Ashby's Staines Brewery Ltd

An advert from 1879

The Prince Arthur, West Ealing

The Royal Horse Guardsman, Brentford. SP 2005.

The former Nags Head, 55 High Street, Egham. Mosaic floor by Ashby's. BI 2004.

Ashby's Staines Brewery Ltd, Church Street, Staines, Surrey

The brewery was located north of the Thames and therefore historically in Middlesex. Founded by Thomas Ashby in 1796. Registered 1887 as Charles Ashby & Co Ltd. Re-registered as above in June 1899.

Acquired by Simonds Ltd of Reading in 1930 with 333 houses including those 138 taken over by Ashbys from Wheeler's Wycombe Breweries Ltd. Brewing ceased in 1931. Site later used as Courage headquarters.

A brief history of the Brewery by Alan Greenwood

Ashby's Brewery Staines was working by 1783 and within 12 years was sufficiently prosperous for its owners to establish in 57 Church Street, Staines a bank known as Thomas Ashby Senior and Sons. The family also prominent coal merchants and controlled the Staines wharf.

Thomas Ashby II commenced the brewing business originally in his own house until he built the brewery premises in Church Street. Some of the buildings were erected in 1830, but some may have been earlier. The brewery company had been in existence since 1805 under the name of Thomas Ashby & Sons.

The brewery had a 360ft deep artesian well which ensured a supply of pure water from under the layer of London clay on which Staines is built. They also malted their own barley.

Various relatives and younger sons had interests in breweries in Alton and Kingston, also at the turn of the 19th century at Totton in Hampshire. http://www.breweryhistory.com/Breweries/HantsTottonAshbysBrewery.htm

After the death of Thomas Ashby II in 1841, the Staines brewery was carried on in the name of the three brothers Thomas, Charles and Frederick Ashby and finally Charles Ashby & Co. As well as the brewery in Church Street there was a bottling plant behind the High Street. The business was well run and prospered. In 1850 they opened a store in the railway arches Waterloo Station for London trade.

The brewery expanded in 1872 to include a malting, stables and a yellow brick warehouse. Another maltings was built backing on to Wraysbury road with a distinctive square kiln.

In 1887 the company was turned into a private limited liability company and in 1899 it was sold as a public limited liability company and became Ashby’s Staines Brewery Ltd. The nearby London Stone was used as their trademark.

By 1900 Ashbys owned more than 200 public houses within 30 miles of Staines.

In 1937 it was bought by H&G Simmonds of Reading, which itself was taken over by Courage. Brewing had ceased by 1950s and during the 1970s and 1980s the site was redeveloped. The name of the Courage office block is Ashby House. The brewery tower with its wrought iron crown was converted into apartments. Other houses such as 57 Church Street and Corner Hall still exist.

An assortment of the beers from the brewery

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An assortment of views of the brewery.

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  The brewery in 1996.
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  The brewery in 1996.
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  The brewery in 1996.
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  The modern Courage HQ.
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Entry in the Trade Mark Registry Registration No  : 3,385 Description  : Anchor in diamond & name Date of Application  : 20/11/1877 Used Prior to 1875?  : 6 years Registration No  : 13,996 Description  : Oval with diamond enclosing anchor Date of Application  : 3/1/1878 Used Prior to 1875?  : 6 years Registration No  : 48,478 Description  : Pillar (tm for mineral waters) Date of Application  : 30/10/1885 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO Registration No  : 412,224 Description  : Picture of Wellington's Head Date of Application  : 07/02/1921 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO Registration No  : 482,358 Description  : Two label designs Date of Application  : 12/07/1927 Used Prior to 1875?  : NO