Address: Marsh Lane, Longton
The following article from West Lancs CAMRA (now Central Lancs) Ale Cry Magazine in Autumn 2006 was written by Gordon Small and provides excellent historic background and context to the breweries of Longton...
"In the early 1900’s the then small village of Longton was an interesting place for the beer drinker, with two rival breweries being situated just yards apart on Marsh Lane. Like Matthew Brown, both had come into existence around 1830 when there had been an important change in the country’s beer duty laws. The smaller of the two breweries was James Pye & Son, based at the Longton Brewery and with a company trademark of a boars head on a platter. Unfortunately Pye’s was to survive only until 1905, when it was taken over by Walmesleys of Preston, with the Smithy Inn at Much Hoole being one of about 10 pubs which were selling their beers. The loss of Pye’s meant that neighbouring brewers and maltsters W & R Wilkins were able to expand, and over the years they were to build up an estate of over 20 pubs. Wilkins Brewery pubs were thick on the ground in Longton and the surrounding villages, with the Golden Ball being the brewery tap. In 1952 Wilkins Brewery was taken over by Salford-based brewers Groves & Whitnall."
(by Gordon Small)
(by Gordon Small)
The History
James Pye was born in Burscough, Lancashire in 1806, the son of James Pye and Rachel Bickstaff. He was christened on 6th September 1801 at Ormskirk Parish Church and later married Elizabeth Barton on 19th November 1826 in Croston prior to coming to Longton where he lived until his death in 1870 at the age of 69 years.
Early records show the family lived for a short period in Eccleston around 1827-30 where their children, Edward, Elizabeth and William were born.
Early records show the family lived for a short period in Eccleston around 1827-30 where their children, Edward, Elizabeth and William were born.
Edward Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Born: 22 Sep 1827
Abode: Eccleston
Occupation: Innkeeper
Baptism: 8 Apr 1829 St Michael and All Angels, Croston, Lancashire, England
Elizabeth Barton Pye - Daughter of James Pye & Betty
Born: 30 Jan 1829
Abode: Eccleston
Occupation: Publican
(Elizabeth went on to marry an Edward Holbrook in Croston in 1855 who became the landlord of the Fleece Inn, Aughton Street, Ormskirk and also worked as a Stone Mason.)
Baptism: 28 Jul 1830 St Michael and All Angels, Croston, Lancashire, England
William Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Born: 31 May 1830
Abode: Eccleston
Occupation: Publican
Whilst living in Eccleston James was already working as a publican, almost certainly at the Blue Anchor, which in 1824 was the only licensed public house in the village.
 |
| Blue Anchor - now demolished and replaced by a housing development |
By 1833 they had moved to Longton and were already renting land on Mill Lane presumably for the purpose of farming prior to their move to Marsh Lane where they were to put down their roots and bring up a young family.
Baptism: 8 Jun 1833 St Michael and All Angels, Croston, Lancashire, England
James Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Born: 5 Jun 1833
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
Baptism: 26 Aug 1834 St Michael and All Angels, Croston, Lancashire, England
Thomas Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
(Thomas was to die within days of his birth. Buried on 1 Sep 1834 at St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk.)
(Thomas was to die within days of his birth. Buried on 1 Sep 1834 at St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk.)
 |
| 1835 Longton Electoral Role |
Baptism: 30 Sep 1835 St Michael and All Angels, Croston, Lancashire, England
Ruth Pye - Daughter of James Pye & Elizabeth
Born: 28 Aug 1835
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
On moving to the village James had taken up the job of Innkeeper at the Golden Ball Inn, located at the junction of Marsh Lane and Liverpool Road, which was owned by a local man, Thomas Wilkins. Records from St Andrew's church and local newspapers confirm he remained there until 1844.
Baptism: 7 Feb 1838 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Alice Rachel Pye - dau of James Pye & Elizabeth
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Inn Keeper
Baptism: 30 Sep 1840 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Thomas Barlow(sic Barton) Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
 |
| 1841 Census James Pye - Golden Ball |
Baptism: 11 Aug 1843 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
John Bickerston (sic. Bickerster) Pye - Son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
In 1844 James left the Golden Ball to focus entirely on the brewery business on Marsh Lane.
