Charles Watkins & Sons Round Brass

Charles Watkins & Sons brass tray dating from the 1880s. Charles Watkins started as an innkeeper in 1834 and then, around 1850, purchased the Imperial Inn which had a brewhouse. After 1858 he acquired the Hereford Brewery which he later renamed the Imperial Brewery. The tray featured advertises Charles Watkins & Sons Hereford Brewery indicating that the name was not changed to the Imperial Brewery until the mid 1880s. When he retired in 1898 he sold the Company to the Tredegar Brewery Co. The newly formed Company was registered as the Tredegar & Hereford Brewery Co. Ltd and all brewing was transferred to the Imperial Brewery. For a brief period from 1899 to 1902 the Company came under the control of Samuel Allsopp & Sons Ltd. The Imperial Brewery was purchased by the Cheltenham Original Brewery Co. Ltd in 1945, the old Company was closed and a new Company was formed. Cheltenham & Hereford Breweries Ltd closed the Imperial Brewery in 1960. The majority of its public houses were sold to Rhymney Breweries Ltd. The Imperial Brewery was demolished in the early 1960s and is now a supermarket. The manufacturer's mark states - H J.Turner (Groves Patent 1883) Moseley Birm.m