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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => East Lothian (Haddingtonshire) => Topic started by: Beard grandchild on Saturday 02 April 11 18:02 BST (UK)
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Does anyone have any information about breweries or maltkilns in Haddington around 1880?
My grandfather was listed as a Head maltman on the 1881 census, and moved to Burton on Trent around 1890 to work for Messrs Dunnerley breweries, later moving on to Worthingtons.
I was wondering if there was any link to Dunnerleys from a Haddington brewery?
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Hi Beard Grandchild,
Using Blessington which you have in your profile, 1881 census has maltsmen in Haddington at the Poldrate Mill.
Dwelling: 8 Poldrate St
John BLESSINGTON U 25 M born - Dirleton Head Maltman
Bridget BLESSINGTON W 60 F Ireland Mother
Alison BLESSINGTON M 35 F Ireland Sister Farm Serv
Patrick KENNIE U 23 M Prestonkirk Boarder Maltman
Tom
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Hi again,
In the 1881 census, found the brewer who employed 6 men, in Tyne Park, Haddington,
James RICHARDSON 44 M Haddington Head - Brewer Emplg 6 Men
Kate E. RICHARDSON 35 F Tasmania Wife
James A. RICHARDSON 11 M Haddington Son Scholar
Sinclair G. RICHARDSON 8 M Haddington Son Scholar
Kate M. RICHARDSON 4 F Haddington Daur
Ellen ROSS U 20 F Fortrose Servant Housemaid
Isabella MILLER U 28 F Prestonkirk Servant Cook
So we should searcg for Richardsons brewery etc.
Tom
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Hi again,
Found an article on Haddington breweries which mentions the Nungate Brewery of the late James Richardson.
http://www.haddingtoncc.org.uk/nungate_brewery.html
Tom
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Thanks for all of this, Tom.
The 1881 census is the right family. John Blessington was my gt grandfather. I've found the address 8 Poldrate as it is now on Street View - I imagine that will be the same place as 8 Poldrate street?
Now to have a good look at the brewery links you've given me.
Thanks once again,
Pat
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Hi again,
I would imagine it would be same place, this is a conservation area. Quite near to it, is Brewery Park, which was close to Nungate Brewery.
Tom
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Thanks Tom,
I had seen that it was a listed building while I was searching for the address.
I've had a quick read through the brewery history page and will now have a look at the Burton on Trent breweries pages to see if I can find any links.
My gt grandfather obviously chose to go to that area for a reason, and, so far, I can't find any family links to Burton.
Cheers,
Pat.
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Hi Pat,
If you look at that link I gave the Binnies were involved in breweries in Staffordshire, it may that the links were through them.
Also given that there were 30 breweries around Burton on Trent in 1880's, it may have been an employment thing, at one time quarter of all beer sold was brewed there.
Tom
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Thanks again, Tom. I'm actually wading my way through some Burton on Trent stuff at this very moment .
Cheers,
Pat
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I am presently researching the history of the 14 breweries, 7 maltings and 3 distilleries that existed in Haddington. I have put together 200 pages so far.
If your grandfather was a maltman in the Poldrate he must have worked at Poldrate Maltings (not Poldrate Mill). Both of these buildings still stand today. About 100 yards from the Poldrate was the Sidegate Brewery and maltings (now 7 private houses called 'Brewery Close'.). Apart from Poldrate Maltings the Westfield maltings (part of) , Newton Port Maltings and Bermaline Maltings still standing.
Of the 14 breweries only 2 buildings still exist - John Winton's Brewery 1790 -1825 (brewery offices and brewers' residence) in town's market street and the former 'Howden's Brewery in the Nungate (now 2 private residences).
Bermaline Maltings still produces malt and malt products - under name of PureMalt Products.
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Thanks for this information, Hadd1. I do have a visit to the Haddington area on my list of places to visit (eventually) and this information will certainly make a visit there more interesting for me.
Thanks again,
Pat.
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About 12 months ago I compiled a list of all known brewers, distillers, maltsters and coopers in Haddington. I have checked my list and found that John Blessington is there. He appeared on the 1888 Haddington voting register.
