taylor’s honour, early results seem favourable but Peter Eells prefers to use Golden Promise whenever possible. Taylors use Worcester Fuggle hops from the Teme Valley, Kent Goldings and Golding Varieties, along with Styrian Golding from the banks of Lake Blod, Slovenia.74
A new brewhouse (where Timothy’s original tower stood), built alongside the one dating from 191175 which is still operational, was opened in January 1991 and equipped with stainless steel vessels and malt mill acquired from the defunct Oldham Brewery. Since then various improvements have been made with an enlarged hot liquor tank and extended hop back being installed.76 Liquor comes from two bore holes which date from 189477 and 1994. Another two have been used by the company, one of which was bored at the establishment of the Knowle Spring Brewery and the other circa 1927. The liquor receives some treatment before the commencement of the brewing process which largely follows the practises carried out by the firm since by the fifties.
Mashing takes two hours and sparging a further two and a half to four depending on the brew length. The copper stage requires another two hours. A paraflow replaced the refrigerator in the 1960s. It is not known whether Timothy Taylor ever used the Yorkshire Square system of fermentation, but the firm have certainly not used that method within living memory. The skimming method is used today. Their stainless steel squares are fitted with a panel that can be lowered to a level just above the surface of the beer to allow the yeast head to be dropped into wheeled collecting containers on the third day. Beer is sent for racking on the seventh day. Priming sugar is held in temperature regulated tanks and is added at the cask, along with caramel for their dark ales.78 Dry hopping at the cask ceased sometime after 1958.79 Under normal circumstances, casks are held a week before despatch. Whitbread and Marston supply containers to be filled for use in their own estates. A new boiler installed outside the main brewery building allowed the removal of the old one and enabled a new cask washer to be put in place which is able to deal with smaller casks.80
In 1999, the company produced about 600 barrels a week81 and it was said 80% of output went to the free trade.82 Bottling ceased at the brewery in 1995, prior to that date small batches of the packaged product were simply double racked, but most was processed by passing the beer into a warm tank, then a cold vessel, chilled, carbonated and then to the bottling line.
The company had produced Landlord, Special Pale Ale, Blue Label, Northerner No.1 Dark Ale and Black Bess Stout in bottles. The latter dark beers were the first to be discontinued and now only Landlord is available in 500ml bottles, packaged by Robinsons at their Bredbury plant.83
In 1953 the company were said to have 2,000 wooden casks worth about £17 each, made and repaired in their own workshop. Many wooden cases for bottles had “disappeared” during the war and they were then using some metal containers at that time.84 Sometime after 1958, the cooperage closed.85
The company have in recent years been “adjusting” their tied estate by selling or leasing lower barrelage inns and purchasing houses that will hopefully be more profitable, when the opportunity arises. In December 1999, their estate numbers twenty three houses.
Reference 1. Bishop’s Transcripts - Bingley Parish Register - Bradford Central Library (BCL)
2. Census - Keighley Library (KL)
3. Census - KL
4. White’s Directory, Leeds, Bradford, Clothing Districts 1854 - BCL
5. Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Yorkshire 1857 - BCL
6. 1851 Census - KL
7. Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Yorkshire 1857 - BCL
8. 1861 Census - KL
9. Copy marriage certificate - Keighley Register Office
10. The Illustrated Monthly Journal & Keighley Advertiser - December 1858 advert - The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd. 1858 - 1958 - Author’s copy
11. White’s Directory, Leeds, Bradford, Clothing Districts 1861 - BCL
12. West Yorkshire Archive Service - West Riding Registry of Deeds, Wakefield - c/o David Parry (WYAS - WRRDW)
13. Keighley News - 9th May, 1863 - BCL
14. WYAS - WRRDW
15. Report of Public Inquiry by William Ranger held September 1854 following a petition by Keighley ratepayers calling for the adoption of the Public Health Act 1848 - Extracts Keighley News - 18th April 1953.
16. Keighley Local Board of Health, Building and Nuisances Committee Minute Book - KL
17. Deed - 24th May, 1894 - WYAS-WRRDW
18. Indenture - 18th September, 1863 - WYAS - WRRDW
19. Keighley News - 6th October, 1866 - KL
20. Kelly & Co, Post Office Directory of West Riding of Yorkshire - 1867 - BCL
21. Minute Book, Bradford & district Brewers’ Association c/o Yorkshire Brewers’ Association c/o Paul Jennings
22. Census 1881 - KL
23. Keighley News 4th November 1882 - BCL
24. Keighley News 31st January 1885 - BCL
25. Indenture - WYAS - WRRDW
26. Census 1891 - KL
27. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
28. WYAS - WRRDW
29. Keighley News - 15th January 1898
30. WYAS- WRRDW
31. Keighley News - 26th August 1911 - BCL
32. Building Plans - KL
33. Keighley News - 30th October, 1915 - BCL
34. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
35. Bradford Daily Telegraph - 1st October, 1925
36. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
37. A Century of British Brewers
38. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
39. List of prizes - Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
40. WYAS - WRRDW
41. Keighley News - 6th June 1931 - BCL
42. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
43. Yorkshire Evening Argus - 16th November 1923 - BCL
44. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
45. Peter Eells, Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
46. Keighley News - 20th July 1935 - BCL
47. A Century of British Brewers
48. WYAS - WRRDW - c/o David Parry
49. Keighley News - 15th April 1988 - BCL
50. Burke’s Peerage 1999 - BCL
51. Keighley News Supplement 23rd May 1997 - BCL
52. Keighley News - 7th March 1953 - BCL
53. Peter Eells Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
54. What’s Brewing, September, 1994 - Article Barrie Pepper
55. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
56. Keighley News - 16th July 1966 - BCL
57. Keighley News - 29th October, 1960 - BCL
58. Keighley News - 4th December, 1953 - BCL
59. WYAS - WRRDW
60. The Brewing Industry 1950 - 1990, Notes and reflections - Anthony Avis
61. Telegraph & Argus - 21st September 1982 - BCL
62. Local Brew - Mike Dunn
63. Keighley News Supplement - 23rd May 1997 - BCL
64. Keighley News - 15th April 1988 - BCL
65. Keighley News Supplement - 23rd May 1997 - BCL
66. Burke’s Peerage 1999 - BCL
67. Yorkshire Post - 27th July 1998 - BCL
68. What’s Brewing, February 1996
69. What’s Brewing, September 1999 article Barrie Pepper
70. What’s Brewing, February 1996
71. Peter Eells, Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
72. Keighley News Supplement - 23rd May 1997 - BCL
73. Keighley News - 29th October 1960 - BCL
74. Peter Eells, Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
75. Building Plans - KL
76. Peter Eells
77. Illustrated Weekly Telegraph (Bradford) - 17th March 1894 - BCL
78. Peter Eells
79. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd
80. Peter Eells
81. Yorkshire Post 9th August 1999
82. What’s Brewing, February 1999 - Peter Eells
83. Peter Eells
84. Keighley News - 4th December 1953 - BCL
85. The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd