The South Wales and Monmouthshire United Clubs Brewery Co. Ltd Rectangular Alloy

The South Wales and Monmouthshire United Clubs Brewery Co. Ltd alloy tray dating from the early 1950s. The Company was registered in 1919 as The South Wales & Monmouthshire United Clubs Brewery Co. Ltd, when the Crown Brewery of D. & T.Jenkins in Pontyclun, was purchased by the South Wales branch of the Working Men's Club & Institute Union. The business was created as a response to high prices and supply issues of a number of local South Wales brewers. At first the number of clubs which purchased the Company's beers was small but by the 1930s with the addition of bottled beers in 1936, this had dramatically increased and more capacity was needed. The Second World War brought a temporary halt to the firm's growth, however the Crown Brewery was increasingly unfit for purpose. The resulting new Crown Brewery was completed near to the old brewery in 1954. In 1964 Head Brewer Lee Marsh won the brewing championship for best draught beer, Special Best Bitter (S.B.B.), which he had introduced in 1960. During the 1960s the brewery saw many changes with extensions and new plant, and the production of keg beer for the first time in 1969. Within ten years demand for its keg beers quadrupled, while its cask conditioned beers also continued to be popular. In 1983, at Brewex, Brenin Bitter was judged to be the best brewery conditioned ale. In 1977 the Company changed its name to the Crown Brewery Co. Ltd. and its beers were, by now, supplied to a far wider geographical reach including London. The Crown Brewery Co. Ltd merged with Buckley's Brewery Ltd of Llanelli to form Crown Buckley PLC in 1989 and brewing ceased. Bottling continued on the site but production ceased in 1999 after S.A.Brain & Co. Ltd acquired Crown Buckley PLC. The Crown Brewery was demolished and redeveloped for housing in the 2000s. The manufacturer's mark states - Reginald Corfield Ltd Lombard Road London, S.W.19. Although this is a realtively plain and boring tray I would still like to find a copy in better condition.