Wrekin Brewery Co. Ltd Rectangular Black Backed Steel

Wrekin Brewery Co. Ltd black backed steel tray dating from 1929. The business was founded on Market Street in Wellington by Thomas Taylor in 1870 and moved to larger premises on Market Street soon afterwards. After several changes of ownership, the brewery was purchased at auction by Owen Downey Murphy in 1921. The firm was registered as Wrekin Brewery Co. Ltd in 1922. The Company purchased the Red Lion Brewery Co. Ltd in Wellington in 1924, with 9 public houses. From 1929 Murphy expanded the business through the speedy acquistion of public houses. By the mid-1940s the estate totalled around 140 tied houses. Murphy refused to sell the business to Marston, Thompson & Evershed Ltd before his death in the 1950s. The business continued to be run under the direction of his sons who experienced further growth through sales of its bottled beers and lager. The brewery was acquired by Greenall Whitley & Co. Ltd in 1966 with 94 public houses. Greenall's transferred brewing to Wem in Shropshire in 1969, and brewing ceased. The brewery was demolished in 1975. The brand name reappeared in Market Street in 2014 when the Ironbridge Brewery Ltd reintroduced Wrekin beers. Wrekin is currently brewed at the Pheasant Inn on Market Street which is owned by Jim Preston from the Rowton Brewery.