UNITED LIBERAL BREWERY
2 + 4 Kingston Road, corner of Prince's Road, Freemantle, Southampton
AKA Southampton United Brewery, Waterloo Brewery, and Freemantle Brewery
Brewing started Registered April 1898
Acquired by Scrase’s Brewery 1911
Brewing ceased 1911 (Voluntary liquidation)
This brewery was located on the corner of Prince's Road, and Kingston Road in the Freemantle area of Southampton. It started in 1898, and was known by a few different names over time.
In the Southampton Observer and Hampshire News of 17th December 1898, it was reported that a dinner had been held at the Harcourt Liberal and Radical Club at Waterloo Road, to inaugurate the opening of the United Liberal Clubs Brewery, Freemantle. The reason for its formation was that big breweries were under the influence or control of the Conservatives. In speeches, one proposer said this new brewery would be “a nail in the head of the present Tory brewers and in time would become a very big nail indeed”. The chairman said he had started a conference of Liberal Clubs “so as to ensure the consumption of Liberal beer”. “They have decided that their leader should be beer, not beer brewed by Tory brewers but by the beverage brewed at the United Liberal Clubs’ Brewery”.
The brewery was Registered in 1898 as the United Liberal Brewery Co. Ltd.
In a report of the bankruptcy of Thomas Joins Jukes in October 1899, a builder of Overton Lodge, Hill Lane, said that “he had no interest in the club brewery at Freemantle now, as he had sold his share to a Southampton gentleman”.
The 1900 Kelly ‘s directory shows the United Liberal Brewery Co Ltd at 2 Kingston Road and Princes Road Freemantle, and in December that year, the Hampshire Independent ran an advert for them announcing that they continued to send out their absolutely pure beer (malt and hops only) in jars and small casks, with potential customers asked to ‘Give it a trial’.
Directories repeat the 1900 entry up to 1902. Thereafter, the reference is to “Southampton United Brewery Co Ltd office 2 Kingston Road and Princes Road Freemantle”, the name having changed, I believe, in November 1902.
Henry Wadsley, Chairman of the Liberal Brewery Company, died in June 1902. In January 1903, the licence for the off licence at 2 Kingston Road, was transferred to Walter William Smith. In February 1904, an advert appears in the Southern Echo for the sale of 10 shares in the Southampton United Brewery Co. In September 1905, the licence for the off licence is transferred to Fred Wooley.
The business traded as the Southampton United Brewery Co until 1905, when it agreed voluntary liquidation. In November 1907, the licence of the off licence at 2 Kingston Road changed hands again, passing to Edward Seaborn, the secretary of the Freemantle Brewery Co. The name change to the Freemantle Brewery was therefore between 1905 and 1907. In January 1908 there is notice for the sale of a horizontal steam engine (5hp) and vertical boiler in good working order, from the Freemantle Brewery Limited.
Kelly’s directory of 1909/10 and 1910//11 continues to refer to the Freemantle Brewery. In 1911, the brewery was bought by Scrase’s Brewery and the company was liquidated in September 1911. The Hampshire County Council Archives lists deeds that they hold ref the Freemantle Brewery at 2 and 4 Kingston Road, (formerly lot 65 of the Freemantle estate), including an abstract of title, (a summary of title deeds) 1898-1911, and a schedule of deeds, 1854-1911. The premises were conveyed by the Liquidator of the Freemantle Brewery to Scrase's Brewery Ltd in 1911.
In December 1915, Scrase’s Brewery listed offices, including 54 Firgrove Road Freemantle, and 2 Kingston Road (beer only).
Most of the former brewery has been demolished but some buildings remain at the rear. The Gazeteer of Hampshire breweries by Southampton University Industrial Archaeology Group, as at late 1970s, refers to a brick store building on two floors, used at one time as a grain store, standing at the rear of an off-licence.
I have been unable to find the names of brewers who produced beer here but perhaps they are hidden in my ‘Unknown Brewers’ page!