The Ram Brewery, Wandsworth

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About The Ram Brewery, Wandsworth

The group is about Keeping the history of the brewery alive. By photos of it's wokers, buildings and pubs. And storys of it's workers.

History of the Brewery below.

In 1831 Florance Young's son, Charles Allen Young and his partner Anthony Fothergill Bainbridge bought the Ram Brewery from the Trittons. The purchase included 80 pubs, many of them still Young's houses today. Thus began an association with the Young family that outlasted all the previous owners.

The new partnership suffered a serious setback in 1832 when a disastrous fire destroyed most of the brewhouse, but it was quickly rebuilt and in 1835 a new beam engine was erected inside the brewery. It is thought to be the oldest working beam engine of its kind in the world still in working condition and in its original location. It and its sister engine built in 1867, provided steam power in the brewery right up until 1976.
Young & Bainbridge bought a porter brewery, but by 1864 production had turned to lighter and more sparkling beers and the first pints of what was to become Young's Bitter were being brewed.

Charles Allen Young died in 1855, and his son Charles Florance Young entered the partnership. Anthony Fothergill Bainbridge was succeeded by his nephew, Herbert in 1873. In 1882 another fire, started in the offices, caused extensive damage to part of the brewery and the Ram Inn. Both were rebuilt the following year. This was followed shortly afterwards in 1883 by the sudden dissolution of the Young and Bainbridge partnership. Herbert Bainbridge had run off with Charles Young's wife!
Charles carried on the business alone as Young & Co. However, when he died in 1890, his wish was the formation of a private limited company - Young & Co.'s Brewery Limited, with his widow, now forgiven, and children as the principal shareholders.
With the dawn of a more modern era, competition among brewers was increasing and in 1893 the Ram trademark was registered. A Dorset horned ram was chosen as the brewery symbol, and in 1905 Ram Brand bottled beers began to roll out from a new bottling hall at the brewery.

The first world war had little impact on the company, but the second world war saw the first woman employed on the site and, in 1940, bombs hit a nearby Young's pub - the Bull, completely destroying it and damaging the cask shed roof. The Ram Inn was also damaged in the air raids as were a number of other Young's pubs - some of which had to be rebuilt.

After the war, the company needed to modernise and invest in its growing number of pubs. It became a publicly quoted company on the London Stock Exchange in 1955, and in 1962, John Allen Young, great-great-grandson of the firm's founder, became Chairman. He quickly became instrumental in promoting traditional draught beer in all Young's pubs, sticking to his guns even though almost all other brewers were abandoning what became known as 'real ale'.
Also in 1962, the company built on its bottling capabilities by buying independent bottlers Foster-Probyn, not only one of the biggest and oldest bottling firms but renowned for their quality. This was followed in 1973 by the purchase of Cockburn and Campbell Ltd., wine merchants of Edinburgh and London since 1796.

Local people and brewery workers turned out in force in 1981 when Queen Elizabeth II visited the brewery to celebrate Young's 150th anniversary.
With demand for real ale outstripping supply, a new £5 milllion brewhouse was completed in 1984 to increase brewing capacity and to replace some equipment that had been in use for more than 100 years. In 1990, the company expanded into the hotel trade with their first purpose built hotel at the Bridge in Greenford.

The pub business was boosted in 1991 when independent pub operator, H H Finch Limited was acquired. In 1998 a new bottling line was installed to satisfy increased demand from supermarkets. Also in 1998 Young's shire horses took on the duty of pulling the Lord Mayor's coach at the annual London event.

The year 2000 saw Young's beers winning 6 medals and 2 championship trophies at the Brewing Industry International Awards - the most prizes ever won by any brewery. The year was rounded off with the purchase of 17 pubs in the West Country.

2004 - Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex visit the Thatched House, a Young's pub in Hammersmith. The prince follows in the footsteps of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and his brother, the Prince of Wales, by pulling a pint of Young's Bitter.

2005 - Young's continue to win medals for their beers, including golds for Ram Rod and Oatmeal Stout in the Brewing Industry International Awards in Munich and top prize for autumn and winter beers in the Tesco Brewing Awards.
In 2004, Young's announced a review of its brewing operations in Wandsworth. The difficulties experienced in brewing on this ancient and enclosed site, coupled with the desire of the local authority to acquire and re-develop the site forced the company to consider its options.

After a 2 1/2 year review, Young's decided to sell the Ram Brewery site and enter into a joint venture with the Bedford brewers Charles Wells, creating a new force in the industry, Wells & Young's Brewing Company Ltd.

There had been a long-standing personal relationship between the Young's and the Wells families. The decision to combine their joint heritage of brewing expertise, traditional techniques, master brewers' craft and the highest quality ingredients with the many benefits of a large, modern brewery would safeguard the future of Young's ales for generations to come.

John Young, Chairman of the brewery from 1962 and a strong supporter of the new venture, died of cancer aged 85 in the same week that Young's beers were brewed at Wandsworth for the last time.

2007 - Young’s pubs continue as a separate, independent retail company. Much of the £69 million raised by Young’s through the sale has been earmarked for expansion as well as a major refurbishment programme across the company’s pub estate ensuring that Young’s pubs will continue to delight their customers with stylish pubs, great service and a fabulous range of traditionally brewed cask ales