Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd

From Noted Breweries by Alfred Barnard 1890

Their Trade Mark Directory registration

Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd, Stag Brewery, Pimlico, London SW1

Founded by William Greene 1641. Came under the control of James Watney 1858.

Registered 1885 as Watney & Co. Ltd. In 1889, they acquired the Mortlake brewery of Phillips, More & Co. Ltd.

Registered as Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd in June 1898 to amalgamate Watney & Co. Ltd; Combe & Co. Ltd, Woodyard Brewery; and Reid's Brewery Co. Ltd, Griffin Brewery.

After the merger with Mann, Crossman & Paulin Ltd in 1958, the Pimlico Brewery was closed on 23rd April 1959 and brewing was concentrated at Mann's Albion Brewery and Mortlake; the latter was renamed 'Stag Brewery' at this time.

Acquired by Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd in 1972 and was merged with Truman, Hanbury & Buxton & Co. Ltd in 1974.

The Hind Statue once in the front of the offices is now located in Lockmeadow shopping mall, Maidstone.

The Watney Family

Takeover and closure trail:

• Carter, Wood & Co, Artillery Brewery, London SW1 was acquired by Watney & Co Ltd in 1890 and brewing ceased there.

• The Saffron Walden brewery of William Day & Co was acquired by Watney & Co Ltd in 1895.

• In 1907, Woodbridge & Co, Yorkshire Stingo Brewery, London W1, with approximately 125 houses were acquired and brewing ceased.

• J E Dawes & Co of Thames Ditton were acquired in January 1911 and their premises were converted into bottling stores in 1914.

• John Samuel Bligh, Holmesdale Brewery, Sevenoaks, was acquired in 1911 with 27 tied houses.

• In 1920, they acquired the Chelsea Brewery Co. Ltd with 80 pubs.

• Ashby's Cobham Brewery Co. Ltd was acquired in 1922 with 56 houses.

• Isleworth Brewery Ltd, after voluntary liquidation in November 1923 was acquired in 1924 with 228 houses.

• They acquired Huggins & Co. Ltd, Lion Brewhouse, London W1 in September 1928 and the brewery was closed.

• London & Burton Brewery Co. Ltd of Stepney were acquired in 1929 and ceased to brew.

• In 1943, they acquired William Cooper & Co. Ltd of Southampton with c.125 houses and brewing ceased there in 1950.

• Crowley & Co of Alton were acquired in 1947 with 248 public houses and brewing ceased there in August 1970.

• They acquired Stockwell Brewery Co. Ltd, London SW9 in May 1951 and retained the Hammerton’s off-licences but sold off the pubs to Charringtons.

• In 1954, the Chichester brewery of Henty & Sons Ltd was acquired with 247 houses of which 120 were resold to Friary, Holroyd & Healy's Breweries Ltd, with part of the brewery.

• Venning & Son Ltd of Liskeard were acquired in January 1955.

• In 1958, Watneys merged with Mann, Crossman & Paulin Ltd to form Watney Mann Ltd.

List of Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd pubs

The Pimlico brewery features in The Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland by Alfred Barnard published 1890.

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An assortment of images of the brewery

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Miscellaneous:

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Entry in the Trade Mark Registry Registration No  : 27,262 Description  : Stag & Mountains Date of Application  : 16/12/1881 Used Prior to 1875?  : 80 years Registration No  : 479,394 Description  : Advert for "BROWNIE” Date of Application  : 01/04/1927 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO Registration No  : 496,257/8/9 Description  : Words "WATNEY”/ "COMBES”/ "REIDS” Date of Application  : 23/10/1928 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO Registration No  : 496,585 Description  : Cremorne Gates Date of Application  : 01/11/1928 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO Registration No  : 542,562 Description  : Label Date of Application  : 26/06/1933 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO