Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd Round Tin

Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd tin tray dating from the 1960s. Beer has been brewed on the historic Griffin Brewery site since the 1600s. It was not until 1816 however, under the stewardship of Douglas and Henry Thompson, that the Griffin Brewery name and emblem were born. In 1829 John Fuller, a wealthy country gentleman, invested in the business and when he died in 1839, his son, John Bird Fuller, took over control. By 1845 Fuller had become the sole owner of the business. He sought investment and this materialised when John Smith, a successful brewer himself, invested on behalf of his son Henry Smith and his son-in-law John Turner. In 1845 the partnership papers between three families were signed and the brewing business of Fuller, Smith & Turner began. Fuller, Smith & Turner expanded gradually and acquired two Brentford breweries, Dobell & Courtaulds in 1897 and William Gomm & Son in 1908. Exactly 100 years after the first Fuller had arrived in Chiswick the Company was registered as Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd in 1929. Chiswick Bitter arrived in 1930, however it was not until 1958 that the more famous 'London Pride', named after a flower, was first brewed in Chiswick. Fullers ESB was introduced in 1971. In 2005 the Company acquired Gale & Co. Ltd and its public houses, and the brewery was closed. In 2013 the Company purchased cider manufacturer Cornish Orchards and subsequently the Dark Star Brewery, based in Partridge Green, West Sussex, in 2018. Independence ended in January 2019 when Fuller, Smith & Turner plc sold the Griffin Brewery, Dark Star Brewery, Cornish Orchards and its beer brands to the Japanese company Asahi. Fullers retained its estate of 300 pubs and hotels in the deal. The brewery is still producing Fuller's and Gale's range of beers and the Dark Star Brewery continues to brew in Partridge Green. The manufacturer's mark states - The Metal Box Co. Ltd (Liverpool Branch).