THOMAS PAYNE

Bannister Street, Bedford Place

Brewing Started                     C1834 

Acquired by                             W Aldridge Feb 1842  

Brewing ceased                      December 1841 (as Payne’s brewery)

There is not too much detail on this brewery.  In newspapers, Mr Payne is mentioned as a brewer in August 1826, and Aug 1827. In the 1834 Fletcher Directory we find Thomas Payne, a brewer maltster and coal merchant at Bedford Place, an entry repeated in 1836. The 1839 Fletcher & Sons Directory refers to Payne’s Brewery, in Bannister Street, (Bedford Place) as well as Payne T Brewer & Coal merchant Bedford place. 

In the Hampshire Advertiser of 27th August 1836, the Licensing Sessions considered licences for “new houses”. This included a new house to be called the Bedford Arms, with the licence being granted to Thomas Payne. 

In May 1841 newspapers show Mr Payne still at the Bedford Place brewery, by reference to him in a report of an inquest in to an accidental death. In the Hampshire Independent of 29th May 1841 there is a notice of freehold sale by private treaty of the Bedford Brewery in ‘the upper part of the improving part of Southampton’. This included 2 malt houses, the Inn known as the Bedford Arms ‘situate on the premises’ and two small dwellinghouses. “The proprietor is retiring from the trade in consequence of ill health”. Sadly, seven months later on 15th December 1841 Thomas Payne died aged 60, brewer and coal merchant. 

In the Hampshire Advertiser of 5th February 1842 there is a notice that the executors of the late Mr Payne had disposed of the Bedford Brewery to Mr W M Aldridge. Also William Aldridge expressed his hopes that Mr Payne’s customers will support him and give him their business “in the brewing and malting business”.

William Aldridge continued the business. See the separate page for Aldridge’s brewery.