Writtle Brewery Co. Ltd
Writtle Brewery Co. Ltd, Writtle Brewery, Writtle, Essex.
Henry Lambirth commenced brewing at Little Stambridge Brewery, Rochford, in 1803. By 1826 he had moved to the already established Writtle Brewery.
Both breweries had several owners after Lambirth's death in 1834 including William Henry Luard Pattison.
Registered April 1888.
Acquired by Russell's Gravesend Brewery Ltd. September 1901.
Brewing ceased c.1907.
List of Writtle Brewery Co Ltd pubs
From ESSEX BREWERS - The Malting and Hop Industries of the County by Ian P Peaty 1992 now out of print ISBN 978 1 873966 02 4
Henry Lambirth commenced brewing at the Little Stambridge Brewery, North-East of Rochford, where he was a common brewer in 1803, being "admitted" on 28th November. He set up a partnership in 1808 with John English, three years previously the business had twenty-six licensed houses. Lambirth moved to the Writtle Brewery which had already been established. In 1826 a Henry Phillips was noted as being the brewery clerk, Henry Lambeirth was also a farmer and wine and spirit merchant with a Mr James William Porter. On 25th November, 1834 Henry Lambirth died in his own House, following which an inventory of his estate was made including the Writtle Brewery, and this clearly indicates the size of the business:-
"21 horses (all named), 20 various carts and drays including a water butt. Cask room containing 38 Butts, 485 puncheons, 166 hogsheads, 37 barrels and 67 half barrels (Kilderkins). Power was generated by a 16 foot diameter horse wheel with 184 cogs, driving a fir upright shaft to cold liquor engine 12' 6" long by 8", this drove by means of connecting shafts, and crown wheel to the hot liquor engine, 2 cold liquor engine wheels 3 feet in diameter with 40 cogs each bevel gear 2 side throw cranks each 3' 8" long by 2" square wrought iron lined with wood and hoop. The underback of 75 barrel capacity, Mash Tun 18 qrs, Copper 57 barrels built in brickwork".
By 1836 John English was in control of both the Stambridge and Writtle breweries and at this time considered the possible letting of them both. In 1839 the business was in the control of the Executors of the late Henry Lambirth, brewer and maltster. Joseph Alfred Hardcastle, M.P. purchased the property around 1850 and then his son, Henry Hardcastle went into partnership with his brother-in-law, Thomas Usborne.
By 1874 the brewery was supplying not only its own tied estate of 80 licensed houses, but also a considerable free trade. Once more the ownership changed, to William Henry Luard Pattison in 1874, who was also listed as a maltster in 1882. Pattison continued trading in his full name and as the Writtle Brewery up until 1888, from then onwards it was simply known as Writtle Brewery Company Ltd. The final nineteen years of brewing was as Russell's Gravesend Brewery Ltd. when brewing ceased around 1907.
In 1886, W.H.L. Pattison were listed as brewer, maltsters, wine and spirit merchants and owners of gas works. It is not clear as to whether the gas works were on the site of the brewery in Writtle.
In 1899, Stanley Coldham Knight was the manager and company secretary for the West Street Brewery, Gravesend, Kent, who later became a part of Truman, Hanbury & Buxton & Co. Ltd. London.
Parts of the brewery remain extant, in use as part of a nursey and nearest the River Wid, the old malthouse now used as residential property.
An assortment of images of the brewery
The brewery in 1995
The brewery in 1995
The brewery in 1995
The Russell's traction engine based at Writtle has a small "shunt"
Courtesy Mike Peterson
Courtesy Mike Peterson
Courtesy Mike Peterson
