Robert Younger Ltd Round Alloy

Robert Younger Ltd alloy tray dating from the 1950s. Robert Younger was a brewer who gained his experience between 1844 and 1853 at his family's firm in Alloa and at the brewery of Andrew Drybrough & Co. in Edinburgh. In 1854 he purchased the St. Ann's Brewery on Croft-an-Righ Lane in Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, from James Bernard. The Company traded as Robert Younger & Co. and used its distinctive Stag's Head and Cross of King David trademark from an early stage. The trademark was registered in 1877. The business was registered as Robert Younger Ltd in 1896 and in the same year new maltings were opened on St. Clair Street in Edinburgh. These maltings became a large part of the firm's business with malting carried out for a number of Scottish Brewers. Robert Younger died in 1901 and he was succeeded by his son John H.Younger. By the turn of the century Robert Younger Ltd was brewing an extensive range of heavy and light draught beers and stouts. The Company supplied its products to a wide area of Scotland and to the North East of England, and also engaged in a modest export trade. In 1913 Robert Younger Ltd purchased the Craigmillar New Brewery of William & John Raeburn in Duddingston, Edinburgh. Due to rail sidings, the Craigmillar New Brewery was requistioned by the Royal Engineers throughout World War II with all brewing concentrated at the smaller St. Ann's Brewery. After being de-requisitioned in 1949, the Craigmillar New Brewery was sold to the Brewer's Food Supply Co. Ltd, owned by Scottish Brewers Ltd, in 1950. In 1953 the Company opened a substantial new bottling hall at St. Clair Street, adjoining the maltings. At the 1954 London Brewers' Exhibition, Robert Younger Ltd was awarded three medals, first prize silver medal for its Brown Ale and second prize bronze medals for its Old Edinburgh Ale and its Sweet Stout. This is reputed to have been the first time a Scottish brewery had won three medals at a single exhibition. In 1960 Robert Younger Ltd with 42 public houses was taken over by Scottish Brewers Ltd and brewing ceased at the St. Ann's Brewery in 1961. Most of the site was demolished and redeveloped for housing.