I normally do research at Haddington every week but the research facility closed on 30 November for 4 months. When the new facility opens at the end of March I will try and find as much information as I can relating to John Blessington. I will check the Haddington Valuation Rolls, census records and old copies of the Haddingtonshire Courier as well as the Aberlady birth records.
Regards,
Jim Lawrie.
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P.S. Do you know the name of the brewery/maltings where he worked from 1890?
Jim Lawrie
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Hi Jim,
When he moved to Burton on Trent his first job was with a firm called ' Messrs Nunnerley's' according to his obituary report, but he then spent about 33 years with Worthingtons as a foreman maltster.
I believe Nunnerley's was located somewhere near to Burton Bridge - there is a sign on the bridge which actually mentions Nunnerleys, but I've not managed to find out anything about them apart from that.
I've tried to find some sort of link with Haddington and Nunnerleys to see if I could find a reason for him moving his family to that particular town and brewery, but nothing has come up so far.
I do have his birth record - he was born in West Dirleton on September 17th 1855, and was registered by his father as John Blest - as his father 'made his mark' he was obviously illiterate.
I also have him on the 1881 census living with his mother at 8 Poldrate.
I'm not sure exactly when the family moved to Burton as there is no record of them on the 1891 census, and according to my cousin, the family visited Ireland for a while when my grandfather was a young child, so I presume they were there when the census was taken.
The first child of the family born in Burton was Margaret Blessington in 1892.
Cheers,
Pat
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Hi Pat, thanks for that information. I do not think there would be any connection between Haddington and Burton on Trent. Probably the reputation of Burton beers was the attraction.
I note he lived at No. 8 Poldrate. The street is a short one - only 130 yards long. It is shown as 'Poldrate' on the 1819 map of Haddington. The 1907 map also shows it as 'Poldrate' as it is also known today. On the 1893 map it is shown as 'Poldrate Street'. Assuming he worked at Poldrate Maltings his house was only twenty yards from the maltings. Working as a maltman was very hard and thirsty work and no doubt he appreciated that the Tyneside Tavern was next door at No.10.
On one side of Poldrate there today a small infant school and a Church of Scotland retirement home. On the other side where your grandfather lived there are just 2 houses (Nos. 6 and 8. ) the Tyneside Tavern, Poldrate Mill with water wheel and the former Poldrate Maltings behind it. The Mill and Maltings are now a craft and arts centre. The remaining building is the 'Waterloo Bistro'. I stay about 12 miles west of Haddington - when I go again shortly I will take a photograph of the house at No.8 !
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That would be brilliant, Jim. Thanks very much. It's so interesting when someone comes up with more information than you've been able to find for yourself.
I did go on a fact finding and searching for places visit to Burton on Trent last year, and although the family house where my grandfather and his siblings grew up has long since gone, I did find the house my granddad and grandma lived in when they were first married. My granddad followed in his father's footsteps and became a maltster too, working at Worthingtons then moving onto a small brewery called Berry's in Worksop, Notts .
I also found the house that my gt grandparents lived in after gt grandfather had retired, and did a very interesting visit to the Brewery Museum there in Burton . The gentleman who took our party around the place had been a brewery worker himself and knew a lot about the job. When I told him about my grandfather he made sure that he explained all about the malting process to me and also answered one or two other queries for me.
Thanks once again for your interest and help with my family research. It is very much appreciated.
Cheers,
Pat.
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Hi Pat, I note that Margaret. was the first child to be born in Burton. It would appear she was followed by Hugh and James. It looks as though Frank, John, Mary and Alice were all born in Scotland.
I think the brewery in Burton was Mr J Nunnerley's. It is one of the 30 plus breweries listed at Burton on Trent.
Expect to be in Haddington next week. I will take photographs of the former Poldrate Maltings, Poldrate Mill and the rest of the street.
I will let you know when I have them.
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John Blessington and Margaret Dolan were married in Feb 1883 at St. Mary's, Haddington, and my grandfather was their first child, Myles Blessington, born Haddington 1884.
Frank, John,Mary and Alice were all born in Haddington too, as you've stated.
