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The
History Of The Chesterfield Brewery Company The Chesterfield Brewery stood at the junction of Brewery Street and Brimington Road. It was planned as a major brewery from its concept, whereas Chesterfield's other breweries gradually grew from small beginnings. The new company was set up in 1853 by the agents of the Duke of Devonshire; Duke of Rutland and Mr Arkwright of Sutton Scarsdale. Two acres of land were purchased on Durrant Meadow from the Duke of Devonshire, building work commencing immediately. The structure was complete by June 1854, with the brewing plant operational by September, the total cost being £30,000. John Champion was the Brewery Manager, under the control of the Managing Partner, Mansfeldt Forster Mills. By the middle of the 1880's his son, Robert Fenwick Mills, had taken over the running of the business, eventually becoming Chairman and Managing Director. By the time of Robert's death in 1928 the brewery had grown and prospered. Many pubs had been lavishly rebuilt. The Hollingwood Hotel, for example, cost £15.000 and included a concert room; restaurant and a Bowling Green. The business had also expanded taking over the mineral water manufacturer and wine and spirit merchant, T. P. Wood & Co. Unfortunately Mills had no successor to carry on the business, control therefore passed to a distant relative of one of the original Directors, Col. Humble Burkilt. He was not interested in the brewery, leaving the running to the joint managing Directors E. T. Atrill and L. T. Bird. Atrill, son of a local coal merchant, had started as office boy becoming manager of the T. P. Wood side of the business and Company Secretary. L. T. Bird managed the technical side of the brewery, although he left the day to day running to his assistant Charles Whiting, who had no technical training. Without dedicated management, the company slipped into decline, the quality of the ales began to deteriorate, eventually to the extent where only 100 barrels of beer were being sold in the 100 tied houses. The company assets were also drained by the lavish spending on pubs, now with little revenue to recoup the investment. Seeing the company struggling, the Mansfield Brewery made a bid of £500,000 for the business, which was accepted Christmas 1934. The workers were given notice that their employment would end on Friday 18th January 1935, however many were offered jobs at Mansfield. The brewery drays were transferred immediately and Mansfield beer was on sale in all the Chesterfield pubs within ten days. The increase in production at Mansfield necessitated all useable plant to be stripped from the old brewery for reuse. The brewery was sold in November 1935 to George Kennings, however the main buildings were later sold to Trebor sweets. The brewhouse still survives as part of the Trebor Basset sweet factory. The wine and spirit business of T. P. Wood continued by the new owners until late 1966 when the premises were closed and demolished for the building of the Littlewoods store development. In the prosperous years the beer quality was outstanding, reflected in the three awards gained between 1910 and 1920, at the Brewers Exhibition in London. The tied estate covered industrial and rural areas from Eckington to Codnor (Ripley), north to south; and Shirebrook to Bakewell, east to west. There were many pubs in the Peak Distract, reflecting the involvement of the Duke of Devonshire and Duke of Rutland. The Chesterfield Brewery was the last of the towns’ breweries to be established and also the first to close, its existence lasting only 80 years. John Hirst This webpage was last updated on Sunday, 02 September 2007 |
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