Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd Round Tin

Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd tin tray dating from 1959. William Tetley, a maltster from Armley, Leeds, passed his business to his son, William in the late 1700s. After trading successfully, William's son, Joshua took control, and in 1822 he purchased William Sykes' Salem Place Brewery in Hunslet, Leeds. Joshua struggled in his first year of trading but the second year saw a dramatic increase in sales. Joshua Tetley & Son was created in 1839 when Joshua made his son, Francis William, a partner. In the 1840s the Company primarily brewed porter and mild ales. In 1852 a new brewery was built on the site. Joshua retired from the business in 1858 and died a year later, leaving the business to Francis, who took on his brother-in-law, Charles Ryder, as a partner. The firm went from strength to strength and by 1860 Tetley's was the largest brewery in the North of England. Towards the end of the 19th century pale ale became the Company's most popular drink. In 1890 Tetley's purchased its first two public houses, the Fleece and the Duke William. The business was registered as Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd, a public limited company, in 1897. Charles Francis Tetley, the eldest son of Francis, became chairman. Using funding from the flotation, a bottling plant was built, and by 1914 the Company had established a large tied estate. Tetley's provided major support during World War I when a third of its workforce formed the 8th Company of the Leeds Rifles. 25 men died in action. Some of Tetley's 'Gentle Giant' shire horses also served on the frontline. In 1931 the art deco Tetley headquarters were built. In 1954 the Company acquired Duncan Gilmour & Co. Ltd of Sheffield with its 500 public houses. In 1960 Melbourne Brewery (Leeds) Ltd approached Tetley's for a friendly takeover of its Melbourne Brewery and 245 public houses. Production of Melbourne beers ceased immediately although Tetley Mild was brewed at the Melbourne Brewery until its closure in 1962. Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd merged with Walker Cain Ltd in 1960 to form Tetley Walker Ltd, with a combined estate of over 3000 public houses. Tetley Walker Ltd merged with Ind Coope Ltd and Ansells Brewery Ltd in 1961 later named Allied Breweries Ltd in 1963. Allied Breweries Ltd then merged with the J.Lyons & Co. Group in 1978 forming Allied-Lyons plc in 1983. The brewhouse was modernised in 1984. In 1993 the Company amalgamated with Carlsberg which held a 50% stake in the business. In 1998 Carlsberg gained a controlling interest in the Company and renamed it Carlsberg-Tetley. In 2004 the name Tetley was dropped from the Carlsberg-Tetley name. Sadly the Leeds brewery closed in 2011. The brewery, its associated buildings, and the Duke William pub were unceremoniously demolished by Carlsberg in 2012, although the art deco headquarters were saved. The Tetley brand lives on and the real ales of Tetley Dark Mild, Tetley Mild and Tetley Bitter are now contract brewed by Marstons PLC at their Park Brewery in Wolverhampton. The tray pictured has a manufacturer's mark which states - Reginald Corfield Ltd Lombard Road. London. S.W.19. 596 There is however another tray of exactly the same size and design where the manufacturer's mark is slightly different - Made in Great Britain by Reginald Corfield Ltd. 0064 The first tray dates from 1959 and the second from 1964.