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| Coltsfoot flower |
Any old family herbal beer recipes out there? Lydia Lawrence, DH Lawrence's mum, used to make herbal beer. She reminds me of my old uncle George, who was a herbalist, and lived in an old army EPIP tent in the middle of a field in the Potteries. DHL's sister Ada wrote about the Lawrence kid's expeditions from the Lynncroft house to collect medicinal herbs around the fields of Eastwood...
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| Mrs. Lawrence |
"She made very good herb beer, and we found the herbs for her. On Saturdays we started off after breakfast to pick coltsfoot, taking lunch in a carpet bag. We wandered across the fields, past our old home in the Breach, through Engine Lane and on to the railway line by Moor Green, High Park and to Watnall pit. Those walks were full of interest. Not a flower, tree or bird escaped Bert’s notice, and he found wonderful adventure in seeing the first celandine or early violet. Coming home weary and footsore, we could see our home miles away on the hill. No wonder my father’s feet dragged up it in heavy pit hoots after a hard day's work."
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| Mr. Lawrence |
As avowed Band of Hope members Lydia and the kids had taken the pledge to "abstain from intoxicating drinks".
Not so their dad Arthur who liked a beer or three with his fellow miners. His daughter Emily explains... "You see, miners used to go to the pub and there was one quite close to where we lived. And they used to go for an evening's enjoyment, you see. And it was really only Friday or Saturday evening that [Father] really took more than he ought to. Through the week he didn't. He was never drunk on Sunday, never."
The Herb Beer Question - When the tax man started showing interest in revenue from the herbal beer trade, local politics was put aside to fight for their rights. This is from "The Nottinghamshire Guardian" on Friday, 13 May 1887...
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| Band of Hope oath and membership card |
Commercial herbal beer ingredients were also widely available and advertised in the local newspapers but the Lawrences liked to brew their own...
The Herb Beer Question - When the tax man started showing interest in revenue from the herbal beer trade, local politics was put aside to fight for their rights. This is from "The Nottinghamshire Guardian" on Friday, 13 May 1887...
The Herb Beer Question. In reply to a letter from Mr. C. Turner, secretary of the Derby Herb and Ginger Beer Makers' Association, thanking him for his efforts on behalf of the herb beer trade, Mr. Smith Wright [MP for Nottingham South], has written as follows 6th May, 1887.
Dear Sir,
Allow me to return to you my most sincere thanks for your letter of yesterday, in which you so handsomely and generously recognised my endeavours to protect the herb beer trade. Such kind recognition is all the more welcome and gratifying as coming from a political opponent, and it is to be shown in a more formal way by a resolution of your association at Derby as you kindly intimate. I need hardly say I shall consider such recognition as far more than compensating for the trouble I have taken in the matter since August last. I sincerely trust you will have no prosecutions to complain of, especially among the very numerous class of smaller makers who cannot possibly make sure that a bottle of their herb beer may not occasionally, by continued fermentation, exceed the very low limit of strength liked by the Excise. Assuring you that I shall always be glad to do anything in my power to protect the trade. I am, dear sir, yours very faithfully, (Signed) H Smith Wright.
In a similar letter to Mr. S. S. Summers, Station Street, Nottingham, Mr. Wright says he trusts his efforts will not have been thrown away, but that the trade will be allowed to go on as usual this summer, at any rate, without any harassing by the authorities. He explains that his Bill could not have been read the first time, but that amidst the crowd of measures introduced at the beginning of the session its provisions for imposing revenue taxation escaped the notice of the Bill Office, and adds "We must find some solution of the difficulty if further trouble should arise at a future time."
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| EPIP "Indian Pattern" WW1 era canvas army tents as lived in by my old uncle George the herbalist. |
Kimberley Brewery and Herbal Beer
c.1863 Hardy's newly built brewery in Kimberley also had herbal beer and many other non-alcoholic drinks on their product list. The advert proudly lists the quality-certified new bottling and filtration technology in use. Hardy and Hansons, Kimberley's other brewery, didn't merge until 1930.
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| Hardy's new Kimberley brewery built c.1861 |
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| Advert from c.1863 2 years after the new brewery was built Source: Alan Brown FB |
Interestingly, Hardy's beverages were supplied in a variety of bottles and flagons. Alan Brown a collector of old bottles says...
