The Story of J P Simpkiss

J. P. Simpkiss Brewery, Brierley Hill, by Steve James

The story of brewing by the Simpkiss family began in 1854, when William Simkiss bought the Potters Arms home-brew pub in Potter Street, in the Rocks area of the Delph, Brierley Hill. He was a potter by trade, but by 1859, had added a “p” to his surname and changed his occupation to a licensed victualler. He died in 1871. In 1861, his son, William Henry Simpkiss, had taken over the pub and was carrying on a successful ginger beer and mineral water business there.

In 1869, he borrowed £700 and, with additional contributions from the Lidstone family, bought the Royal Oak at Round Oak in Brierley Hill from Edward Smithyman. This site had a history of brewing beer, going back to 1797. It was on the main road to Dudley and close to the railway and canal. There was also a fast-growing population working in the local iron and steel works, glassworks and brickworks. A few years later, Henry built a brewery on land behind the pub, but since he had little experience of brewing beer, immediately engaged 21-year old Hercules Hazlehurst as head brewer. By 1890, Henry had bought three more pubs and the brewery was producing 250-350 barrels of beer/week.

By 1896, the business was such a successful and developing company, with around 30 pubs, that North Worcestershire Breweries (Stourbridge) made Henry an offer he could not refuse. He sold the brewery and most of the pubs for £20,000.

He then retired and died in 1905, aged 63. In 1897, the brewery passed to Elwell & Williams, who renamed it the Town Brewery. In 1934, Dudley based Julia Hanson & Sons Ltd bought the brewery and over 50 pubs (including the Stewponey and Foley Arms at Stourton) in one of the biggest sales of licensed premises at the time, at a cost of more than £120,000. However, Hanson’s were more interested in the pubs and closed the brewery soon afterwards. By 1967, it had been replaced by a new fire station.

In 1903, Henry’s 29-year old son, Joseph Paskin Simpkiss, bought the Swan Brewery in Evers Street, Quarry Bank with money financed by his father, and renamed it the Home Brewery. Over the next few years, the company acquired 23 pubs and by the outbreak of the First World War was producing over 300 barrels of beer a week. Simpkiss Brewery behind the Foley Arms (New Wellington now) in Brierley Hill.

Despite swingeing increases in beer duty and taxes and tighter licensing restrictions, Simpkiss’ maintained the price of their beer and provided cheaper 2% light beer to works canteens. However, in 1916, J P Simpkiss lost the brewery in a curious court case which revealed that, for some reason, he had signed over the business to his office manager, William Clewes. He promptly ousted him and formed a partnership with head brewer William Proctor.

The brewery closed in 1921 and was demolished in 1959.Joseph Paskin Simpkiss then became a travelling representative for Elwell & Williams of the Town Brewery until 1919 (see Smith & Williams. By then, he had raised enough money to buy the Foley Arms in Brettell Lane, Brierley Hill for £3,000 from Henry Bolton, who was brewing beer there. This was an established inn, originally known as the Wellington Arms, dating back to at least 1822. It was also on the main road to Dudley and next to the railway station and canal. Now 45-years old, Joseph Paskin established his new business there, brewing in a room that later became the pub lounge and, by 1925, he was producing 145 barrels of beer/week. In 1926, his 19-year old son, Dennis, who had been an assistant brewer at the Ashton Gate Brewery Co. Ltd in Bristol, joined his father in the family business. At this time, the range of beers included IPA, XXX, old ale and mild ale and the company had acquired five other pubs.

In 1934, Joseph Paskin built a new brewery behind the pub on the site of an old iron foundry and cottages, designed by Dennis Simpkiss and named the Dennis Brewery after him. In 1936, a bottling plant was installed and by this time, the 5-quarter brewery could produce up to 250 barrels of beer/week. In 1938, the company was registered as J P Simpkiss & Son, but shortly afterwards, Joseph died. Dennis took over the company, buying further pubs and two farms. Horace Perks, who had worked at the brewery for 30 years, became manager, with Teddy Guise as head brewer. They were later joined by Ken Hamilton as office manager from Darby's Brewery Ltd (West Bromwich). In 1955, Simpkiss began an ‘association’ with Johnson & Phipps Ltd, which operated the Anglo Malt Brewery in Wolverhampton. The companies soon merged and established the new company as JPS Breweries Ltd. Production of beer increased by installing brewing equipment from Darby’s Brewery and the partnership lasted 14 years until Alan Phipps retired.

In 1960, Dennis’ son, Jonathan Patrick Simpkiss, joined the company. By 1965, the bottling business had been transferred to Holden's Brewery Ltd of Woodsetton and, in 1973, Ansells installed a kegging line at the brewery. A national reputation was achieved in 1977 with the production of ‘Jubilation’ beer, brewed for the Royal Silver Jubilee and bottled by Horace Perks. Locally the beer gained a level of notoriety as some bottles were branded with beer barrel labels and given away free to the draymen. They became very sought after for collectors anxious to complete their commemorative collections. Open cheques were offered for half-pint bottles with some dealers asking over £100 for a bottle! By this time, the company had reverted to J P Simpkiss & Son Ltd. In 1979, a 60th anniversary brew was launched to commemorate brewing at the Foley Arms, with each bottle signed by the head brewer, Trevor Pratt.

In 1981, Dennis Simpkiss died and Jonathan Simpkiss became managing director of the business. In 1984, Greenall Whitley & Co. Ltd made a take-over bid for the company, but this offer was initially rejected. However, in July 1985 the company agreed to sell the brewery and its 15 tied houses for £1.9m to Greenalls. I can well remember joining local CAMRA members parading a coffin up Brierley Hill High Street to signal the loss of the company. Soon afterwards, Greenalls closed the brewery with the loss of 20 jobs and it was demolished three years later. Greenalls went on to acquire Davenports (Birmingham) and for some time their beers were served in the former Simpkiss pubs. Little has been heard of Jonathan Simpkiss since.

J P Simpkiss brewed a range of beers, the most regular being Simpkiss Bitter and Simpkiss Old Ale. Until 1981, a mild ale was brewed and Supreme and AK were introduced in 1984. Bottled beers included Nut Brown Ale, Black Country Bitter, Extra Special Bitter, Special HomeBrewed Ale and No.1 Old Ale. Over the years, more than 40 tied houses sold Simpkiss beers.

Although the Simpkiss Brewery has gone, the name lingers on, since the Enville Ales has acquired the recipe for Simpkiss Bitter. They’ve relaunched it as Simpkiss Ale (4%), recalling a taste you’ll remember and never forget!

• With acknowledgement to Tony Hitchmough, Joseph McKenna, John Richards and the Brewery History Society