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03-10-2011, 07:15
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I think I might have an explanation for the lack of much of a brewing industry in Glasgow in the late 19th century.
Glasgow was the second largest city in the United Kingdom but, unlike every other large centre of population, there was little brewing. It struck me as quite odd. I couldn't think of any reason why Glasgow should be different. I hate unsolved puzzles. Then just today a possible explanation dropped into my lap.
Trolling through Google Books, I happened upon a Port Office Directory for Glasgow from 1863. Old directories are great sources, being much like a modern Yellow Pages. When I looked under the heading "Brewers" I had a shock. At first glance, the list looked far too long. It had over 60 entries. My list from 1837 only included 20 entries. And I know from other sources that in 1849 there were only 7 breweries in Glasgow.
When I looked closer, I realised almost all the entries weren't for breweries but their Glasgow agents. Only 5 were for Glasgow-based breweries. The list of brewers with agents in Glasgow is like a roll-call of Britain's top breweries. With a few oddities thrown in. Burton, Dublin, Edinburgh and Alloa feature prominently, as you would expect.
Thorn Brothers and Furze & Co. (both of London) surprised me. I've not heard of either. Nor William Whitwell & Co. of Kendall. There are a few Edinburgh breweries, too, that are new to me.
What does this proliferation of brewers' agents tell us? That brewers from outside were selling lots of beer in Glasgow. I can imagine the attraction. A city with few brewers of its own, a large population and no tied house system. It must have been a happy hunting ground for ambitious brewers.
I could be wrong. I've no real evidence of the quantity of beer brought into the city. But it is a possibility that, without the protection of tied houses, the relatively small brewers of Glasgow were swamped by outside competition. Except for Tennent, the only really substantial brewery in Glasgow. And, ironically, one of the few breweries mentioned to still exist. All the Scottish breweries have gone. Only Guinness really remains in the same form.
Here's the full table of agents:
Agents in Glasgow for outside brewers in 1863
Brewery
Town
Black & Co.
Aberdeen
Blair, Alex.
Alloa
Meiklejnohn. Robt. & Son
Alloa
Younger, Geo. & Sons
Alloa
Knox, B. & Son
Cambus (Alloa)
Ind Coope & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Ind, Coope, & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Ind, Coope, & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Allsopp, Samuel & Sons
Burton-on-Trent
Bass, Radcliffe, & Gretton
Burton-on-Trent
Burton Brewery Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Coope & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Salt, Thomas, & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Salt, Thomas, & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Eadie, James
Burton-on-Trent
Worthington & Robinson
Burton-on-Trent
Mitchell, J. & W. Springbank
Campbelton
Arnott, Sir John, & Co.
Cork
Dalkeith Brewery Co
Dalkeith
Findlater & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Simes & Co.
Dublin
Sweetman, P. & E.
Dublin
Watkins, J. & Co.
Dublin
Watkins, J. & Co.
Dublin
D'Arcy, John, & Son
Dublin
Aitchison & Co.
Edinburgh
Beswick, Wm. & Co.
Edinburgh
Bernard, T. & J.
Edinburgh
Caltonhill Brewery
Edinburgh
Campbell, A & Co.
Edinburgh
McEwan, Wm. Fountain Brewery
Edinburgh
Melvin, Alex. Borough Loch
Edinburgh
Taylor, Anderson, & Co.,
Edinburgh
Usher, J as. & Thomas
Edinburgh
Younger, R.
Edinburgh
Younger, Wm. & Co.
Edinburgh
Dick, Chas. & Son
Edinburgh
Edinburgh & Leith Co.
Edinburgh
Fulton, John, & Co.
Edinburgh
Jeffrey, John, & Co.
Edinburgh
Aitken, James, & Co.
Falkirk
Laurie, Thos. Lidegate
Haddington
Whitwell, Wm. & Co.
Kendal
Combe, Dalefield, & Co.
London
Hoare & Co.
London
Meux, Sir Henry, & Co.
London
Reid & Co.
London
Thorn Brothers
London
Truman, Hanbury, Buxton, & Co.
London
Whitbread & Co.
London
Furze & Co.
London
Fowler, John, & Co.
Prestonpans
Argyle Brewery
St. Andrew's
Joul, John, & Sons
Stone
Steel, William
West Barns, Dunbar
Source:
"POST OFFICE GLASCOW DIRECTORY FOR 1863, 1864", pages 461 - 462.
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I think I might have an explanation for the lack of much of a brewing industry in Glasgow in the late 19th century.
