Blair & Co. (Alloa) Ltd Square Tin

Blair & Co. (Alloa) Ltd tin tray dating from 1956.

The Townhead Brewery was founded in Alloa by Alexander Blair, in 1853. Alexander had previously been a partner at the Grange Brewery of Robert Meiklejohn & Sons, also based in Alloa.
Alexander's failing health resulted in the Company being taken over by a number of local businessmen in the early 1870s.
The firm's famous Stag trade mark was first used in 1872 and registered in 1876.
Between 1877 and 1894, the business made a substantial loss.
The Company was registered as Blair & Co. of Alloa Ltd in 1883.
After its registration the Company was run by representatives of its creditors, eventually causing it to move into voluntary liquidation in 1896. In that year, a newly reconstructed Company was registered under the same name.
By 1900 the Harvey and Wingate families had assumed control of the aling Company.
In 1907 the Stag trade mark was re-registered.
The Company went into voluntary liquidation again in 1936, and was re-registered as Blair & Co. (Alloa) Ltd.
The Forth Brewery of Robert Knox (Cambus) Ltd was acquired in 1954, and closed by Blair's in 1955.
Ideal Taverns (Scotland) Ltd was purchased by Blair's in 1957.
The Townhead Brewery, with 20 public houses, was acquired by George Younger & Sons Ltd in 1959, and was closed.

Although the tray has the words "Townhead & Forth Breweries" printed at the bottom, the Forth Brewery had closed by the time this tray was produced in 1956. The manufacturer's mark states - Reginald Corfield Ltd Lombard Road, London S.W.19. 566