Hammond’s United Breweries Ltd Round Tin

Hammond's United Breweries Ltd tin tray dating from the 1950s.

Hammond's Bradford Brewery Co. Ltd - Acquisitions

The Fountain Brewery was founded on Manchester Road, Bradford, by Joseph Paulin in 1840, and purchased by James Hammond in 1860.
It was subsequently operated by Ezra Waugh until 1889, when the Company was registered as Hammond's Bradford Brewery Co. Ltd.
At that time, the newly registered business was described as 'Brewers & Bottlers, Whisky Blenders, and Importers of Wines & Cigars'.
The Company's expansion by acquistion started after World War I.
In 1919, the firm purchased Joseph Richard Holmes & Son of Bingley, with 51 public houses and 1 off-licence.
The acquisitions of Ilkley Brewery and Aerated Water Co. Ltd, with 37 public houses, in 1923, and the Springwell Brewery Co. Ltd of Heckmondwike, with 88 public houses, in 1929, enabled a speedy expansion of the Bradford business.
The word 'Unity' for one of its beers, was registered as a trade mark in 1931.

Hammond's United Breweries Ltd - Formation

The main structural change to the Company occurred after the purchase of two sizeable breweries in the 1940s.
Bentley & Shaw Ltd, its Lockwood Brewery and 192 public houses, based in Huddersfield, was acquired in 1944, and the Tadcaster Tower Brewery, with 247 public houses, was acquired in 1946.
The Company name was changed to Hammond's United Breweries Ltd, after the Tadcaster Tower Brewery takeover.

Hammond's United Breweries Ltd - Acquisitions

After becoming Hammond's United Breweries Ltd, its expansion was swift, as many of its competitors were eliminated one by one.
It acquired Seth Senior & Sons Ltd's Highfield Brewery of Shepley, with 99 public houses, in 1947.
The original Fountain Brewery, based in Bradford, was closed in 1955, although the premises were used as offices. All brewing was concentrated at the Lockwood Brewery in Huddersfield, and at the Tadcaster Tower Brewery.
The Littleborough Brewery Ltd, and Robinson & Anderson Ltd of Newcastle-on-Tyne, two small brewers, with no tied houses, were both purchased in 1948.
Then, during a 5 year period from 1956 to 1960, Hammond's United Breweries Ltd acquired six significant breweries in the North of England, and Scotland.
Bentley's Old Brewery of Rotherham, with 56 public houses, and John Richdale & Son Ltd, with 25 public houses, were both taken over and closed in 1956.
R.F.Case & Co. Ltd of Barrow-in-Furness, with its Cavendish Brewery and 60 tied houses, was purchased in 1959. It continued brewing until 1972.
The Company's first Scottish brewery, John Aitchison & Co. Ltd of Edinburgh, with its Canongate Brewery and 68 public houses, was acquired in 1959.
G.S.Heath Ltd's Devonshire Brewery of Barrow-in-Furness, with 21 public houses, was purchased and closed in 1959, as was Westoe Breweries Ltd of South Shields, with 83 tied houses, in 1960.

Northern Breweries Ltd Formed Becoming Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd in 1960

Hammond's United Breweries Ltd merged with Hope & Anchor Breweries Ltd, and John Jeffrey & Co. Ltd, in 1960, becoming Northern Breweries Ltd. It Scottish brewing operations were named Aitchison Jeffrey Ltd.
The name changed to Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd in March 1960.
The newly merged Company once again became aggressive in the acquistions market and once again targetted breweries in the North of England, and Scotland.
It did however, purchase a brewery in Northern Ireland first. The Ulster Brewery Co. Ltd of Belfast, was acquired in 1960, later becoming Bass Ireland, before it was eventually closed in 2004.
A Welsh brewer was its next victim when Webbs (Aberbeeg) Ltd, with 88 public houses, was acquired. Brewing continued in Aberbeeg until 1969, when the site was used as a depot until 1988.
Scotland became its next stronghold, when no less than five breweries were taken over.
James Calder & Co. (Brewers) Ltd of Alloa, James Aitken & Co. (Falkirk) Ltd, with 6 public houses, William Murray & Co. Ltd of Duddingston, John Fowler & Co. Ltd of Prestonpans, with 36 public houses, and George Younger Ltd of Alloa, with its Candleriggs Brewery, were all acquired in 1960.
Next on the list was the Cornbrook Brewery Co. Ltd of Manchester, with 270 public houses, and Catterall & Swarbricks Ltd of Blackpool, with 104 public houses, in 1961. Both breweries continued brewing until 1973 and 1971 respectively.
Another large brewer, Hewitt Brothers Ltd of Grimsby, with 320 public houses, was also purchased in 1961. The Tower Brewery continued operating until 1968.
The final acquisition of Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd was that of Hardy's Crown Brewery Ltd of Hulme, with 73 public houses in 1962.

United Breweries Ltd - Merger with Charrington & Co. Ltd in 1962

The Company name changed again to United Breweries Ltd in October 1962.
United Breweries Ltd merged with Charrington & Co. Ltd in 1962, to form Charrington United Breweries Ltd, and the Lockwood Brewery was closed the following year.
Charrington United Breweries Ltd merged with Bass, Mitchells & Butlers Ltd in 1967 to form Bass Charrington Ltd.
The Tadcaster Tower Brewery is still brewing under the ownership of Molson Coors Brewing Co. (UK) Ltd., which acquired Bass Charrington Ltd in 2000.

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