JPS Breweries Ltd Round Tin

JPS Breweries Ltd tin tray dating from the 1960s.

The Simpkiss Family Brewing Business

The family brewing business began in 1854 when William Simkiss bought the Potters Arms, a home brew pub on Potter Street, Delph, in Brierley Hill. In 1859 he added a 'p' to his surname.
By 1861 William's son, William Henry Simpkiss, took over the pub and was running a successful ginger beer and mineral water business.
In 1869 William Henry purchased the Royal Oak at Round Oak in Brierley Hill from Edward Smithyman. This site had a history of brewing beer dating back to 1797.
A few years later, William Henry built a brewery on land behind the pub, but since he had little experience of brewing beer, immediately engaged 21 year old Hercules Hazlehurst as head brewer.
By 1890, William Henry had bought three more pubs and the brewery's output had increased dramatically.
In 1896 the business was so successful that North Worcestershire Breweries of Stourbridge made Henry an offer he could not refuse.
He sold the bewery and most of the public houses.
William Henry retired and died in 1905.
The Roal Oak Brewery passed to Elwell & Williams in 1897 and then Julia Hanson & Sons Ltd in 1934, which closed the brewery.

Joseph Paskin Simpkiss

In 1903, Henry's son Joseph Paskin Simpkiss, continued the family brewing business when he purchased the Swan Brewery in Quarry Bank with money financed by his father. He renamed it the Home Brewery.
During the 1910s the Company acquired 23 public houses.
Joseph Paskin Simpkiss lost control of the Home Brewery after a lawsuit in 1916.
When he lost the Home Brewery he became a travelling representative for Elwell & Williams of the Town Brewery until 1919.
By then he had raised enough money to buy the Foley Arms in Brettel Lane, Brierley Hill from Henry Bolton.
Joseph's son, Dennis Simpkiss, joined his father at the Foley Arms in 1926.
There the firm brewed a range of beers which included IPA, XXX, Old Ale, and Mild Ale.
In 1934 Joseph Paskin built a new brewery behind the Foley Arms which was designed by Dennis Simpkiss and was named the Dennis Brewery after him.

Merger with Johnson & Phipps Ltd

The Company was registered as J.P.Simpkiss & Son Ltd in 1938.
Shortly after its registration Joseph Paskin died.
Dennis took over the Company buying further pubs and two farms.
In 1955, Simpkiss began an 'association' with Johnson & Phipps Ltd, which operated the Anglo Malt Brewery in Wolverhampton.
J.P.Simpkiss & Son Ltd merged with Johnson & Phipps Ltd in 1955 becoming JPS Breweries Ltd.
The partnership last 15 years until Alan Phipps retired.
In 1960, Dennis' son, Jonathan Patrick Simpkiss, joined the Company.
By 1965, the bottling business had been transferred to Holden's Brewery Ltd of Woodsetton and, in 1973, Ansells Brewery Ltd installed a new kegging line at the brewery.
In 1977, the Company reverted back to J.P.Simpkiss & Son Ltd.
Dennis died in 1981 leaving Jonathan Simpkiss the managing director of the firm.
The Company, with its Dennis Brewery and 15 public houses, was acquired by Greenall Whitley & Co. Ltd in 1985.
The brewery closed within a few days of the takeover with the loss of 20 jobs. The Dennis Brewery was demolished in 1988.

The manufacturer's mark states - Printed in Great Britain by Reginald Corfield Ltd. 0112