The Brewery History Society: Breweries
Berkshire: H & G Simonds Ltd, Bridge Street, Reading
Founded in 1768. Registered in November 1885. Acquired by Courage, Barclay & Co Ltd in 1960. Brewing ceased in 1979 and the brewery was demolished in 1983.
From CAMRA Beer Magazine, Summer 2009:
An echo of the memory of a vanished brewery will remain in Reading, thanks to the work of local beer fans and the Civic Society. A special brew of H&G Simonds Strong Ale (produced by the Chiltern Brewery of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire) was drunk by around 80 people on a windy day alongside the river near the Oracle Shopping Centre - which now stands on the former site of H&G Simonds brewery. The gathering was to commemorate the lost brewery, demolished in 1983 following its merger with Courage in 1960, and operations being moved to Worton Grange in 1980. The history of the brewery, dating back to 1785, has been written for a board which will stand on the riverbank, telling visitors what the area lost with the closure of the brewery.
More information:
Visit the Simonds Family web site for the story of the brewery
Reference:
A Century of British Brewers Plus - 1890 to 2004. Brewery History Society, 2005.
CAMRA Beer Magazine, Summer 2009.
