Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd Black Backed Round Steel

Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd black backed steel tray dating from the 1920s.

The Tetley Family - Brewers

William Tetley, a maltster from Armley, Leeds, passed his business to his son, William in the late 1700s.
After trading successfully, William's son, Joshua took control, and in 1822 he purchased William Sykes' Salem Place Brewery in Hunslet, Leeds.
Joshua struggled in his first year of trading but the second year saw a dramatic increase in sales.
Joshua Tetley & Son was created in 1839 when Joshua made his son, Francis William, a partner.
In the 1840s the Company primarily brewed porter and mild ales. It employed 32 men.
In 1852 a new brewery was built on the site.
Joshua retired from the business in 1858 and died a year later, leaving the business to Francis, who took on his brother-in-law, Charles Ryder, as a partner.
The firm went from strength to strength and by 1860 Tetley's was the largest brewery in the North of England.
Towards the end of the 19th century pale ale became the Company's most popular drink.
In 1890 Tetley's purchased its first two public houses in Leeds, the Fleece and the Duke William.

Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd

The business was registered as Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd, a public limited company, in 1897.
Charles Francis Tetley, the eldest son of Francis, became chairman.
Using funding from the flotation, a bottling plant was built, and by 1914 the Company had established a large tied estate.
Tetley's provided major support during World War I when a third of its workforce formed the 8th Company of the Leeds Rifles. Twenty five men died in action. Some of Tetley's 'Gentle Giant' shire horses also served on the frontline.
The Company's famous Huntsman trade mark was introduced in the 1920s.
In 1931 the Tetley headquarters were built in the art deco style.

Tetley's Acquisitions

Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd purchased T & W R Dickinson, with its Old Brewery and 3 public houses, in 1949. Its first acquisition was a small one, whilst its second was considerable.
In 1954 the Company acquired Duncan Gilmour & Co. Ltd of Sheffield, with 500 public houses. Brewing continued there until 1959.
William Whitaker & Co. Ltd of Bradford, with 119 public houses, was taken over in 1959.
In 1960 Melbourne Brewery (Leeds) Ltd approached Tetley's for a friendly takeover of its Melbourne Brewery with 245 public houses. Production of Melbourne beers ceased immediately, although Tetley Mild was brewed at the Melbourne Brewery until its closure in 1962.

Tetley Walker Ltd & Allied Breweries Ltd

Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd merged with Walker Cain Ltd in 1960, to form Tetley Walker Ltd, with a combined estate of over 3,000 public houses.
Tetley Walker Ltd merged with Ind Coope Ltd and Ansells Brewery Ltd in 1961, later named Allied Breweries Ltd in 1963.
At its height in the 1960s Tetley's employed over 1,000 people.
Allied Breweries Ltd then merged with the J.Lyons & Co. Group in 1978 forming Allied-Lyons plc in 1983.
The brewhouse was modernised in 1984. During the 1980s the brewery became the largest producer of cask ale in the world.
In 1993 the Company amalgamated with Carlsberg which held a 50% stake in the business.
In 1998 Carlsberg gained a controlling interest in the Company and renamed it Carlsberg-Tetley.
Due to growing anti-hunt feelings, the Huntsman logo was dropped in 2000.
In 2004 the name Tetley was dropped from the Carlsberg-Tetley name.
Sadly the Leeds brewery closed in 2011.
The brewery, its associated buildings, and the Duke William pub were unceremoniously demolished by Carlsberg in 2012, although the art deco headquarters were saved. Tetley beers are still brewed by the Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company. Cask beers are produced in Wolverhampton and lager is brewed in Northampton. Other keg beers have been contracted out to J.W.Cameron Ltd in Hartlepool and to Molson Coors Tadcaster Tower Brewery.

The manufacturer's mark states - Causton Manufacturers Leeds & London