‘Drenched in drink and wickedness’: Investigating Cobham’s historic Brewery - Elmbridge Museum: Elmbridge Museum Website

A Significant Collection

For all the wealth of local history it conserves, Elmbridge Museum sadly doesn’t hold any items directly related to Cobham Brewery. In fact, with the former Brewery building now demolished and all trace of the historic site forgotten, you’d be forgiven for not realising there had ever been a brewery in Cobham at all.

This is where David Taylor comes in: a historian and author with a huge wealth of knowledge, accrued over years of meticulous research on the local area’s history. So, when David reached out to the Museum suggesting that we take a look at his personal collection of Cobham Brewery artefacts, we simply couldn’t say no.

Published:
21 August 2024

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An exhibition is born

David’s Cobham Brewery collection didn’t disappoint. In his care, a selection of original Cobham Brewery flagons, tankards, postcards, and even sales particulars had been preserved. We quickly realised that this was an opportunity like no other for a fascinating display. By combining David’s expertise, research, and – most importantly – historic items, with Elmbridge Museum’s assortment of relics from other local pubs and breweries, we could paint a colourful picture of Elmbridge’s past brewing and drinking culture.

After a flurry of planning – which included working out how to transport 3 heavy stone flagons from A to B – the Cobham Brewery display was installed at Cobham Library in 2023.

In this video, the Museum’s Exhibitions & Interpretation Officer Amy Swainston asks the expert, David Taylor, about his research into the Brewery’s history and the area’s abundance of centuries-old pubs – finding out why Cobham was formerly described as ‘drenched in drink and wickedness’!

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Over 200 years of history

Elmbridge Museum’s 2023 display at Cobham Library exhibited for the first time a selection of David Taylor’s personal Cobham Brewery collection alongside other objects from the Museum collection.

Dating back to the 1700s, the Brewery once stood on Portsmouth Road between the White Lion and former Royal Oak pubs. It supplied a huge area within Elmbridge and beyond, and contributed significantly to the many historic pubs in the area. Despite its closure in 1922 and eventual demolition in 1970, a few original items from the Brewery have survived.

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Items relating to Cobham Brewery

All of these items were loaned to the Museum by David Taylor for the display in 2023.

1. Cobham Brewery stoneware flagon, c.1890 This flagon bears Cobham Brewery’s name. The first reference to the Brewery was in April 1803, when the buildings were sold to Joseph Stedman, who lived at Cedar House in Cobham. After Joseph and his wife Elizabeth’s deaths in 1838-39, the business passed to Mary Ashby, one of 4 daughters.

2. Two pewter tankards, c.1880 These tankards are from the Fox & Hounds pub, formerly situated on Church Street, Cobham, and built c.1900. The pub no longer exists but was owned by the Brewery. In 1884, Mary Ashby had died, leaving the Brewery to her son Richard Wallis Ashby, who had lived there with her in the 1860s. Under him the business became ‘Ashby’s Cobham Brewery’ and grew.

3. Green Cobham Brewery bottles, c.1910 The district supplied by the Brewery possibly included Thames Ditton workhouse in the early 1900s. Many of the local pubs were also formerly owned or controlled by Cobham Brewery. Both of these bottles are inscribed with 'Cobham Brewery' on the front.

4. Cobham Brewery sales particulars, 1923 Unfortunately, only one photograph that we know of survives of the Brewery. However, we do know that the main building was 3 storeys high, and ran alongside Portsmouth Road. Richard Wallis Ashby generously invested his wealth into the welfare of the Cobham community, but in 1888 the Brewery was sold to A.L Wiggan and the “strict but genuine” Walter Francis Finn from Cobham. Under them, it reached its peak.

5. Photograph of Leonard Martin, the architect of Cobham Brewery, 1935 Born in 1869, architect Leonard Martin worked on Cobham Brewery. He designed many other local buildings, notably The Cottage Hospital, Reeds School, Downside Village Hall and St. John’s Church. He died in 1936.

Cobham Brewery from the Portsmouth Road (photograph taken from the 1923 sales particulars).

Growth and Closure

In 1913, the Brewery had become Cobham United Breweries Limited. 40 people were employed there working 6am to 6pm daily, and they were all taken on a trip to the coast once a year. Employees seem to have been proud and supportive of their place of work – despite the other breweries in the area, Bill Winterhouse, an employee at Cobham Brewery, proclaimed that Ashby’s Ales “were the best there ever was”.

In August 1922, Cobham Brewery closed when the majority shareholder Walter Francis Finn retired. The buildings were repurposed and former employees had to find jobs elsewhere.

Born in 1869, architect Leonard Martin worked on Cobham Brewery. He designed many other local buildings, notably The Cottage Hospital, Reeds School, Downside Village Hall and St. John’s Church. He died in 1936.

Other Local Pubs and Breweries

Two glass brewery bottles
Request cards for Mortlake Brewery
Watercolour 'The Brewery, West End, Esher'
Work force of Major Smith's Trianco
Brewery vat being loaded onto a lorry

Two glass brewery bottles

Dates unknown

The first bottle is embossed with ‘T. Callinghan Brewery, Thames Ditton’. The second bottle from Wheeler Breweries was found in a Walton garden.

Bottle from 'T. Callinghan Brewery, Thames Ditton’, date unknown.

Bottle from Wheeler Breweries, date unknown.

Request cards for Mortlake Brewery

1899-1903

Mortlake Brewery stores were based at West End in Esher. Of these three request cards, two are private requests for port and ale, and one is from the family butchers’ company A.J. Mansfield in Claygate, asking for beer to sell in the shop.

Breweries were so widespread because the demand for ale was high in the 1800s, and it was drunk widely among the working class.

Cards from G Shotter of The Pines, West Byfleet, requesting port from Mortlake Brewery Stores, West End, Esher, 1903.

Request card from Mr. Helt of 14 Crutchfield Road, Walton-on-Thames, asking for four and a half gallon cask of ale from Mortlake Brewery Stores, West End, Esher, 1899.

A request slip from A.J. Mansfield, family butcher, Claygate, asking for beer (from Mortlake Brewery Store, West End), 1903.

Watercolour 'The Brewery, West End, Esher'

October 1977

Watercolour 'The Brewery, West End, Esher', October 1977.

The work force of Major Smith's Trianco, Orchard Lane, Thames Ditton

c.1924-5

This firm made beer crates for Giggs Hill Green Brewery.

The work force of Major Smith's Trianco, Orchard Lane, Thames Ditton, c.1924-5.

Brewery vat being loaded onto a lorry

16th May 1985

These two vats were made in Rochester, then brought up the Thames and unloaded here because they could not go under Walton Bridge. They could not go on the motorways as the bridges were also too low. This was part of their journey to Reading Brewery, and pictured are just two out of a total of 28 vats unloaded here.

Brewery vat being loaded on to lorry. Boathouse Gallery on the left, 16th May 1985.

We hope you enjoyed this blog about Cobham Brewery. Share your own memories of Elmbridge's local pubs here

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'Drenched in drink and wickedness': Investigating Cobham's historic Brewery