Thrale/Thrall history

Anchor Brewery, Bankside, London (1616-1986).  The history of Anchor brewery from 1616 until 1986, including the 52 years between 1729 & 1781 in which it was owned by Ralph and Henry Thrale.

« page James Monger James Monger (the younger) James Child Edmund Halsey Ralph Thrale Henry Thrale . . .Courage page »

Enter Tab

Edmund Halsey

In 1698 Edmund Halsey started to extend the Brewhouse and its trade. On the 23rd May of that year he was recorded as having …

payd Mr. Coleman for Green Draggon Brewhouse £275.

He introduced a number of innovations to the brewing process, which improved the quality of the brewery’s beer. He paid large sums for new coppers and buildings and no doubt these included the extension of the business over the site of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: also he paid £3,500 to a Mr. Clarke, Brewer.

A valuable source of income seems to have been derived from lending money. One interesting record, dated 22 April 1700, was…

lent Tho: Winnett as per his noate £14. Lent Richd: Clarke as per his noate £15

In the margin, he added …

Excise Officers.

After the death of Child's widow in 1701, Halsey acquired sole ownership in 1701, He became Freeman of the Brewers’ Company in 1697.

In March 1701, he paid interest on a sum of £1,200 borrowed from E. Williams, but in June of the same year, he repaid the principal. By 1702 the last pages of his cash book record his personal expenditure: in 1701, £451 3s. 0d. and in 1702, £547 19s. 1.5d.” and detail such items as…

Man’s livery, new sadle and bridle, wine for Hunt, long wigs and short wigs, shoes, shirts and books and shooting for Tho. Halsey.

Anchor brewery accounts from the 17th century.

His son Thomas Halsey, whose schooling was mentioned in the accounts in 1702, died young as did his brother James Halsey. His only daughter, Anne, was successfully married off into the peerage to Sir Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham of Stowe from 1713 (1675-1749), friend of Alexander Pope. Edmund’s wife, Anne, died in 1704. Only Anne, is mentioned in his will.

During the first decade of the century, Halsey amassed great wealth supplying beer to the army. Less than ten years after his first appearance at £1 a week in the firm’s accounts, on the 11th May 1696, Halsey lent King William III £1,000.

Parliamentary career

Southwark constituency

During the second decade of the 18th century, Halsey established his social position. In December 1711 he stood for Parliament in Southwark but was defeated. Later when his opponent died, Halsey, was returned as Member of Parliament for Southwark on 12 January 1712. This was disputed by Sir George Matthews who on 14 January 1711, petitioned the House of Commons, complaining of an undue return of Mr, Halsey, by bribery and other indirect practices, and also of partiality of the High Bailiff. On 7 February 1712 The House of Commons resolved…

that Edmund Halsey is not duly elected

… and …

that the said Henry Martin, Esq. (the Bailiff) be for the said offence taken into custody of the Sergeant at Arms.

Later Halsey fought two successful elections on 10 May 1722 and 23 January 1727. He represented the Southwark constituency on and off for about ten years.

Buckingham constituency

Halsey was returned as Whig MP for Buckingham at a by-election on 30 November 1717.

Other roles

Edmund Halsey was Governor of St. Thomas’s Hospital in 1719, Master of the Brewers Company, and a Director of the South Sea Company.

Halsey was also a generous philanthropist. He donated money to a number of charitable causes, including the building of hospitals and schools. He was also a patron of the arts, and he supported a number of artists and writers.

Property

Halsey followed the practice of other successful citizens of the Borough by acquiring the manor of Stoke Poges in 1724.

In 1725 he leased the adjacent The Castle public House.

1729 death

Halsey died in August 1729 and was buried in Stoke Poges.

His will assigned:

• the brewery in Southwark;
• Orpington farm;
• Boughton Monchelsea farm;
• properties at Newington, Camberwell, Croydon and Mitcham,

… to his wife, daughter, then to Lord Cobham for life, and the failing issue of the marriage, to his niece, Anna Smith, of St Albans (show relationship)

Ralph Thrale

Anna Smith was the sister of Ralph Thrale (1664-1711) who succeeded Halsey as the owner of the brewhouse and of whom Dr. Johnson wrote…

he was employed for 30 years at 6/- a week in the brewhouse that was afterwards his own.

---

Owner of original	David Thrale
File name	histories/tree01-anchor-brewery/tree01-anchor-brewery-04.html
File Size	6.8 KB
Media ID	928
Dimensions	n/a
Folio version	v13.0.0.33 (B240424-085038)
Linked to	Anna Thrale; Henry Thrale; Ralph Thrale; Edmund Halsey; Hester Lynch Salusbury; Anchor Brewery, Southwark, Surrey, England

Back to top   « page   page »