CANAL WALK BREWERY

2 & 3 Upper Canal Walk

The Slaters Brewery seems to have the same address, although Slaters is variously referred to as being at Back of Walls and Canal walk. The owner, William Slater died in 1850, and the brewery continued under his widow. Did she take on C Storry (see below) to help her short term? If so, why reference to the different name?

In the Hunts 1852 Hampshire Directory we have Christ Storry Back of the Walls brewer, and in the 1853 PO Street Directory, Storry C J, brewer & malt & hop merchant 2 & 3 Upper Canal Walk. There is also an entry for Charles Storry, a brewer of 2 Marsh Cottage, Bevois Valley. Perhaps they were brothers, or this was a typo? 

In the Hampshire Independent of 15th November 1851 there is a notice “Canal Walk Brewery. C Storry, late the Crown Inn, Bishop's Waltham, respectfully informs the Inhabitants of Southampton that he has taken the above brewery, for the purpose only of retailing on the Premises and serving private families with a genuine article of Ale of a superior quality at the following prices: XXX, 5d per pot, XX  3d per pot, Table Ale 2d per pot, London Brown Stout 5d per pot. N.B.The Retail Department is opened this day, which fronts the Ditches, or Canal Walk. Southampton, Nov. 14th. 1851.”

In March 1852 there is another notice in respect of the Canal Walk Brewery; “C Storry informs the Public that he has now on hand a Stock of genuine home-brewed beer and ale. for the use of Private Families, which is not to be excelled in Southampton, and respectfully solicits a trial, feeling assured that the quality of the article will guarantee to him their future favours. Canal Walk Brewery, Feb 26 1852.”

The name ‘Storry’, and Canal Walk Brewery does not appear in any other directories or newspaper reports that I can see. The only exception is the attached notice in the 1853 Post Office directory, so perhaps the business lasted less than 2 years.

I do think it is possible that there is a connection with the Hughes & Co brewery, although this started a few years earlier. Equally, it is possible that Mr Storry took that business and renamed it the Canal Walk Brewery. (See the pages on both these breweries). 

Perhaps there were four breweries within a short distance in Canal Walk; Slaters (Golden Lion), Hughes & Co, Canal Walk brewery, and the Horseshoe Inn.