European Breweries History: Strangeways Brewery (Henry Boddington and Son)
Manchester is situated in the North West of England and is the
UK's third largest city after London and Birmingham. Before it was
famous for Boddingtons, Manchester was famous for cotton and for being
one of the key centres for the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century.
Thomas Caister and Thomas Fray decided to build the Strangeways Brewery
on a site that was at the time just outside of the city of Manchester
to the north of the River Irwell. The site was chosen because its
location would mean that they would be able to avoid the tax on grain
levied by the local government.
Henry Boddington was born in 1813, and at the age of 19 was
employed as a "traveller" for the Strangeways Brewery, rising rapidly
to become a partner in the Brewery, which was renamed John Harrison
and Company. As Henry moved towards the end of his life, his son Henry
Junior became involved and the Brewery is renamed Henry Boddington and Son.
In 1908 Robert Boddington becomes chairman and the technological
development of the brewery continues. In the 1920's a bottling hall is
installed and aluminium vessels are situated, replacing machinery driven
by pulleys and one large flywheel. The Great Depression of the 1930's is
quickly followed by the 2nd World War. The Brewery does not escape the
horror of war - on the night of December 22 1940 German bombers knock.
The continued success of the Brewery means that the national
brewers are looking to get involved in its business. Boddingtons signed
a trading agreement with Whitbread and in 1971 Alex Bennet, a Whitbread
Board member, also became a member of the Board at Boddingtons. The
Boddingtons family sold the beer brand and the Brewery to Whitbread in 1989.
In May 2000 the Whitbread Beer Company became part of Interbrew, the
Belgian brewer famous for it's classic beers, and it is now known as
Interbrew UK Ltd.
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