| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Successor | Bass, Mitchells & Butlers |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Founder(s) | John Hunt |
| Headquarters | Banbury, England |
| Products | Beer |
Hunt Edmunds was a brewery in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.
Contents |
The brewery was founded by John Hunt in 1840,[1] but it was Thomas Hunt who went into partnership with William Edmunds (1826–1908) in 1850.[2] Edmunds' son, Charles Fletcher Edmunds (1855–1907) became a partner in 1886, and succeeded his father in 1896. His son Maurice Edmunds (d. 1950) was a later chairman. Eventually the brewery had over 100 pubs.[3]
By 1886 the company had two breweries and 64 tied houses in Banbury. The main brewery was on the southern side of Bridge Street, Banbury, and extended all the way back to George Street.[4] Brands included "Banbury Best Bitter", "Banbury Brown Ale" and "Banbury Cross Ale".[1] In 1924, the brewer Hitchman & Co of Chipping Norton was taken over, and operated through a holding company, Hunt Edmunds Hitchman Co Ltd; the brewery at Chipping Norton was closed in 1931 and brewing transferred to Banbury.[5] In 1951, Hunt Edmunds claimed that they supplied beer to pubs in seven different counties.[6]
Hunt Edmunds was absorbed by Bass, Mitchells & Butlers in the 1960s.[7] Demolition followed, with the chimney coming down in 1974.[8] Few buildings remain; the "Crown" public house towards the east of Bridge Street, which was the "tap" outlet for the brewery, with "black and white" architecture, is under threat of redevelopment.[9]
The public houses were usually provided with a plaque which was normally fixed to one side of the main door. These were typically silver grey on a slate grey background, although some were blue on white.[10] Following the brewery's takeover by Mitchells & Butlers in the 1960s, these plaques were either painted over or removed, but several have since been cleaned. They may be seen on pubs both in Banbury[8] and as distant as Bridgend, Wales.[11]