The Cirencester Brewery Company
BREWERY HISTORY
The Cirencester Brewery can trace its origins back to 1798 and premises known as the Bell Inn. This was a late medieval building situated in Cricklade Street, Cirencester, which had a brewhouse supplying not only its own requirements but those of nearby public houses. The oldest documentation on record for this company is a waybill dated 29th November 1803 for materials conveyed by barge from the Hawks Wharf , Upper Thames Street London , on the Thames & Severn Canal , to Mr. Gibbs, landlord of the Bell Inn. The first directory entry comes in 1820, where the firm is listed as Croome, Cripps & Company, Cricklade Street . Two other brewers listed in the town were John Masters in Thomas Street , and Francis Smith, also in Cricklade Street .
By 1847, Cripps had terminated his partnership with Croome, and was now in partnership with a Mr Byrch. By 1861, Mr Byrch had also gone to be replaced by by a new partner, the company title now being Cripps, Demainbray & Co. Thirty Three years later, Cripps were in total control and were now trading as the Cirencester Brewery Company. Thomas Matthews of 104 Dyer Street was listed as manager and secretary. By 1882 Cripps had acquired the nearby Cotswold Brewery in Lewis Lane , from Edward Boulby. This brewery came with an estate of fifteen public houses. In 1888 , the business was listed as a private company. Between 1861 and 1894, the neighbouring wine and spirit business of Shergold and Timber was taken over, as was a large complex of malthouses in Cricklade Street . Mineral water manufacturing started up at about this time and was advertised locally.
Thomas Matthews worked in a number of positions in the firm, including traveller, brewer and general manager, having started originally as a clerk. He died at the age of 78.His eldest son Ernest followed in his fathers footsteps until 1935, being succeeded by Robert Matthews. In 1928 W P Cripps joined the family business having gained brewing experience at three other breweries. In 1934, he was appointed secretary and manager of the company, a post he held until 1937. In 1930 the Cirencester Brewery Limited put out an illustrated price list, and the draught beers were listed as "Family Ales - Mild Ale ,Bitter Ale, Pale Ale, XXXX, Stout and No.1". Bottled ales were Cirencester Pale Ale and Cirencester Extra Stout, with the bottling of Bass's and Worthington 's Pale Ales, Guinness Extra Stout and Bass No. 1 Barley Wine.On the front cover of this price list was a Phoenix rising from a bed of flames. This was the trade mark of the Cirencester Brewery Company. .
The end for the brewery came in 1937.With effect from the 30th June that year, the business was controlled by Messrs. H G Simonds Ltd., the well known brewing firm of Reading , Bristol and Devonport. Included with the brewery were 92 licensed properties.The operations continued largely unchanged under the parent company, W J Rogers of Bristol. The day to day running remained under the direction of the Cripps family. On 30th June 1937 Sir Frederick Cripps retired as chairman and Managing Director and his son, W P Cripps was appointed Chairman as his successor. The company was finally liquidated in 1949, bringing to an end the Cripps family connection with brewing in the town of Cirencester .
Cirencester collectors Keith and Nigel Wait have a good selection of artefacts from the Cirencester Brewery Company. They have several different beer bottles, all of them embossed with the attractive phoenix trade mark. One large bottle has has three-quarters of its original label, which indicates the bottle once held EXTRA STOUT and informed the drinker that it was "To be kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter". A clearglass soda syphon with a metal top is testimony to the involvement with mineral water manufacture. Exactly what was once inside the large two- tone flagon is open to conjecture. The flagon does not have the phoenix trade mark but is marked - Cirencester Brewery ( Limited ) Wine & Spirit Merchants - Cirencester.So far a ginger beer with the phoenix trade mark is unknown but local collectors would dearly love to find one!
Please note. The historical information (brewery history) first appeared in an article written by Ian P Peaty. Brewery History is the quarterly publication of the Brewery History Society. Further details of the aims and objectives of the society can be had from ; Jeff Sechiari, Manor Side East, Mill Lane , Byfleet, Westy Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7RS
Bottles & Bygones has agreed an information exchange with the Brewery History Society, and we did have permission to print from Ian P Peaty's article