Glasgow was the second largest city in the United Kingdom but, unlike every other large centre of population, there was little brewing. It struck me as quite odd. I couldn't think of any reason why Glasgow should be different. I hate unsolved puzzles. Then just today a possible explanation dropped into my lap.
Trolling through Google Books, I happened upon a Port Office Directory for Glasgow from 1863. Old directories are great sources, being much like a modern Yellow Pages. When I looked under the heading "Brewers" I had a shock. At first glance, the list looked far too long. It had over 60 entries. My list from 1837 only included 20 entries. And I know from other sources that in 1849 there were only 7 breweries in Glasgow.
When I looked closer, I realised almost all the entries weren't for breweries but their Glasgow agents. Only 5 were for Glasgow-based breweries. The list of brewers with agents in Glasgow is like a roll-call of Britain's top breweries. With a few oddities thrown in. Burton, Dublin, Edinburgh and Alloa feature prominently, as you would expect.
Thorn Brothers and Furze & Co. (both of London) surprised me. I've not heard of either. Nor William Whitwell & Co. of Kendall. There are a few Edinburgh breweries, too, that are new to me.
What does this proliferation of brewers' agents tell us? That brewers from outside were selling lots of beer in Glasgow. I can imagine the attraction. A city with few brewers of its own, a large population and no tied house system. It must have been a happy hunting ground for ambitious brewers.
I could be wrong. I've no real evidence of the quantity of beer brought into the city. But it is a possibility that, without the protection of tied houses, the relatively small brewers of Glasgow were swamped by outside competition. Except for Tennent, the only really substantial brewery in Glasgow. And, ironically, one of the few breweries mentioned to still exist. All the Scottish breweries have gone. Only Guinness really remains in the same form.
Here's the full table of agents:
Agents in Glasgow for outside brewers in 1863
Brewery
Town
Black & Co.
Aberdeen
Blair, Alex.
Alloa
Meiklejnohn. Robt. & Son
Alloa
Younger, Geo. & Sons
Alloa
Knox, B. & Son
Cambus (Alloa)
Ind Coope & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Ind, Coope, & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Ind, Coope, & Co.
Burton-on Trent
Allsopp, Samuel & Sons
Burton-on-Trent
Bass, Radcliffe, & Gretton
Burton-on-Trent
Burton Brewery Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Coope & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Salt, Thomas, & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Salt, Thomas, & Co.
Burton-on-Trent
Eadie, James
Burton-on-Trent
Worthington & Robinson
Burton-on-Trent
Mitchell, J. & W. Springbank
Campbelton
Arnott, Sir John, & Co.
Cork
Dalkeith Brewery Co
Dalkeith
Findlater & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Guinness, A. Son, & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Manders, R. & Co.
Dublin
Simes & Co.
Dublin
Sweetman, P. & E.
Dublin
Watkins, J. & Co.
Dublin
Watkins, J. & Co.
Dublin
D'Arcy, John, & Son
Dublin
Aitchison & Co.
Edinburgh
Beswick, Wm. & Co.
Edinburgh
Bernard, T. & J.
Edinburgh
Caltonhill Brewery
Edinburgh
Campbell, A & Co.
Edinburgh
McEwan, Wm. Fountain Brewery
Edinburgh
Melvin, Alex. Borough Loch
Edinburgh
Taylor, Anderson, & Co.,
Edinburgh
Usher, J as. & Thomas
Edinburgh
Younger, R.
Edinburgh
Younger, Wm. & Co.
Edinburgh
Dick, Chas. & Son
Edinburgh
Edinburgh & Leith Co.
Edinburgh
Fulton, John, & Co.
Edinburgh
Jeffrey, John, & Co.
Edinburgh
Aitken, James, & Co.
Falkirk
Laurie, Thos. Lidegate
Haddington
Whitwell, Wm. & Co.
Kendal
Combe, Dalefield, & Co.
London
Hoare & Co.
London
Meux, Sir Henry, & Co.
London
Reid & Co.
London
Thorn Brothers
London
Truman, Hanbury, Buxton, & Co.
London
Whitbread & Co.
London
Furze & Co.
London
Fowler, John, & Co.
Prestonpans
Argyle Brewery
St. Andrew's
Joul, John, & Sons
Stone
Steel, William
West Barns, Dunbar
Source:
"POST OFFICE GLASCOW DIRECTORY FOR 1863, 1864", pages 461 - 462.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-5475478914642737257?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/10/brewing-in-glasgow.html)