Mr. Heppenstall takes a partner

Heppenstall was a name long-associated with brewing in Newark. According to a newspaper, at the end of the 19th-century Heppenstall's was the oldest name in brewing in the town:

"Heppenstall's Brewery, Newark. - We understand that the old-established brewery firm of Heppenstalls — the oldest in name we believe in Newark — have for family reasons formed themselves into a Limited Liability Company, under the style of Heppenstalls Limited. The new Company will acquire the business, with its freehold brewery, land, maltkilns, tied houses, etc., as from the 1st of October, instant."
Nottingham Evening Post - Saturday 11 October 1890, page 2.

In 1863, he took in a Mr. Holland as partner. Not sure how long it lasted, as I haven't found any other reference to Heppenstall and Holland.

Stamford Mercury - Friday 09 October 1863, page 1.

"ALBION BREWERY, NEWARK.
C HEPPENSTALL begs to thank his friends and patrons for the support so kindly afforded him for the last 14 years, and also Inform those friends and the public generally that he has taken into Partnership Mr. E. Wm. Holland, that henceforth the business will be carried on upon the same premises under the firm of Heppenstall and Holland. See following advertisement

HEPPENSTALL and HOLLAND beg to call the attention of the nobility, clergy, and gentry of Newark and its Environs to their first-class Fine ALES, brewed from this year's new Malt and Hops, which will be ready in few days for private and home consumption. For purity and excellence character, at the price, these Ales cannot be surpassed.

H. and H. Invite especial attention to their Pale Bitter Ale, at 1s per gallon, a fine tonic and agreeable beverage for private families.

Supplied by their respective Agents, or direct from the Brewery, in casks of 6, 9, 12, 18, 26, and 36 Gallons.
Carriage paid to any part

XX Ale. 1s. 0d. per Gallon.
XXX 1s. 3d. „
XXXX 1s. 4d. „ .

BITTER ALES.
XX Family Pale Ale 1s. 0d. „
East India 1s. 4d. „
Porter 1s. 0d. "
Stout 1s. 3d. „

Wholesale Wine and Spirit Merchants.
Agents for Burton Pale Ale.

For the convenience of their friends H. and H. have taken out a licence to enable them to supply Wines and Spirits from One Gallon down to a Bottle.
Albion Brewery, Newark."
Stamford Mercury - Friday 09 October 1863, page 1.

There are a few odd things about those beers. Why is there no X Ale?  Why aren't there even price differentials between the three Mild Ales? You'd expect them to be 1s, 1s 2d and 1s 4d per gallon. I'm starting to see a pattern in Newark beers. Everyone seemed to brew a light Pale Ale at 1s or 1s 2d per gallon. As well as a more expensive Pale Ale called IPA (or something similar). Though usually they were 1s 6d a gallon rather than the 1a 4d Heppenstall charged.

Interesting how Porter and Stout are included under the heading "Bitter Ales". It looks like they're using that term in the way "Beer" was used in the 18th century. Porter and Stout were, of course, types of Brown Beer.

The C stands for Christopher.  How do I know? Because of this death announcement:

"DEATHS
HEPPENSTALL - the 16th inst at Southwell, Christopher Heppenstall, Esq., proprietor of the Albion Brewery, Newark, aged 61 years."
Grantham Journal - Saturday 23 March 1872, page 4.

But hang on, has he come back from the dead a few years later?

"FARNSFIELD, Notts. To be LET, old-licenced PUBLIC-HOUSE. Rent £19. Inventory about £80. — Apply to Mr. C. Heppenstall, Albion Brewery, Newark.'
Stamford Mercury - Friday 13 December 1878, page 1.

No, it seems he had a son who was also called Christopher. Who can't have been all that old, seeing as his father had died aged 61 14 years earlier. He couldn't have been older than in his fifties.

"Newark Town Council.—A vacancy has been caused in the representation of the East Ward in the Town Council by the death of Mr. Christopher Heppenstall, which took place the other day at Finsbury Park, London. Mr. Heppenstall was a brewer, and well known for his benevolence to the poor in the town. He had been in failing health for some time past, so that the telegram announcing his demise, though it occasioned regret, cannot be said to have caused surprise. The funeral took place on Tuesday, the deceased gentleman being interred alongside the remains of his first wife at East Bridgeford. In polities Mr. Heppenstall was a Conservative. On Monday, a deputation waited upon Mr. J. F. Warwick, of (a member of the firm R. Warwick and Sons, brewers), and invited him to offer himself as a candidate. We understand Mr. Warwick has decided to accept the invitation, and there can be no doubt his candidature will be very popular."
Grantham Journal - Saturday 28 August 1886, page 2.

