Ashton Gate Brewery - By Mike Bone
ASHTON GATE BREWERY
By Mike Bone
The Ashton Gate Brewery was operated by Thomas Baynton c.1829-1865, with Charles and Isaac Baynton in 1829-30 and Charles only in 1831. T & C Baynton are listed in the 1823-27 directories as Brewers on the Quay in Bristol and Charles is, later, recorded as brewing at 3 St James Parade, Kingsdown, 1834-36. Earlier references to the Bedminster site are to the Somerset Brewery, becoming Ashton Gate Brewery in 1832 when Thomas Baynton is listed as sole operator. An indenture (CG/E/4) of 1 August 1826 refers to a lease on 3 acres 'The Weavers Paddock' and 'The Withy Bed' – possibly the site acquisition, but I'd need to check this.
The Brewery was offered for sale in 1865 after Thomas Baynton's death. The press advert (my copy is from the Exeter Flying Post of 26/7/1865) but I'm sure it will also be in Bristol and, probably, Bath press. Included in the sale are the brewery, malthouses, proprietor's dwelling house, a pub ('The Rising Sun') and 34 dwellings (the latter known as Baynton's Buildings).
From 1866, the brewery became the Ashton Gate Brewery Ltd, one of the early limited brewing companies, Guinness starting the rush to incorporation in the trade some 20 years later in 1886. A valuation and plan of the site from this time survive (CG/E/6 and CG/E/14). The sale details mention the nearby colliery and ironworks as sources of trade and Edwin Knight, Ironmaster, was one of the new company's shareholders.
The same company seems to have remained in existence until the BB Georges & Co Ltd takeover in 1931 but there were name changes, to Hardwick & Co in 1869-70 and 1875-1884, T W Hardwick (presumably Thomas Wall Hardwick, one of the original investors in 1866) being the manager. The Minute Book for 1866-1932 is in the London Met Archives (they tell me that the BRO has a copy, but it didn't come up on their online catalogue).
I looked into the history of the prominent red brick building that survives some years ago – the development of the site can be traced from the development or building plans in the BRO from 1904 (the Fermenting and Racking Rooms) to 1922 (New Hop Back Room). George Adlam's drawings for these additions appear as an A3-size fold-out in The Brewers' Journal 15 January 1905. The BRO plans are very detailed.
Mike Bone