Chesterfield Brewery Co. Ltd Round Black Backed Steel

Chesterfield Brewery Co. Ltd black backed steel tray dating from the 1930s.

Aristocrats form a Brewing Firm

The idea of creating a new brewery in Chesterfield was conceived in 1850 by the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of Rutland, and Mr Arkwright of Sutton Scarsdale.
As owners of vast estates they were in control of many public houses and therefore had ample outlets to guarantee such a venture would be successful.
The Chesterfield Brewery began as a partnership in 1853, with six founding partners, and M.F.Mills, a mining engineer, became the Managing Partner.
The brewhouse, stables, waggon shed, coopers shop, and barrel washing shed, were built on land purchased from the Duke of Rutland. The focal point of the brewery was its 100ft boiler chimney.
By 1854 the brewery buildings were complete and one of the firm's partners, John Champion, became its Brewery Manager.
In 1883 a serious fire destroyed part of the brewery, which had to be rebuilt.

Chesterfield Brewery Co. Ltd

Over the years, changes in the partnership structure ended with the registration of the Chesterfield Brewery Co. Ltd, in 1897.
The need to expand into other aspects of the trade resulted in the purchase of T.P.Wood & Co.'s mineral water factory of Chesterfield, in 1911.
The quality of the firm's beers was recognised with the award of Diplomas of Merit at The Brewers' Exhibition in 1911, 1914, and 1919, for its Bitter Beers, Mild, and Bottled Ales. The brewery, obviously proud of this, boasted about its 'Noted Prize Ales', in its advertising.
By 1915 T.P.Wood & Co., based on the High Street in Chesterfield, was the Company's wholesale and retail wine and spirit merchants, importer of cigars, mineral water manufacturer, and bottler of 'Chesterfield Brewery's Celebrated Ales & Stouts'. Wood's also bottled beers for Guinness and Bass.
Robert Fenwick Mills, the eldest son of F.W.Mills the firm's original Managing Partner, died in 1928. He had risen to become Chairman and Managing Director, and it was his enthusiasm that provided the major programme of pub rebuilding and renovation during the 1920s.

The Brewery's Decline

Without the dedicated management it once had from the Mills family, the Company started to decline.
The quality of its ales began to deteriorate, resulting in poor sales. Pub rebuilding, and excessive spending drained the firm's assets, causing trading to be unsustainable. The poor condition of the business made it likely prey for a takeover.
The Company, with 100 public houses, was acquired by the Mansfield Brewery Co. Ltd in 1934, and brewing ceased within days.
The brewery buildings were purchased by George Kennings who later sold them to Trebor Sweets.
The T.P.Wood & Co. business continued until its closure in 1966, when a Littlewoods store was built on its site.

The manufacturer's mark states - Woollen & Co. Ltd Sheffield 3848