"In 1857 William and Thomas Hardy took over a small brewery in Kimberley established by Samuel Robinson in 1832.The Hardy brothers expanded the brewery dramatically and became hugely successful. There are a huge number of bottles and many flagons from this firm. I had dozens of different flagons at one time ranging from small quart size to 6 gallon monsters..... they were enormously heavy when full and many were encased in wicker. The rarest flagon I had was an early slab seal impressed Wm &Thomas Hardy ....it probably dates back to the late 1850s. I also found a broken flagon impressed Wm &Thomas Hardy ...again a rarity ."
THE END
Sources
Letters of DH Lawrence; "The Nottinghamshire Guardian" on Friday, 13 May 1887; Zythophile website https://zythophile.co.uk/2014/02/28/was-it-ever-gruit-britain-the-herb-ale-tradition/
History of Hardy and Hansons https://brewerytrays.co.uk/wp/product/hardys-kimberley-brewery-ltd-showcard/
Thomas Hardy, the Kimberley brewer not the famous author...
History of the Kimberley breweries
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| Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd showcard dating from the 1920s. |
Hardy's Brewery Origins
The first commercial brewery, on Cuckold Alley, in Kimberley, was founded on the site of a rented bake-house by Samuel Robinson, in 1832.
The business was acquired in 1857 by William and Thomas Hardy, who were successful beer merchants in Heanor, Derbyshire. William ran the brewing operations, whilst Thomas became its salesman.
In 1861, they moved out of the old bake-house and built a grand new brewery, on Brewery Street, opposite that of Stephen Hanson, the core of which survived until its closure.
The new brewery contained brewhouses, maltings, bottling and cask filling cellars, a cooperage, offices, wine & spirits stores, stables, and 40 horses.
By 1870, the size of the brewing plant had doubled.
In 1875 William retired due to ill heath and the partnership was dissolved, leaving Thomas in control.
The demand for Hardy's ales was so great, another brewhouse was built in 1882.
The first commercial brewery, on Cuckold Alley, in Kimberley, was founded on the site of a rented bake-house by Samuel Robinson, in 1832.
The business was acquired in 1857 by William and Thomas Hardy, who were successful beer merchants in Heanor, Derbyshire. William ran the brewing operations, whilst Thomas became its salesman.
In 1861, they moved out of the old bake-house and built a grand new brewery, on Brewery Street, opposite that of Stephen Hanson, the core of which survived until its closure.
The new brewery contained brewhouses, maltings, bottling and cask filling cellars, a cooperage, offices, wine & spirits stores, stables, and 40 horses.
By 1870, the size of the brewing plant had doubled.
In 1875 William retired due to ill heath and the partnership was dissolved, leaving Thomas in control.
The demand for Hardy's ales was so great, another brewhouse was built in 1882.
Hansons Brewery Origins
Stephen Hanson built his brewery located on Brewery Street, Kimberley, in 1847, using water from the Alley Spring.
The site was substantial, leaving plenty of room for future expansion.
Stephen went into partnership with maltster John Tomilnson, but at first the firm struggled.
In 1861 Stephen Hanson died leaving his wife Mary, and his son, Robert Goodall Hanson, to run the business.
Robert was a young man who worked extremely hard to make the brewery a success. He became its sole owner in 1869, when Mary sold her half of the business to him.
The firm continued to trade as R.G. Hanson.
In 1886 the 'Head of King George III' was registered as Hanson's trade mark.
In 1890, a new enlarged Hanson's Brewery was completed, with a six storey brewery tower as its centrepiece.
Kimberley could now boast two impressive breweries situated directly opposite each other, Hansons Brewery, and its direct competitor Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd.
Stephen Hanson built his brewery located on Brewery Street, Kimberley, in 1847, using water from the Alley Spring.
The site was substantial, leaving plenty of room for future expansion.
Stephen went into partnership with maltster John Tomilnson, but at first the firm struggled.
In 1861 Stephen Hanson died leaving his wife Mary, and his son, Robert Goodall Hanson, to run the business.
Robert was a young man who worked extremely hard to make the brewery a success. He became its sole owner in 1869, when Mary sold her half of the business to him.
The firm continued to trade as R.G. Hanson.
In 1886 the 'Head of King George III' was registered as Hanson's trade mark.
In 1890, a new enlarged Hanson's Brewery was completed, with a six storey brewery tower as its centrepiece.
Kimberley could now boast two impressive breweries situated directly opposite each other, Hansons Brewery, and its direct competitor Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd.
Registration 1897
Despite their physical proximity to each other, both companies remained competitors for the next 30 years, and both followed the same acquisitions strategy, to increase their number of public houses, within carting distance of each brewery.
By 1895 Thomas Hardy and Robert Hanson had purchased a large proportion of the pubs in their own territories.