Now isn't that interesting? One Tory brewer replacing another on Newark council. The brewers were heavily involved in Newark politics as councillors, mayor and even MP.

Richard Warwick and Sons was one of the firms that merged to become Warwicks and Richardsons.

A 19th-century Newark brewpub

This is dead interesting. For me, at least. I never realised that the Horse & Jockey had been a brewpub.

There's only one brewpub operated in the town in living memory. That was the Maple Leaf, and estate pub out on the eastern edge of town. Both pub and brewery are long gone.

I couldn't remember whether the later Horse & Jockey was a Warwicks or a Holes house. As it's not in the list of Holes pubs in the valuation carried out for Courage, it must have been a Warwicks pub.

"NEWARK-UPON-TRENT
To BREWERS, PUBLICANS, and Others.
To be SOLD by AUCTION,
By Mr. W. Wood, At the Horse and Jockey Inn in Newark-upon-Trent, on Wednesday the 2d day of April, 1873, at 4 for 5 o'clock in the Afternoon, subject to such conditions of sale as shall then and there declared,

A Valuable PROPERTY, which will be offered for sale in the following or such other lots as shall be arranged at the time of sale :—

Lot 1. An eligible and pleasantly situated old-established Wine and Spirit Licensed Free Public-house, known as the "Horse and Jockey Inn," situate in Balderton-gate, in NEWARK-UPON-TRENT, together with the Two quarter Brewery, extensive Yard, Stabling for horses, Crewyards, Garden, and Paddock thereto adjoining.

This lot, which has a Frontage to Balderton-gate of 134 Feet, contains an area of 3263 Square Yards, and is bounded the north by property Mr. Thomas Lane and by lot 4, on the east by lot 4 and by property of Mr. Crofts and Messrs. Heppenstall, and on the west by lots 2 and 3 and property of Miss Rastall and others. The Inn has been for many years in the occupation of the owner, Mr. Pridgeon, and on taking to the usual inventory possession will given at an early day, as may suit the convenience the purchaser.

Lot 2. Two Messuages or Dwelling-houses, with the Out-buildings and Gardens thereto belonging, situate in Balderton-gate aforesaid, and in the respective occupations of Mr. J. B. Crow and Mr. W. Clay.—This lot, which adjoins lot 1, comprises an area of 521 Square Yards.

Lot 3. A Messuage or Tenement, with the Yard and Out-buildings thereto belonging, situate in Cherryholt-lane, and in the occupation of George Ogden.—This lot comprises an area of 85 Square Yards.

Lot 4. A Garden, situate in William street, and Paddock at the back thereof, containing together 1108 Square Yards, and in the occupation of Mr Pridgeon.—This lot has a Frontage to William street of 30 Feet.

Possession or receipt of the rents will be given on 6th July next.

To view the premises apply to Mr. Pridgeon ; and for further particulars apply to the Auctioneer, Grantham ; to Mr. G. Sheppard, surveyor, Kirk-gate, Newark upon- Trent; or at our Offices in Newark-upon-Trent, where a Plan of the Property may seen.
PRATT and HODGKINSONS, Solicitors.
Newark-on-Trent, 11th March, 1873."
Stamford Mercury - Friday 14 March 1873, page 2.

A 2-quarter brewery is pretty small. From two quarters you'd get about 8 barrels of X Ale or Porter. Less of stronger beers. An amount of beer which a decent-sized pub should be able to shift.

Obviously the current pub is much more recent. 1930's, I believe. But based on that frontage of 134, it looks like the building there today is about the same width.

I wonder when the last 19th-century brewpub closed in Newark. It wouldn't surprise me if the Horse & Jockey were the last. With its well-developed industrial-scale breweries, Newark is exactly the sort of place where publican brewers disappeared first.

Mr. Heppenstall talks about water

I'm starting to get really confused. About water. Specifically the water used for brewing in Newark.

I know that around Newark there's plenty of gypsum. My dad used to work at a gypsum quarry just outside town. And I knew Newark had been famous for brewing Pale Ales and was sometimes - by optimistic locals - called a second Burton. Based on those facts, I'd assumed Newark brewers had taken advantage of gypsum-rich well water. Now I'm not so sure.

These are extracts for a long article about the opening of a waterworks in Newark. Where they extracted water from the Trent and purified it.

