Moorhouse's Brewery Small Round Tin

Moorhouse's Brewery tin tray dating from the late 1970s. The business was founded in Burnley in 1865 by William Moorhouse as a producer of mineral waters. By 1870 he had moved to a purpose built factory on Moorhouse Street, off Accrington Road, Burnley, including stables and houses for the workers and the Moorhouse family. When William died in 1900 his son Thomas took over the firm. After a serious accident in 1904 his brother William started to run the business. This coincided with a period of development including the production and exportation of low alcohol hop bitters which were exported throughout the world, notably to the USA, India, West Indies and the Middle East. In the 1930s the mineral water business was sold to Daniel Thwaites & Co. Ltd of Blackburn. After William retired, Thomas's widow took over the running of the business for a short while until one of the sons, Edward Moorhouse, ran it successfully for many years. In 1977 Tom Fawcett, a cousin of the Moorhouse family, sold the business to Michael Ryan, who began to brew real ales. The new real ale firm struggled, due mainly to poor beer quality, and the Company changed ownership several times. In 1981 the business was purchased by Alan Hutchinson, owner of the Burnley based Hutchinson Leisure Group. Beers were supplied to the group's hotels and the popular Pendle Witches Brew was introduced into its portfolio. Max Taylor, joined the business in 1982 as sales manager and he successfully sold Moorhouse's ales to the London market. Richard Winkle had become head brewer and his experience enabled the Company to produce quality beers including Premier Bitter which won silver medal at the International Brewing Exhibition in 1983. After the death of Alan Hutchinson in 1985, the brewing side of the business faced closure until Bill Parkinson, a local businessman, decided to buy the brewery. The Company was incorporated in 1985 as Moorhouse's Brewery Ltd. Trade increased rapidly and a new brew plant, new fermenting vessels, a new distribution depot and six pubs were purchased during the late 1980s and early 1990s in order to keep up with demand. Moorhouses is still brewing independently and continues to win awards for the quality of its ales.