A 1973 interview with Fred Wright
By Bob Bruce for the December 1973 issue of the Walkern Journal
Wright’s Brewery
Beermaking in the early middle ages was a domestic chore, starting from monasteries. Most Inns had a brew house attached – and its own special brew. Brewing became more specialised, and Maltsters more skilful in producing from the Malt – (artificially sprouted barley – not the sweet brown stuff on a spoon) – a good brew.
Locally in the mid 19th Century a maltster named Samuel Wright, with others, malted behind the Red Lion pub (now a private dwelling) also taking over another malting at old farm buildings on ground on which the Victoria Works now stand and where he star~ ed a brewery.
Fire soon destroyed these buildings, the outcome of which was the building of the present Victoria Works and the start of Messrs. Wright and Company. Brewing started about 1870.
Mr. Samuel Wright died before the completion of the new Brewery and the business was carried on under the supervision of the executors – Mr. James Bullen, ‘with Mr. James Holland as Manager and Brewer.
“Samuel Wright founded the fortunes of Walkern Brewery by his skill in the production of sparkling ales and darker coloured beers”‘said the St. James’ Review of 1907. The journal gave the secret as they use nothing but barley, long in the straw, full in the ear, and flavour only with hops.
When I visited the Wright’s home at Springhill, I was proudly shown, by Mr. Fred Wright and his sister Norah Wright, the original charter of Excise Duty Bond. In those days a duty was levied on malt. It was a surety bond of £3,000, given under the seal of Queen Victoria. In 1848, Mr. Samuel Porter and Mr. James Bullen being the sureties.
The bond was continued in use until the Malt Tax was abolished in 1880, when the duty was transferred to a tax levy on beer. Mr. Wright told me that as far as he knew there are very few of these Malt Duty Bonds to be seen today; possession is rare and they are most valuable.
“Samuel Wright was my grandfather” said Fred Wright. “My father and uncle were Mr. S. Wright and Mr. H. Wright.”
In the St. James’ Review of 1907, it was said that the family heirs willingly acknowledged their indebtedness to the Executors who ran the business until the sons were thought able to take over responsibility.
The Review, describing the Brewery said: “the Maltings – a wing of the building – consisted of a Barley loft, a Steeping Cistern, two growing floors 40 ft X 50 ft, a drying kiln and a malt store.”
From all this came a sweet malt Wort which, after many further stages became the liquor beer.
Brewing of beer ceased in 1924 because of a drop in trade.
A mineral Water factory had been started in the 1890s and now became the main production, along with Cider making, started in 1917 and finishing in the 1940s.
“Non-alcoholic wines and cordials are produced; also Ginger wine is made at the factory today” said Mr. Wright adding: “It’s a Soft Drinks Industry. The old marble stoppers were replaced by Crown Corks in 1914 and today the bulk of trade is in large bottles with external screw caps,” continued Mr. Wright, “Quarts are used – unique in soft drinks,” he added.
With regard to transport I asked when the change over from horses took place. “They had 30 horses in those days” said Mr. Wright, “each driver responsible for his own horse. The limit of a horse’s daily run was about 40 miles. Today four 5-ton lorries operate within a radius of 30 miles. The change over came in 1919, one horse only being kept for 10 years, when the oldest horse keeper, Mr. David Fitzjohn, died.”
In 1933 Mr. R. Dainty and Mr. H. M. Sterling joined the business, turning it into a Limited Company. When I spoke to the directors, Mr. Dainty stressed the engineering side of the soft drinks industry with specialised machinery. “Engineers must be trained”, he said.
The price of a quart bottle of soft drink in those days was 6d, today it is 11p, Mr. Sterling said.
Many villagers over the years have preferred to work for Wrights, giving devoted service. They were content with wages there, rather than making a journey out of the village, with added expenses, for a slightly higher wage. Their service to the family firm and the company has often been for 40 years and more. Old age pensioners have benefitted too by working at Wrights, also students and other part-timers have been welcomed.
In a period of well over 150 years from the time of the first Maltings, Walkern and Wrights have benefitted from their association.
