Watney & Son Ltd
D Watney & Son Ltd, Lansdown Brewery, Petersham Road, Richmond, Richmond & Twickenham, Surrey.
Registered April 1895.
Acquired by Brandon's Brewery Ltd. Putney in 1915 and was closed.
Premises now part of the Royal British Legion poppy factory.
An assortment of views of the brewery
The Lansdowne Brewery in 1960.
The Poppy Factory in 1995.
The Lansdowne Brewery in 1995.
![The Poppy Factory in 1995.]]](/wiki/images/thumb/a/a3/Richmond_24.jpg/120px-Richmond_24.jpg)
The Poppy Factory in 1995.]]
The Lansdowne Brewery in 1995.
Courtesy Bob Inman
![The Poppy Factory in 1995.]]](/wiki/index.php?title=File:Richmond_24.jpg)
From the new London Brewers book by Mike Brown
Watney & Pope, Lansdowne Brewery, Lower / Petersham Road. The Crooked Billet, 15 Crooked Billet, Wimbledon, is said to have been a brewery and inn in 1509. Walter Cromwell, blacksmith then brewer, retired here in 1513 and died 1516, although other sources place him at Greenwich in 1517. In 1776 it was rebuilt, in 1789 a beer house held by F Wray. In the 1770s a group of small cottages around the Crooked Billet Inn on Wimbledon Common. Daniel Watney, local farmer, bought several for his children. The eldest son started the Wheatsheaf brewery, further down. Sunday Times 28th May 2000
John Watney’s book (p104) mentions, amongst other origin stories, that the first Daniel Watney is said to have been a foundling on Wimbledon Common, adopted by Joseph Acres. There are other suggestions that the name was from Flemish ancestors. Yet another alternative is that the Watney family was from Sudbury. Certainly on 23rd August 1730 a Daniel Watney, aged 25, married Mary Acres in Wimbledon. They had three sons, the oldest William (b1737) brewing, but mainly a farmer. The youngest son John, a mercer, with his own eldest son built up a businesss as a miller in Wandsworth. He is also said to have brewed his own beer on his farm. John’s son Daniel born 1771 also became a miller. In 1825 Daniel Watney, flour-miller, with a mill on the Wandle, died in 1831 leaving much of his property to his eldest son also called Daniel (1799-1874). Around 1834 the latter acquired the Waterside Distillery in York Road, Wandsworth, having married into the Langton brewing family there. Oddly a court case in April 1786 includes testimony from William Watney, who described himself as a common brewer with a farm at Wimbledon. The second son James became a malt-factor, whilst the third son John joined the distillery. In 1837 James I (b1800) bought a quarter share in the Stag Brewery, Pimlico, later being joined by Daniel.
In 1810 Joseph Bowles seems to have been involved. Certainly a brewer mentioned 23rd January 1843 and in 1849 shown as a brewer and coal merchant of Lower Road. The lease was assigned to Mr Cooper, a brewer at Richmond. In 1853 William Vought Cooper was at the “old established” Lower Road Brewery, listed 1855. VW Cooper was still listed 1875, possibly from a directory being out-of-date. Edward Saunders was previously at Twickenham Green (see entry); however in 1865 he seems to have moved to the New Brewery, Lower Road, Richmond. In February 1867 he was deceased, with property in Richmond.
In 1871/2 held by Chamen & Pope, possibly from 1867, being Edwin Pope of the Dorchester brewing family. This is possibly George Chamen, since he was from Dorset. In 1871/74 Chamen was at Bromley and in 1876 he was also brewing in Croydon. In 1878 Chamen & Pope of the Lansdowne Brewery, Lower Road; however, in December 1879 partnership dissolved of G Chamen & G Pope at Richmond, George Pope at the Lansdowne, Lower Road.
From around 1877 it seems it was held by Daniel Watney and extended in 1881. In 1882 Daniel Watney & Son were here and also at Aberdeen Road, Croydon. One entry in 1884 was for Daniel ‘Watson’ & Son. On 21st March 1888 D Watney & Son Ltd was formed, with £200,000 capital, being the result of an agreement between Daniel Watney and J McNaught. First directors Daniel and Theodore Herbert Watney. Other shareholders were DW Watney and R Watney. In 1890 Reginald Watney of 44 Parliament Hill Road, Hampstead Heath. In 1893 Daniel Watney aged 67 died 30th March, originally a distiller and also chairman of Cincinnati Breweries, at 7 College Terrace, Brighton, That year they planned to extend the premises. In April 1895 a public limited company was registered with capital of £220,000, Theodore H Watney being the chairman, presumably Daniel’s son Theodore Herbert, a doctor. An 1898 court case Worts vs Warren about pupillage fees mentions Mr Horley as head brewer in 1894, succeeded by Warren the following year and Mr Body the MD of Watney & Sons. In 1897 there was mention of John Jones, brewer in Richmond.
The brewery was rebuilt in 1904. In 1906 Ralph D Watney resigned as MD, to be replaced by Herbert Charles Hackblock. His father William Henry Hackblock died September that year, being a director of Morgans in Norwich and chairman of South African Breweries. Theodore H Watney, aged 49 died 1910. In 1911 EM Tufnell retired from the board and in 1913 HC Hackblock the MD joined the board of Noakes of Bermondsey. In July 1915 Brandons acquired shares and board representation and on 18th January 1916 there was a sale of the plant of the Petersham Road Brewery. J McNaught died 10th February 1917 having been at Watney Richmond, then Brandons. In 1923 Reginald Watney died 21st February, director of Richmond and chairman Great Baddow Brewery Company Ltd, having been the MD at the latter from 1902. The building was later used as a Royal British Legion poppy factory.