Thrale/Thrall history

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James Child

Anchor Brewery was bought by James Child in 1670 and he owned the business until 1696.

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Other proprietors: James Monger • James Monger (Jr) • Edmund Halsey • Ralph Thrale • Henry Thrale • Barclay and Perkins • Courage

Like John Courage at Horselydown, James Child fancied a nautical symbol because of his connection with shipping and during his ownership the brewhouse became known as The Anchor. He supplied the navy with masts, yards and bowsprits as well as stores and beer.

Records of both the Brewers’ Company and the Grocers’ Company show that Child was practising “the Art and Mistery of Brewing” in 1670; and, by so doing, getting into trouble with the former Company. After being summonsed by the Court of the Brewers’ Company on 7 October 1670, he became a member on 9 November 1671 before the Court of Aldermen. After holding every office in the Brewers’ Company, James Child was elected Master in 1693.

James Child served as President of the East India Company from 1686 to 1690.

King Charles granted two brewing licenses to the Anchor Brewery in 1690 and these, with their bulky seals, have been preserved.

An April 1666 record records …

The King to the Brewer’s Company, and recommends James Child, merchant of London, who has done faithful service in supplying the navy with beer, and has bought a brewhouse in Southwark to brew for the household and navy, for admission as a free brother of the same company, for the same fee as the late Timothy Alsop the King’s brewer paid.

John Shorter

Child's partner, was a Bankside neighbour, Sir John Shorter (1626-1688), who became Lord Mayor of London in 1687, and had John Bunyan - author of Pilgrim’s Progress - as his unofficial Chaplain.

Edmund Halsey

Edmund Halsey had come to London from his birthplace in St Albans after quarrelling with his father who was a miller. Halsey started at the brewery in the late 1680s or early 1690s as a brewhouse ‘Broomstick Clerk’, a junior employee who swept the yard and performed other menial tasks. He later rose to be Chief Clerk.

James Child had a deep affection towards Halsey, describing him as…

my loving son-in-law.

Possibly, James Child, much preoccupied with his shipping interests, regarded the brewery as just a useful diversification and was glad of the services of young Edmund Halsey to take the routine work off his hands.

Income

In 1692 Halsey was receiving £1.00 a week - half the salary of his master - and within 20 months had become a partner. There is no evidence that he purchased his partnership and, as the partnership deed was drawn up on the 6th November 1693, only ten days before his marriage to one of James Child’s daughters - Anne. It might well have been his wife’s dowry.

From the date of the partnership, Halsey ran the business efficiently, as the cash bulletin for the years 1693 to 1702 shows regular sums of up to £100 per week, large amounts in those days, were paid in excise duty; and in May, 1695, both he and Child drew £400 each in profits. In his cash book, he records that, apart from his normal salary, he also received a further weekly sum as brewer, kept a…

rideing horse at the Livery Stables chargeable to the brewery.

as by consent of Mo: Child for manageing the trade last year.

1696 Childs' death

James Child died on 22 February 1696, at the age of 66. He was buried in St. Dunstan-in-the-East Church in London. By his will, directed that his estate be equally divided into three, one-third being left to his widow Anne Child née Minnie, and the remaining two-thirds to his daughters under the age of 21 years…

the rest of my children having had their portions already.

His widow retained her husband’s interest in the brewhouse, Halsey paying her a weekly sum until her death in 1701.

Further information about Anchor Brewery, including its location, development, images and documents is here.