Copyright © 2005 the Brewery History Society

Pp 160 + notes, index. Chichester: Phillimore, 2004. £20 ISBN: 1 86077 319 2

This is a very well-written work, showing the author's background in the publishing world. The text is wellreferenced and indexed and has the advantage of being based on family documents which seldom appear in record offices. Its remit is the family and town history, but it also provides many insights into the business, including some details of brewing notes. It also helps confirm some of the details for our own planned coverage of brewing in the county.

Given our specialist interest it is a shame that some links are not given more scope eg with the Peel family brewing at Watlington. Members will be aware of my own fascination with the inter-linking nature of the brewing families. Nevertheless it is of relevance when one looks at the inter-company transfers of property at different times. There is also a brief mention which gives the fascinating possibility of a link with the Young family of Wandsworth.

The story focuses around the Remnantz property still owned by the Wethered family, hence the subtitle "The Story of a House and its People". My own research takes the brewing interest in the town back to the C17 and I think that there may have been some inter and intra family rivalry which would explain the Gibbon's family on/off brewing operations in the town.

This is a book to read its own right as much as for research, giving the inside story often missing from standard texts. The C20 is perhaps a little thin from the brewery historians’ point of view, but we hope to rectify that with our own publication. The price of £20 is at the top end of the range, but represents the quality and the limited market. It would be an ideal present, so start dropping the hints for birthdays or next Christmas.