Maclay & Co. Ltd Square Tin

Maclay & Co. Ltd tin tray dating from 1964. The business was founded in 1830 by James Maclay when he leased the Mill Brewery in Alloa. The Company traded as James Maclay, Ale, Porter, Table and India Beer Brewer of Alloa. In 1870 he gave up the lease to the Mill Brewery and built the Thistle Brewery. The Company soon gained a reputation for its quality ales. When James Maclay died in 1875 his two sons, James and John, took control of the business. Maclay & Co. was taken over by the Frazer family in 1896 who registered it as Maclay & Co. Ltd. Maclays were awarded brewing medals at Vienna in 1894, Newcastle in 1898, and Paris in 1900. The Company traded successfully throughout the 1900s brewing a wide range of beers. It was however its reputation for dark beers, including its Oatmeal Stout, which enabled it to grow but when trends changed to lighter ales this led to financial difficulties in the 1990s. In 1991 the Company was purchased by the Matthew family. The focus of the firm switched from brewing to pub management, and in 1994 the Company was renamed Maclay Inns Ltd in order to reflect the new business model. In 1999 the Thistle Brewery was closed and from 2001 the building was used as offices by the pub company. Part of the brewery is now a pub called the Old Brewery whilst the rest of the building has been demolished. In 2015 Maclay Inns Ltd entered into administration and its 15 pubs were purchased by the Stonegate Pub Company. The manufacturer's mark states - Hancock Corfield & Waller Ltd, Mitcham. London. The tray pictured is the original production/sample copy. On the back of the tray are the words - B1936 28.5.64 File Copy