The creation of a rail network enabled them to stretch out even further.
Increased production at both breweries resulted in a significant shortage in the Alley Spring's water supply.
Signs that the two firms could work together in harmony occurred in 1875, when an agreement was made to share water from another local water supply, the Holly Well spring.
Despite their physical proximity to each other, both companies remained competitors for the next 30 years, and both followed the same acquisitions strategy, to increase their number of public houses, within carting distance of each brewery.
By 1895 Thomas Hardy and Robert Hanson had purchased a large proportion of the pubs in their own territories.
The creation of a rail network enabled them to stretch out even further.
Increased production at both breweries resulted in a significant shortage in the Alley Spring's water supply.
Signs that the two firms could work together in harmony occurred in 1875, when an agreement was made to share water from another local water supply, the Holly Well spring.
Indeed this camaraderie continued when Thomas Hardy represented Robert Hanson, as both businesses fought for compensation from the Midland Railway, for affecting the flow and quality of the Holly Well, during construction of the railway.
In 1880 The Midland Railway (TMR), opened a line through Kimberley. Both breweries developed private railway sidings, which were connected to this new Midland line.
Both companies were independently registered in 1897. R.G.Hanson's, with its 84 public houses, became Hansons Ltd, and Hardy's Kimberley Brewery, with its 97 public houses, became Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd.
It was an historic day for Thomas Hardy. He was now a wealthy man at the head of an expanding Company, with two able sons, Eben, and Frederick, helping him to run it. Sadly he died a few weeks after the successful incorporation of the business.
Robert Hanson, aged 54 years, celebrated 50 years' successful brewing in 1897, with a jubilee party for his 100 employees.
Robert too died shortly afterwards, in 1903.
The quality of Hansons Ltd beers was recognised when it was awarded the 'Challenge Cup' for the best bottled beer at the Brewers' Exhibition in London, in 1929, and 1931.
Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd & Hansons Ltd Merger 1930
Eben Hardy had suddenly died in 1926, which jeopardised the firm's very existence.
Increasing pressure from larger breweries, and a lack of a capable male successor to run Hardy's business, resulted in the combining of the two businesses. Hardy's began to struggle
financially, and Hansons was worried that it might succumb to an aggressive larger brewer, which in addition, might target them. It knew that the best option was an amalgamation c the two firms.
Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd & Hansons Ltd merged in 1930.
Brewing was concentrated at the Hardy's brewery from 1932 onwards, which also owned a separate wine & spirits business.
Hansons' staff, and retirees, drank the last drop of the last brew on 22nd December 1932, and the next day they all took up their new positions across the road.
Following in Hansons footsteps, Hardy's Kimberley Brewery Ltd, with its 'Starbright' brand, won the same 'Challenge Cup', in 1934, for its bottled beer.
Throughout the 1930s, improvements and repairs to tied houses across both firms, were continuous.
After the Second World War, the Company struggled, particularly due to continued rationing of raw materials, however the consistency of its bottled beers, resulted in steady growth from this arm of the business. A new bottling plant was built in 1951.
Evidence of the excellence of it products occurred at the 1952 Brewers' Exhibition, where the firm won a gold medal award for its draught beer.
In 1962 the Company was floated on the London and Nottingham Stock Exchange, an historic landmark for the ownership of the business.
Symbolically and significantly, the Company combined its offices in the same year.
The name of the Company changed in 1972 when it became Hardys & Hansons Ltd.
Hansons Brewery was demolished in 1973, and the firm's maltings also ceased to operate.
A landmark in the history of the two firms occurred in 1972, when it won the Challenge Cup for the best draught beer, and a gold medal for second place with a different ale, at the International Brewing Trade Exhibition at Earls Court.
By 1981, Hardy's & Hansons owned 204 public houses and 10 off-licences, and it celebrated 150 years of brewing in 1982.
Greene King & Sons Ltd Takeover 2006
Hardys & Hansons Ltd, with 268 public houses, the largest remaining independent brewery in Nottinghamshire, was taken over by Greene King & Sons Ltd in 2006.
Chief Executive of Greene King & Sons Ltd, Rooney Anand, declared "We understand and value the heritage of Hardy's & Hansons Ltd'.
Despite these ressurances Hardy's Kimberley Brewery was closed by 'Greedy King' in December that year.
A limited selection of Hardys & Hansons beer brands are still brewed at Greene King's Westgate Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, sadly they taste nothing like the original recipes.
The original Hardy's maltings were Grade II listed in 2008, and are still standing.
The rest of the site was sold to developers in 2011.
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