Oldershaw Brothers (Loughborough)

Ordnance Survey extract from 1883. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland (http://maps.nls.uk/index.html)

Wellington Brewery, Wellington Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

The first mention of brewing was in 1835, when John Mitchell was listed as a brewer in Wellington Street, until around 1840. Edward Thomas Allen was listed as a brewer in 1876 and the following year, he was listed as at the Wellington Brewery, with offices at 53 Church Gate. Allen's home was in Park Street. The brewery was located near to the White Swan, which had previously been a brew-pub, and it is possible that the two had initially been connected. Allen was identified as a brewer living in Burton Street in an 1884 directory. The Journal entries suggest that he was in financial difficulties, which perhaps led to the sale of the brewery.

As early as 1812, a Mr Oldershaw ran the Turks Head at Castle Donington and there were individuals with this surname at various pubs in the county throughout the century. However, the first useful mention was for 1877, when Robert Oldershaw was shown as a maltster in Pinfold Gate.

Then in 1881 Oldershaw Brothers were shown as brewers and maltsters at 34 High Street and the Wellington Brewery. Three years later, J & R Oldershaw were listed as brewers, and from then until 1888, they were trading as Oldershaw Brothers, with a brewery located at the end of Wellington Street. The brewery and maltings seem to have been located next to the White Swan. This was presumably the site previously used by Edward Thomas Allen. Robert Watson Oldershaw was also a seed and cake merchant at 34 High Street, next to the Bulls Head, and a maltster on Sparrow Hill on the corner of Pinfold Gate. The High Street address was also his home.

In 1891 Robert Watson Oldershaw was shown as running the Wellington Brewery. The following year he was also listed as at a brewery in the High Street, which operated until 1898; however, as mentioned, this was probably only his home and office. In 1894, Henry Allen was the brewery foreman, with an address of 4a The Rushes, also shown as the address for R W Oldershaw. In September 1900, Oldershaw bought an off-licence at Park Road, Blaby, from Leicester Brewing & Malting for £600, but few details of their estate and beers have been forthcoming.

In 1915 R W Oldershaw was still shown at the Wellington Brewery, but by 1922 it had closed; however, he was still listed as a brewer at The Rushes.