On the 1844 map above the early buildings of the farm and the Longton Brewery are clearly seen to the left, either side of the access road (between the "a" and "n"). W & R Wilkins brewery is centre-picture adjacent to the well on the south side of Marsh Lane.
By 1851 James was running the brewery and also farming 96 acres of land in support of the business. Of note, his wife, Elizabeth was the daughter of William Barton who lived at Mawdesley Hall and was a farmer of 190 acres so there was plenty of experience to draw upon within the family. The hall was the property of the Mawdesley family whose daughter Anne married Lewis Standish, the cousin of Myles Standish, one of the pilgrim fathers.
 |
| 1844 Map of Marsh Lane |
Baptism: 25 Oct 1846 St Peter, Mawdesley with Bispham, Lancashire, England
Peter Barton Pye - son of James Pye & Elizabeth
Born: 25 Jun 1846
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: Martin Twiss Incumbent
By the time of the 1851 census James and Elizabeth's sons, William and John Bickerster Pye were living at the hall with their grandparents. John Bickerster married Mary Hilton in Wigan in 1865 and worked as an Ironmonger in Chorley until his death, at his mother’s home of 20, Aughton Road, Southport on 26th April 1888. He was one of the few sons who took no apparent role in the family business.
SHERIFF'S INQUISITION
...involving Mr. James Pye, Longton, farmer and brewer.
11 August 1849 - Preston Chronicle - Preston, Lancashire, England
 |
| 1851 Census James Pye - Brewer & Farmer |
PRESTON POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
Mr. Walton, farmer, Longton Marsh, was accused of stealing a quantity of pears, from the orchard attached to the farm of Mr. James Pye, Longton. It appeared that for some time past a quantity of fruit of different kinds has been stolen from Mr. Pye's orchard.
10 October 1857 - Preston Chronicle - Preston, Lancashire, England
 |
| 1861 James Pye Brewer & Farmer |
Marriage: 1 May 1861 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Edward Martin - full, Farmer, Bachelor, Longton
Alice Rachel Pye - full, Spinster, Longton
Groom's Father: Edward Martin, Farmer
Bride's Father: James Pye, Brewer
Witness: Ruth Pye; William Marsden
Married by: Lawrence Preston
Edward and Alice were to go on to run the Black Bull Inn on Liverpool Road, Longton but this was only short-lived, as by 1871 Alice was a widow, running the business on her own. Alice's brother Thomas Barton Pye had been living in Chorlton upon Medlock (Manchester) training to be an architect at the time of the 1861 census but the records below confirm he'd returned to Longton by the early-1860s and was involved in the family business.
 |
| 1864 Marriage Record for Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Carr |
George Henry Pye - [Child] of Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Jane
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: Law. Preston
Baptism: 25 Dec 1867 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
James Thomas Pye - [Child] of Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Jane
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: Law. Preston
 |
| 1869 Slater's Directory |
Baptism: 15 Apr 1870 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Amy Pye - [Child] of Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Jane
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: C.J. Astbury M.A. Incumbent
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: C.J. Astbury M.A. Incumbent
The first significant change to the business came about in 1870 when James died at he age of 69 years leaving Elizabeth and the children who were by now adults to manage the brewery business.
 |
| James Pye Probate 1870 |
Following his father's death in 1870 it was Thomas Barton Pye who took over the family business, as recorded on the 1871 census below. The family home at this time was a property called "Flowery Dale", which was probably adjacent to the Longton Brewery on what is now the junction of Dale Lane and Marsh Lane. His mother continued to live on Marsh Lane after James' death before later moving to Birkdale.
