Frederic Robinson Ltd Ceramic Ashtray

Frederic Robinson Ltd ceramic ashtray dating from the 1930s. The business was founded in 1838 when William Robinson purchased the Unicorn Inn from Samuel Hole. George Robinson brewed Robinsons ale there for the first time in 1849. Frederic Robinson took over the running of the business in 1859 and soon increased the capacity of the brewery, increasing sales as a result. In 1908 bottling commenced in a new building located on the site. Robinsons acquired Sydney Pearson Eagle Brewery of Stockport in 1905 and John Heginbotham Ltd Borough Brewery of Stalybridge in 1915. The Company and its Unicorn Brewery was registered as Frederic Robinson Ltd in 1920. Futher acquisitions included Schofield's Portland Brewery (Ashton-under-Lyne) Ltd in 1925, Kay's Atlas Brewery Ltd of Ardwick in 1929, and direct competitors Bell & Co Ltd of Stockport in 1949, where brewing continued until 1968, and bottling until 1975. In 1943 Robinsons began its expansion into North Wales when the Black Lion was purchased in Abergele. In more recent times the Company acquired Hartleys Ulverston Ltd in 1982 increasing its tied estate to 300 public houses. Brewing ceased at Hartleys in 1991 when all production was transferred to Stockport. In 2010 £7m was invested in a new brew house. The Unicorn Brewery is still operating independently and is run by the fifth and sixth generations of the Robinson family.