"OPENING OF THE NEWARK WATERWORKS.
On Thursday the 29th ult., the directors of this company made a tour of inspection of their works, previous to delivering them into the hands of the shareholders, and were accompanied many of the subscribers and townspeople. They assembled at the Engine-house, near Muskham Bridge, about noon, and, after thoroughly inspecting the buildings, engine-house, filter beds, well, and grounds, they proceeded through the town, along the company's mains, to the reservoir upon the summit of Beaconhill. Everything appeared substantially constructed, and to work most satisfactorily. The eminent engineer, Thomas Hawksley, Esq. (who is a most severe critic), scrutinized most minutely every detail connected with the works, and appeared thoroughly satisfied. We think we may safely congratulate the shareholders and public that they now possess one of the prettiest and most perfect waterworks in the kingdom. From their simplicity, they are not likely to get out of order, and the water they supply is abundant and pure, beautifully pellucid, and, from its softness, suitable for all purposes."
Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 06 April 1855, page 6.

There's a big emphasis on the softness of the water and how that makes it great for everything - including brewing.

"Now to the quality of the water, it possesses many advantages, and without entering into detail, he might mention that it marked 81 degrees of hardness the soap test, that is the number of grains of soap which can be decomposed by the earthy salts each gallon of water, whereas the spring water of Newark marks no less than 538 degrees of hardness by the soap test. 1000 gallons of Trent water decomposes 11 lbs. of soap. 1000 gallons of Newark spring- water decomposes 73 lbs., thus creating a saving of soap in our water of 62 lbs. for every 1000 gallons used. In the use of tea also, and brewing purposes its advantages will be greatly felt. He accidentally saw an account of a lecture delivered at the Royal Institute, by Mr. Dickenson, in which he declares the Trent water to be beautifully peliucid, and of very superior quality: everybody has heard of the far famed Nottinghamshire and Burton ale brewed on the banks of the silvery Trent."
Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 06 April 1855, page 6.

This last section really has me scratching my head. If there's one thing I do know for certain, it's that Burton brewers didn't brew with water from the Trent. They got their brewing water from deep wells.

Mr. Heppenstall, if you're wondering, was a Newark brewer. And his brewery was one of the larger ones in Newark in the middle of the 19th century. So you'd think he'd know what he was talking about when it came to water:

"The Mayor then proposed the health of the Secretary, Mr. W. Newton, and amongst other remarks said the company were greatly indebted to him, for the satisfactory manner in which he had managed and conducted the concerns of the company. In the course of Mr. Newton's reply, he stated that he had that day received a letter from a gentleman, — Mr. Heppenstall, practical brewer, residing in the town, who had used the company's water for the purposes his trade, and giving the result of his experience. The following is an extract:-  "I have been manager of some large breweries in different parts of the country for more than 20 years, and, therefore, have had the opportunity of seeing the good and bad effects of various waters in brewing. Water, next to malt, is of the greatest importance in brewing, it being the vehicle by which the nutritious and pleasant particles of malt and hops are conveyed into the human body. Brewers consider the more simple and free any water is from mineral particles, the better it will answer the purpose, and that river waters are less liable to be loaded with those mineral particles of the earth which makes some well and spring water so objectionable in brewing. There are three sorts of water which brewers choose when they have a choice, viz., Ist river water at considerable distance from a town and from the spring (the water becoming soft by the heat of the sun), 2nd water from chalk, 3rd water from stony rocks. The water at Newark varies very much, I have two wells, the deepest is far the hardest water, and is so loaded with some mineral that it shews on the saccharometer 1 lb. per barrel more than the river or other soft water, and is of that sharp nature which is very prejudicial to a good fermentation, and, in consequence, the beer soon goes sharp and hard. I have brewed three times from the company's water and am highly pleased with the result, as I have obtained an increase of saccharine to the amount of 3s. per quarter in value more than I ever did before. The beer is better fermented, is much paler, better flavoured, and have no doubt will keep better. My opinion of the quality of the company's water that it most excellent for brewing." From such a testimonial, and from the fact that even now the old women in several parts of the town, would rush to the Hydrants as soon as they were opened in the morning for the purpose of cleansing them, and take their buckets to catch the waste water to use for their domestic and household purposes, he argued the success of the company might be fairly anticipated. "
Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 06 April 1855, page 6.

It's weird. The well water he says was rubbish for brewing sounds exactly what you'd want for a Pale Ale. Paler, better flavoured and with better keeping qualities - that's what you'd expect from Burton-like hard water, not soft water.