 |
| 1871 Census Thomas Barton Pye Brewery Master employing 8 men |
 |
| 1871 Census Elizabeth Pye - Master Brewing Widow |
Baptism: 29 Mar 1872 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Maggie Barton Pye - [Child] of Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Jane
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: C.J. Astbury M.A. Incumbent
Baptism: 25 Dec 1876 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Frederick Barton Pye - [Child] of Thomas Barton Pye & Frances Jane
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewer
Baptised by: John Johnson
Register: Baptisms 1839 - 1889, Page 155, Entry 1238
Source: LDS Film 1278777
 |
| 1881 Census Thomas Barton Pye - Brewer employing 11 men |
 |
| Burial of Thomas Barton Pye June 1881 |
 |
| 1891 Burial Record - Elizabeth Pye |
 |
| 1891 Census Frances Pye - Brewer living at Flowery Dale |
Marriage: 16 Dec 1897 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
James Thomas Pye - 32, Brewery Manager, Bachelor, Longton
Isabel Coward - 29, Spinster, Longton
Groom's Father: Thomas Barton Pye, Brewer
Bride's Father: Robert Coward, Hairdresser
Witness: George H. Pye; Edith Fanny Coward; Francis J. Pye; Maggie Barton Pye; Robt. Coward
Married by Banns by: John Johnson Incumbent
Baptism: 4 Dec 1898 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Muriel Barton Pye - [Child] of James Thomas Pye & Isabel
Born: 2 Nov 1898
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewery Manager
Baptised by: J. Johnson
Burial: 30 May 1900 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
Amy Pye - Age: 30 years
Abode: Flowery Dale Marsh Lane Longton
Buried by: J. Johnson
Baptism: 21 Oct 1900 St Andrew, Longton, Lancashire, England
John Francis Pye - [Child] of James Thomas Pye & Isabel
Born: 23 Sep 1900
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Brewery Manager
Baptised by: J. Johnson
 |
| 1901 Census James Thomas Pye - Brewery Manager |
 |
| 1901 Census record of the two adjacent breweries on Marsh Lane |
The brewery was taken over in 1905 by Walmesleys of Preston and became Walmesley & Pye Ltd, 100 Church Street & Victoria Street, Ormskirk, Lancashire. However, brewery takeovers were fairly commonplace during this period and in 1906 Walmsley & Pye Ltd was then acquired by Hall, Hale & Co. Ltd.
(my thanks goes to breweryhistory.com for the in-depth knowledge of the breweries) |
| 1909 Map showing the Longton Brewery "disused" |
The beginnings of Hall, Hale & Co. Ltd were a brewery based at 71 Tithebarn Street, Preston and founded by Henry Cardwell at Cannon Street in 1866 who had then moved to Tithebarn Street in 1877. They were acquired by Alfred Bertwistle & Sons in 1895 and by William Hall & Co. in 1900 and registered as Hall, Hale & Co Ltd. in 1906. Subsequently they too were acquired by Matthew Brown & Co. Ltd. in 1920 with 28 tied houses and was closed. The brewery was finally demolished in 1964.
I assume it was following the sale of the brewery that James and his wife Isabel moved to Salisbury, Wiltshire. Like his father he was not destined to live to see his grandchildren grow up, as records show that he died in Salisbury in 1910, his occupation recorded as a company secretary. In 1907 he was still working as a brewery manager so I suspect that following the sale/merger of the breweries he retained a role in the business. His wife Isabel moved back up to the North West of England and died in Stockport in 1939.
James Pye and Son was truly a family business built up by James and later assisted by his sons and grandson. Involvement and roles at the brewery were as follows: -
1830 James Pye - founder and manager of the business.
1851-71 Edward Pye (son) working as a brewer (1851), brewer's assistant (1871).
1851-70 James Barton Pye (son) working as brewer.
1870-81 James Barton Pye (son) manager of the brewery.
1881-91 Peter Barton Pye (son) was educated at the Grammar School in Whalley (Clitheroe) and worked as a brewers agent, living in Birkdale with his family and mother Elizabeth after his father's death.
1881-1904 James Thomas Pye (grandson) - manager of the brewery.
Neither brewery exists today nor do the original buildings. The following image shows the 1844 map superimposed over the current Google satellite view showing how things have changed over the years.
No comments:
Post a Comment