STILES COOKSEY & CO
Mitre Steam Brewery Marsh Lane (junction with Threefield Lane)
Brewing started 1830
Brewing ceased Circa 1878
Another one that is a bit of a mystery! Their adverts proclaim that they were established in 1820, but I cannot find any reference to them at all, until around 1870. Cooksey, and Cooksey & Son appear as grocers in early directories, so perhaps they started in a different business. John Burn & Co were wine merchants at 113 High Street in 1836 and 1839 directories, as they were under slight variations until 1863. By 1871, Burn & Co, HJ Cooksey and J H Cooksey are all trading as Cooksey Son & Burch, wine and spirit merchants. W & T Forder are also listed in directories as trading from 113 High Street as wine and spirit merchants and I have seen that adverts for ‘Forder’ and ‘Burn & Co’ appear on the same pages of various directories. However, if there is a direct link, I cannot find it!
I also believe that this brewery acquired the Hattatt’s brewery (see the Hattatt brewery page), which had started by 1836, and which also shows Marsh Lane in their address.
The first detail I find is in newspapers of 29th September 1869, which report that there was a dispute as to whether Mr Cooksey could stand as a magistrate since “Mr Cooksey had purchased a brewery”. Mr J H Cooksey was a magistrate as well as a wine and spirit merchant and he had 2 sons; Stiles Cooksey, and E Cooksey.
Stiles Cooksey was described as a brewer on 17th January 1872. The Hampshire Advertiser of 31st December 1873 (and again in 1874) refers to Stiles Cooksey and Co.as pale ale and porter brewers, Mitre Steam brewery Southampton, established 1830. This was followed by a price list for Mitre Ales. They produced family tonic pale ale, AK golden tonic pale ale, IPA, X servant’s dinner ale, XX mild ale, XXX strong, stout double, and porter. There is also reference to Cooksey Son and Burch, wine and brandy importers, Southampton and Bordeaux.
The first, and only, directory I find is in the 1874 Tucker directory, which lists Cooksey, Stiles & Co Mitre Brewery 4 Marsh Lane. In November that year "Cooksey Dtiles & Co" presented a 9 gallon cask to Private Corbin of the S Hants Volunteer Rifle Corps. In December, they are described as brewers & wine & Spirit merchants. Similar adverts appear in 1875.
Newspapers of 30th December 1874 report on a fire at “the brewery premises of Messrs Cooksey & Co at the corner of Threefield Lane” which appears to have escaped major damage.
Throughout 1873 and 1874, newspapers carried adverts announcing that Stiles Cooksey had made improvements to their Mitre Steam brewery, est.1830, with offices in Marsh Lane opposite Deanery Hall. They had “at very great labour and expense” re-fitted the Mitre Steam Brewery, with the most modern appliances and on the improved Burton principle with the view of producing Pale Ales for export and family use, at a moderate cost. They altogether ignored the use of sugar, as being injurious to health and keeping qualities of ales, but confined themselves solely to the good old fashioned materials, namely the best malt and finest golden hops in the manufacture of their Crystal, Tonic, Pale and bitter ales, which they confidently recommended to the connoisseur and invalid.
Cooksey, Stiles & Co, Mitre Brewery, Marsh Lane is listed in 1875.
In May 1877 newspapers carry a list of liquidations, including “J Ross, Mitre Brewery Southampton and of Woolston County of Southampton brewer”. By September 1879 there was a liquidation by arrangement of his affairs. It is possible that this is the same John Ross who was in partnership with Mr J Blake Little at the Bishopstoke brewery until 1878/9.
In newspapers of 18th June 1879 there is a notice of sale of the Mitre Brewery East Street Southampton, being the plant of a 4 quarter brewery (a brew of about 576 gallons at a time) a large copper, 6 vats of different sizes, mash and other tubs, a three division wood square, and 2 others, a square wood strainer, a malt crusher, copper and brass refrigerator, a quantity of lead, iron and brass piping. The entrance was in Cross Street, and the sale was at the direction of the Directors of the South Hants Steam Laundry Co.
In September 1879 there is a report on proceedings of the first Ordinary General meeting of the South Hants Steam Laundry Company. The meeting discussed shares, the purchase of equipment and mentioned that “the premises lately known as the Mitre Brewery had been purchased of Mr J H Cooksey (by the company) who receives the whole purchase money in fully paid up shares and a
contract has been entered in to for making the necessary alterations and additions….” Also “they had an ample supply of well water on the premises”.
In December 1881 there was an advert for sale, advertised to various trades including brewers, of the property of the Southampton Steam Laundry Company (limited) in Millbrook near Southampton with its own reservoirs.