John Groves & Sons Ltd Rectangular Black Backed Steel

John Groves & Sons Ltd black backed steel tray dating from the 1930s.

John Groves Foundation & Expansion

The business was founded in 1840 in Hope Square, Weymouth.
The firm traded as John Groves & Son for 45 years.
The business was registered as a public company, John Groves & Son Ltd, in 1895.
During a short period, Groves purchased a number of small local breweries including Reynolds Brothers & Heathorn Melcombe Brewery of Weymouth, with 9 public houses, in 1883, Henry Cox Maiden Newton Brewery in 1894, Webb Arms Brewery of East Lulworth and the Seven Stars Home Brew of East Burton in 1895, Galpin & Masters Phoenix Brewery of Dorchester, with 5 public houses, in 1898, and the Ilchester Arms brewery of Symondsbury in 1900.
The Hope Brewery was rebuilt between 1903 and 1904. The splendid new building was designed by architects Arthur Kinder & Son, a celebrated London firm which specialised in breweries.

Further Acquisitions & the J.A.Devenish Ltd Merger

In the early 1900s the firm made two aquisitions, J.R.Taylor Plume of Feathers Home Brew house of Dorchester in 1903, and George Habgood & Son Julian Brewery of Wimborne, with 17 public houses, in 1915.
The Company continued to trade successfully between the wars and made its final purchase, Fookes Brothers Milton Brewery of Milton Abbas, with 6 public houses, in 1950.
In 1960 the Company merged with J.A.Devenish & Co. Ltd, also situated in Hope Square.
At that time, Groves estate included 115 public houses.
Brewing ceased on the site in 1985.
The Hope Brewery was used as an indoor shopping centre from 1990 until it closed in 2010.
From 2013 the building housed an antiques emporium, then in 2017 it was once again earmarked for redevelopment.
The result, 'Brewers Quay', is an upmarket leisure complex and tourist attraction.

The manufacturer's mark states - "Hancor" Mitcham 3.33.IM.E.