Defunct Livery In Brighton

One of the things which sets me apart from pretty much all of the other British beer bloggers is my camera skills. Those skills can be broken down into two components:

Skill number one - the ability to take my camera anywhere with me.

Skill number two - the ability to take a decent picture even if I remember my camera.

Whilst out and about in Brighton last week, I saw three great examples of defunct livery on the front of pubs. First was The Kemptown Brewery (not the one still in existace) outside The Bulldog on St James Street. A distinctly drabby looking pub which I didn't venture into.

Second was the beautiful green tiled frontage of The Heart & Hand in North Road in the North Laines advertizing United Ales and Stouts which was actually The Portsmouth & Brighton United Breweries Ltd. I did go in to this quaint characterful pub and had a lovely pint of Harveys Sussex Best, which almost matched the tiles.

Third was the old Tamplins pub, The Victory in Duke Street. I've been in here before - it's crap, so didn't venture in this time.

There are plenty of other examples in Brighton, as can be seen here. They are all for another time. The photographs aren't mine, but borrowed from the aforementioned site.

An Old Brewery Stores

I took the picture on the left today whilst walking around Kettering. The building was used as a stores for Hipwell and Company Brewery of Olney which is just over the county boundary in Buckinghamshire. Hipwell's had a number of tied houses in Kettering and this building was used to house beers destined for these hostelries. The brewery was founded in 1853 and the earliest recorded reference of a stores in Kettering was 1877. The huge Northampton brewer Phipps then took them over in 1920.

It is likely that this signage dates back to the late 19th Century. Other pictures of the building on the internet and in the book mentioned here show the sign in less than perfect condition. However it is obvious that the building has had some external decoration, and it is to everybody's credit that the Hipwell's sign has been maintained, and almost certainly improved.

A Beautiful Frontage

The picture on the left is the front of a former pub in Grendon, Northants. For me it's absolutely fascinating because it still has its old signage: "Praed's Noted Ale And Stout". It's very rare to see such wonderful signage on a pub, and is, of course particularly interesting because the brewery is no longer in operation.

Campbell Praed & Company started brewing in Wellingborough in 1878. They were successful very quickly, and even as early as 1895 they were making annual profits in excess of £10000. One of the Praed brothers, Arthur, was one of the founding directors of a company called San Francisco Breweries Ltd. I am endeavouring to ascertain if that is actually what we know as Anchor Brewery, and would be interested if anybody has any information.

In 1920 Praed's bought out a rival Wellingborough brewer W Dulley & Sons, which with the extra 53 licenced premises they inherited meant their beer sales almost doubled. Praed's continued to flourish and in 1949 the business was valued at over £725K, a huge amount of money obviously in those days. Then three years later their brown ale met with success at the National Brewer's Exhibition, thereafter being renamed "Prize Winning Brown". At the end of 1953 though and with 149 licenced premises in their estate the huge Northampton brewers Phipps came a-knocking, and things moved so quickly that a complete take over had happened by March 31st 1954. The brewery itself was demolished just two years later.

I am not aware of any other Praed signage at all, certainly nothing could compete with Grendon. Eagle-eyed readers may spot the "For Sale" sign. I really hope that the signage is protected in some way. Certainly if any potential purchasers have any idea of spoiling the beautiful facade I will send the boys round.