My grandfather started work as an apprentice coppersmith in Oldbury, Worcs according to the 1901 census, but by the time he married my grandmother in 1909 he was working for Worthington's Brewery as a maltster.
Around 1925 he relocated to Worksop, Notts as manager of Berry's maltkilns where he remained until his retirement around 1954.
I would be more than happy to see photos of the Poldrate area and it is very kind of you and much appreciated that you are prepared to take the trouble to take photos for me.
Cheers,
Pat.
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Hello, Pat,
Thanks for all of that information.
When I am in Haddington next week I will take photographs of the Poldrate for you.
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Hello Pat,
The Poldrate is adjacent to 'The Sidegate' in Haddington. Where the Sidegate runs into the Poldrate there are 2 churches - St Mary's Parish Church (the longest parish church in Scotland) and St Mary's R.C. church - a small church at the beginning of the Poldrate - almost opposite No.8 Poldrate.
I will take pictures of both.
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Hello Pat, I went to Haddington on Wednesday - not an ideal day for taking photographs - it was very dull, cold and misty. I have taken a photograph of the house at No.8 Poldrate but this mail site restricts the attached image to 500KB and I cannot send the image.
I knocked on the door at No.8 and spoke to the present occupier - Mr Rowie MacKinnon - he said the house dates from around 1810. He added that there are six bedrooms and that the ceilings are quite low.
If you would prefer that I send the photographs by post - I have set up a temporary e-mail site
* If you agree, you could respond to this and on receipt of your personal e-mail I can request your home address from my normal "yahoo" mailbox. I have taken other photographs which I can send once I have heard from you.
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Could Pat Snow please contact Jim Lawrie at the e-mail address you hold as I have more information on the Blessingtons.
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Thanks for the message. I will do it at once.
Pat
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The brewery of John Winton is mentioned in 'Reminiscences of the royal burgh of Haddington and old East Lothian agriculturists' by Martine, John, as follows:-
https://archive.org/details/reminiscencesro02martgoog
Page 69:
MARKET STREET, or, as it was formerly called, the Back Street, extends from Tibbiedale and the Townhouse to Hardgate Street It contains not a few relics of antiquity and of historical interest to Haddingtonians. An old tenement at the west end, and opposite the Tolbooth, was long occupied by John Carfrae, of the Carniehaugh family of Carfraes. He was town treasurer and a bailie of Haddington in his day, as far back as 1780 and aftervards. He was an extensive grocer and merchant. The old house had an outshot projecting into the street, which, from its shape, was called the " saut backet" At Carfrae's death, which occurred about the close of last century, his property was acquired by William Shiells, who for many years carried on a brewery up the close, and brewed "twopenny," "groatum," and strong ale. A new tenement was built some years ago by the late Mr Brown, plumber, and the "saut backet" was demolished. Another brewery on the same side was long carried on by John Winton (" the Earl,") a character in his day, and afterwards by Mrs McBean.
Mrs McBean was 'Catherine Matthew' whose brother Alexander was a writer in Haddington. Her husband John McBean was a Farmer then Brewer and he was a brother-in-law to John Winton, who married his sister Janet McBean.
Catherine Matthew / McBean's father was Andrew Matthew, whose wife was Catherine Newton. Catherine Newton's father was Alexander Newton and her mother was Catherine Shiells. Whether there was a relationship between Catherine Shiells and William Shiells the brewer of Haddington, mentioned above, I do not know. Catherine Newton's sister Isabella Newton married John Yelloweless and their son was William Yellowlees, the portrait artist known as 'The Little Raeburn'. John Yellowlees' sister Elizabeth married Robert Wilson and their daughter Janet Wilson married Samuel Smiles of Haddington - their son was the famous Samuel Smiles, author of 'Self Help' and other books.
I would be interested in any details you may have about this connection as 'Mrs McBean' is a relation.
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Is HADD1 still around, last used this thread 2012.?
I am trying to find information on Sidegate Brewery etc run by John Martine around 1841 and possibly earlier. John, born in Haddington, was brewing in South Queensferry 1831/32 and possibly longer, but had returned to Haddington by 1841 census. I wondered if he, or anyone could help. I would like to know when he started the Brewery in Sidegate Street and what he called it. Thanks