George Shaw & Co. Ltd Round Black Backed Steel

George Shaw & Co. Ltd black backed steel tray dating from the late 1920s. The business dates to 1801 when Richard Guest of Bedford House was involved in its foundation. The Company was registered in 1866 as the Bedford Brewing & Malting Co. Ltd to acquire the business of Richard Guest. Bedford was a suburb of Leigh. William Shaw was the brewer and manager and he later became owner of the Company. His son, George Shaw, inherited the brewery in 1899. The Company was registered as George Shaw & Co. Ltd in 1902. In 1927 Shaw's purchased Joseph Sharman & Sons Ltd's Mere Hall Brewery and its pub estate. The Leigh Brewery and its 300 public houses was acquired by Walker Cain Ltd in 1931 and the brewery plant was sold in 1933. Five of Shaw's beer brands, Tenpenny, Common and Winnie amongst them, were adopted by Walker Cain Ltd which brewed them for 35 years. The Leigh Brewery was demolished in early 2000s.