James Child : owner 1670-1693

James - AKA Josiah - married to Ann Minnie at St. Botolph's, Aldersgate on 27 December 1659. An entry in the public records in April 1666 states:

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 …

Records of both the Brewers' Company and the Grocers' Company show that he 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.

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.

His partner during this period, was a Bankside neighbour, Sir John Shorter, who became Lord Mayor of London in 1687, and had John Bunyan - author of Pilgrim's Progress - as his unofficial Chaplain. King Charles granted two brewing licenses to the Anchor brewery in 1690 and these, with their bulky seals, have been preserved.