Boddington's Breweries Ltd Small Round Tin

Boddington's Breweries Ltd tin tray dating from 1962. The Strangeways Brewery was founded in 1778 by Thomas Caister and Thomas Fray and traded as Caister & Fray. Henry Boddington joined the Company in 1832 and became sole owner in 1853 increasing business tenfold by the 1880s. The Company was registered as Henry Boddington & Co. Ltd in 1883 becoming Boddington's Brewery Ltd in 1888 after his death in 1886. In 1902 86% of its production was mild ale. By the 1930s the Boddington's family shareholding had dwindled to 40%. In the late 1940s the Strangeways Brewery was rebuilt and modernised after being hit by a bomb during the Manchester Blitz. By the 1950s bitter ale had overtaken sales of mild. By 1961 Whitbread & Co. Ltd held a 13% share in Boddingtons. The Company acquired Richard Clarke & Co. Ltd of Stockport in 1963. During the 1970s Boddingtons Bitter, a straw coloured ale, had become their number one beer acquiring a loyal following. Boddingtons growth continued through the 1980s resulting in the acquisition of the Oldham Brewery Co. Ltd in 1982 and Higson's Brewery Ltd of Liverpool in 1985. Boddingtons remained independent until 1989 when the Strangeways Brewery and the beer brands, but not their pub estate, was sold to Whitbread & Co. Ltd. Whitbread transformed the brand, from regional to national, quadrupling output by 1995. Boddington's tied estate was sold to Greenall Whitley & Co. Ltd in 1995. By 2000 sales were beginning to slow and the Whitbread Beer Company was acquired by the Belgian Company, Interbrew, later named AB-InBev, who ended brewing at the Strangeways Brewery in 2005 and the site was demolished in 2007. Cask conditioned real ales were contract brewed at Hyde's Anvil Brewery until 2012 when production ended in that year. Brewing of Boddington's keg beers was moved to AB-InBev's Samlesbury brewery in Lancashire where they continue to be brewed to date. AB-InBev's continued lack of investment in the Boddington's brand has resulted in its disappearance as a household name. The manufacturer's mark states - Made in Great Britain by Reginald Corfield Ltd.