William Garton
And family
This section is not about a specific brewery, but is an outline of the Garton family. They were a family of brewers and innovators who had brewing interests in Bristol, Southampton, and Shepton Mallet. In Southampton the breweries were Bell’s Itchen brewery, Vincent & Elliott, Hill Garton, and William Cooper.
Much has been written about this family and I will try to tie ends together. William Garton snr (1795–1833), was a brewer in Bristol. After his death his wife, Susannah kept the brewery going, eventually with the help of her eldest son Charles Garton (1823–92). His brother William jnr, was born in 1832 in Bath, (died 1905). By the 1850s Charles had tarted his own a brewery in Bristol. According to the Brewery History Society (BHS) he specialised in brewing light palatable bright stable low alcohol ales and he received a Gold Medal at the 1862 Brewers Exhibition. However, Charles had been subject to bankruptcy, and there were fresh proceedings in 1858. The Western Daily Express of 9th December 1858 refers to current bankruptcy proceedings. His present failure had been “by an attempt on the part of the bankrupt to pay 20s in the pound to creditors under a former bankruptcy”. He was clearly trying to do the ‘right thing’ by paying debts in full, but had overstretched himself. He was discharged.
Charles had offices and stores in Southampton from around 1865. An advert in newspapers of 23rd January 1869 lists prize medal ales from Charles Garton Russell & Co, with pale mild and strong ales and Golden Ale brewed especially for family use, from the brewery at Lawrence Hill Bristol, and with stores at 37 Above Bar.
In 1847, Charles had established Garton, Hill & Co. Ltd in Canute Road, Southampton, with Mr Thomas Hill of Reigate and Francis Christopher Hill of Southampton, and they began to produce saccharin, a grape sugar (glucose) made out of cane sugar that was also known as “invert sugar” and could be used in brewing, wine-making, distilling and jam making. Charles Garton had taken out a patent in 1855. This invention caused a revolution in the brewing industry especially, as it allowed brewers to produce much lighter beers that before. The business was known locally as the ‘Saccharum Works’ in the docks.
William joined with Charles and the others in the late 1860s and they traded as Hill Garton & Co.
William was also in partnership with Mr Hill in the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Co. Ltd until 30th September 1881 when the partnership was dissolved. (see the page on Hill Thomas & Co). Newspapers of 1880 refer to W Garton at the Saccharum Works Southampton. Also, in July 1884 there is notice of the marriage of the eldest son of W Garton of Woolston ‘head of the Bristol brewery firm and of Saccharum Works of Southampton and London’ to the daughter of E Westlake of Woolston. William’s son Richard also joined the firm and became a pioneer in the manufacture of liquid glucose.
The Brewery History Society article says that “the brothers were also credited with devising the dropping system of fermentation where fermentation was carried out in one vessel and then dropped to another to complete the fermentation leaving behind the majority of the yeast. " The BHS continues; "in his researches (William) had grasped the fact that if the yeast was presented with sugar in a readily fermentable form (invert sugar) that fermentation would start rapidly leading to a stable finished beer. He was also attributed with the discovery and development of the treating of brewing liquors to resemble those of Burton on Trent (known now as burtonisation).”
The Gartons’ Saccharum works closed in 1882 when the business moved to York Rd, Battersea, London, and the refinery merged with Manbré in 1926 to become Manbré & Garton, which continued until 1974. The local connection was maintained and newspapers of 29th July report a joint outing of employees from William Cooper and Anglo Bavarian Brewery. They visited the “Saccharine works Battersea (belonging to Messrs Garton Hill & Co formerly of Southampton).
As to local directories, entries start in the 1867 Gutch directory with “Garton & Co Chas Bristol Brewery, 37 Above Bar (stores)”. In the 1871 Cox directory we have “Garton James brewer etc Roseland Villa, Bridge Rd Woolston”, William’s Son, as well as Garton & Co. 37 Above Bar. By 1876 Cox directory we see “Garton William, Garton Russell & Co. Brewer Roseland Villa Bridge Rd Woolston” also Garton Russell & Co Stores Terminus Terrace. In 1878. “Garton C & Co Brewers Bristol” and “Garton W (Garton & Co), brewer Roseland Villa etc”, with similar entries in 1880. There are no entries after 1898.
William Garton purchased the Bell & Son brewery, (via Crowley & Co Ltd, brewers of Alton) as well as Vincent & Elliott, and William Cooper’s brewery, all in Southampton, with some assistance from the family. All of these businesses continued to trade under their original names. William was a Director of Crowley & Co Ltd, and he was also a Director in Manbre and Garton, and Garton Sons and Co.
William Garton died on 8th March 1905, in his 73rd year. The Hampshire Advertiser of 11th March ran contained an obituary, which said that he came to Southampton about 40 years ago (1865 ish) upon the introduction of Thomas Hill who had founded a saccharine works at the docks. It continued; “the business developed largely, and eventually the brewery was removed to Shepton Mallet”, and the saccharine works to Battersea “Both these concerns were owned by Mr Garton at the time of his death”. His wife had died many years before, and he was survived by five sons, three daughters, and his brother Charles who lived in Bristol. The executors were his sons, William, Charles and James. He had contributed £8,000 or more to the RSH hospital building fund.
In the Southampton advertiser of the same date “Mr Garton was the founder of what is known as the Anglo Bavarian Brewery. Commencing with small things, the fame of the productions of the brewery soon caused the business to largely extend and the result was the building of a brewery at Shepton Mallet.” They say he was also involved in the manufacture of saccharine which moved to Battersea.