Willaim Johnson (Syston)

William Henry Johnson, Green Brewery, Syston, Leicestershire.

In 1896 Walter Samuel Drinkwater was at this location, where two years later a Mr Bindley was a grocer and beer retailer. A Thomas Sikes actually founded the brewery, although he was only there for a short period of time from 1st June 1901 to 7th June 1902. He died, aged 87, in December 1909 in Nottingham. He was followed as the licensee by Mary Jane Abbott, but there was no record of her as a brewer.

In 1904, William Johnson was listed as a grocer and brewer, presumably the William Henry Johnson brewing 1906-10 and possibly related to the individual previously brewing at the Queen Victoria. Then in 1910 Henry Bindley was a grocer and beer retailer (F5000). In 1912-14 John Sidney Kemp was the grocer and licensee, but he was then followed by Ella Kemp, suggesting that he was on war service.

On 6th March 1920, Sidney Dixon McIver took over the licence and was listed as a brewer in the following year. He was also shown at Beaumanor Road, Leicester. However, on 2nd January 1923, Mrs Ada McIver sold the property for £1,500 to Henry Goodall. The documents mention the brewhouse in the converted cottages at the rear. Although brewing ceased, it continued to operate as an off-licence known as Goodall’s Quality Stores until the 1960s. After a variety of uses, it is presently a fishing tackle shop, with the brewery building still at the rear.