Shepherd Neame Ltd Round Tin

Shepherd Neame Ltd tin tray dating from the 1960s.

The Origins of Britain's Oldest Brewer

Shepherd Neame is Britain's oldest brewer and while 1698 is the official founding date, there is clear evidence that its heritage pre-dates this.
John Castlock was brewing on the same site in 1570, and in 1653 the brewery passed to Thomas Hilton.
Richard Marsh leased it from Hilton's executors in 1678, and in 1698 Marsh purchased the brewery, thereby signalling the official start of the brewery's history.
Richard Marsh died in 1726 and his brewing business was passed on to his second son, also named Richard, who died a year later.
Richard's widow, Mary Marsh, remarried Hilles Hobday who died in 1731.
At this time the firm owned two Faversham public houses, The Castle and the Three Tuns, which are still part of the brewery's pub estate.

Samuel Shepherd Acquires the Brewery in 1732

Samuel Shepherd married Mary in 1732 and promptly took over the running of the brewery, introducing a period of growth.
Samuel Shepherd purchased 21 public houses, 5 of which remain in the estate.
In 1755 Samuel Shepherd retired leaving the business to his sons, John and Julius.
In 1777 John left the business leaving Julius as the sole owner. Julius introduced two of his sons, Samuel and Henry, into the partnership.
In 1819 Henry took over the business.
Henry's son, Henry Jr, and John Henry Mares were managing partners by 1849.
In 1864 John Henry Mare's brother-in-law, Percy Neame, joined the firm as a partner, and soon after John Mare's death Shepherd Neame & Company was born.
In 1864, a new brewhouse and stores were built, and by 1874 Shepherd Neame & Co. owned over 100 public houses.
Henry Jr died in 1875 leaving Percy Neame as the sole proprietor. By 1895 he had been joined by his sons, Harry, Arthur, and Alick.

Shepherd Neame & Co. Ltd Registration

Percy Beale Neame died in 1913 and the following year the business was registered as Shepherd Neame & Co. Ltd. All of Percy's children became shareholders of the new Company.
The name was changed to Shepherd Neame Ltd in 1919.
After the Second World War Harry's sons, Jasper and Laurie, contolled the Company.
Harry Neame died in 1947 and in 1956 Jasper's eldest son, Bobby, joined the Company.
The Company continued to grow and in 1956 it purchased and then closed E.Mason & Co.'s Waterside Brewery of Maidstone, with 80 public houses.
In 1958 the firm's distinctive strong beer 'Bishop's Finger' was introduced.
Laurie's son, Colin Neame joined the Company in 1959 becoming a pioneer in labour-saving techniques in the key and bottling plant. He also introduced the brewery's biochemical laboratory and ran the brewery farm.

Shepherd Neame Ltd From the 1960s Onwards

When Jasper died in 1961 Laurie became the Managing Director.
Laurie died in 1970, and in 1971 Colin succeeded him, a position he held until 1984. Bobby became the Company's Chairman.
Shepherd Neame's profitability continued to increase throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
In the 1990s in commemoration of the Battle of Britain in World War Two, a new beer 'Spitfire', was introduced to the market.
In 1991 Bobby's son, Jonathan Neame, joined the Company. He was appointed Managing Director in 1999 and Chief Executive in 2003.
In 2004 a new keg plant and distribution centre were built, followed by a new cask packing operation in 2007 and new bottling line in 2009.
The Company received the Queen's Award for Sustainable Development in 2006.
Bobby Neame died in 2019.
Shepherd Neame boasts an award-winning visitor centre and an estate totalling more than 300 pubs and hotels throughout London and the South East.

The manufacturer's mark states - Metal Box Co. Ltd (Liverpool Branch)