Dutton’s Blackburn Brewery Ltd Rectangular Tin

Dutton's Blackburn Brewery Ltd tin tray dating from the late 1950s.

Foundation of the Salford Brewery

The Company, and its Salford Brewery, was founded in 1799 by Thomas Dutton and his son William.
The business traded as Thomas Dutton & Son until 1872, when the name changed to Dutton & Co.
The Company was registered as Dutton's Blackburn Brewery Ltd in 1897, with 92 public houses.

Expansion Through Acquisition

At the turn of the century the business was struggling, however after WWI fortunes turned for the better.
In 1923 the Company registered its famous 'Oh Be Joyful' trade mark.
From the 1920s through to the 1950s Duttons acquired nine breweries.
Significantly a local competitor, the Blackburn Brewery Co. Ltd, with its Swan Brewery and 100 public houses, was puchased in 1928.
When the Kirkstall Brewery Co. Ltd of Leeds, with 83 public houses, was acquired in 1936, the Company managed to gain a foothold in the Yorkshire market.
The takeover of John Mercer Ltd of Adlington, also in 1936, enabled Duttons to adopt the 'Mercer's Meat Stout' brand name.
Further acquisitions included Richard Seed & Co. Ltd of Radcliffe, with 60 public houses in 1938, and Jonas Alexander & Sons Ltd of Kendal with 47 public houses, in 1947.
During the 1950s the Company purchased J.Hamer (Brewers) Ltd of Bromley Cross, with 42 tied houses, in 1951, W.T.Settle of Bolton, with 8 properties, also in 1951, the Crown Brewing Co. Ltd of Bury, with 127 public houses, in 1959, and Glasson's Penrith Breweries Ltd, with 110 public houses, in 1959.
Its last acquistion was the public houses of Selby (Middlesbrough) Brewery Ltd in 1964, just before the Company itself was taken over that year.

The Whitbread & Co. Ltd Takeover

The Salford Brewery, with 784 public houses, was acquired by Whitbread & Co. Ltd in 1964, and was operated as Whitbread West Pennines Ltd until its closure in 1978.
The Salford Brewery was demolished in 1986 and is now a supermarket.

The manufacturer's mark states - Reginald Corfield Ltd Lombard Road. London. S.W.19.