Mitchells & Butlers Brewery

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Mitchells & Butlers
Industry Brewing
Founded1898 (1898)
Defunct1961 (1961)
FateMerged with Bass
Headquarters
Cape Hill, Smethwick
,
England
52°29′14″N1°57′03″W / 52.4872°N 1.9508°W / 52.4872; -1.9508

Mitchells & Butlers Brewery was formed when Henry Mitchell's old Crown Brewery [1] (founded in Smethwick in 1866, and in partnership with Herbert Glendilling Bainbridge, former partner in Young's and Bainbridge from 1888 [2] ) merged with William Butler's Brewery (also founded in Smethwick in 1866) in 1898. [3] Henry Mitchell had moved to the Cape Hill site in 1879 [1] and this became the company's main brewing site. It had its own railway network, [4] connected to the national railway system from 1907 to 1962, via the Harborne line. [4]

The derelict Springfield Brewery, seen through its entrance arch in 2013 Springfield Brewery - Main Entrance - geograph.org.uk - 3715146.jpg
The derelict Springfield Brewery, seen through its entrance arch in 2013

Another brewery, opened by a completely different William Butler, in 1874, at Springfield in Wolverhampton, also became part of M&B in 1960. Brewing at this site ceased in 1990 and the site closed in 1991. It was badly damaged by fire in 2004. The site is now occupied by a campus of the University of Wolverhampton, with some original buildings, including the ornate entrance arch, retained. [5]

An original Mitchells & Butlers Brewery pub, The Queens Arms, in central Birmingham The Queens Arms pub - Charlotte Street - Birmingham - 2005-10-14.jpg
An original Mitchells & Butlers Brewery pub, The Queens Arms, in central Birmingham

Other acquisitions included Holder's Brewers, who owned Birmingham's Midland Brewery, in 1919, [6] and the Highgate & Walsall Brewery in 1939. [7]

The company merged with Bass in 1961. [3] With the brand under ownership of Coors Brewers, the Cape Hill brewery closed in 2002 with production switched to Burton upon Trent. [8] The brewery was demolished in 2005, [4] and the site is now a housing estate, although the Mitchell & Butler war memorial, built in 1920, has been retained and restored. [9]

Their most famous beer was Brew XI (using Roman numerals, and so pronounced Brew Eleven), advertised with the slogan "for the men of the Midlands". [10] It is now brewed under licence for Coors by Brains of Cardiff. [10]

A descendant company, which manages pubs, bars and restaurants throughout the United Kingdom, is still known as Mitchells & Butlers, and is based in Birmingham. [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Fifty Years of Brewing, 1879-1929. Mitchells & Butlers. 1929.
  2. ↑ https://www.blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/GB146_BS-MB
  3. 1 2 "Our history". Mitchells & Butlers. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 "M&B Brewery, Cape Hill". Rails Around Birmingham. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Heritage of Springfield". University of Wolverhampton.
  6. ↑ Richmond, Lesley; Turton, Alison (1990). The Brewing Industry: A Guide to Historical Records. Manchester University Press. p. 236. ISBN   978-0-7190-3032-1.
  7. ↑ "Walsall_Brewery_Co._Ltd" . Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Brewery at Quaffle". Directory of Real Ale Breweries. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  9. ↑ War Memorial at Mitchell & Butler Brewery [ dead link ]
  10. 1 2 "Brum's best beers". Birmingham Mail . 24 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  11. ↑ Press Association (22 September 2015). "Mitchells & Butlers calls time on chief executive Alistair Darby | Business". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
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