Cambridge
We are sure that there are many examples of historic lettering
in this most historic county town and university city, but this one
deserves
to be featured here:
'DALE'S BREWERY'
Early 20th century image
Gwydir Street, Cambridge is the location – a short walk from the
railway ststion – of Dale's Brewery,
which from the image found on Facebook (above) is today about half the
size it used to be – the photograph taken in raking sunlight was
probably taken in the early 20th century. The curious metalwork top on
the tower features not only the word 'DALES' (no possessive apostrophe,
although it appears elsewhere), but also a large, two handled trophy
supported on curving arms. Period advertisements show that a similar
yellow-painted trophy bearing the words 'GOLD CUP' are followed by a
scroll reading 'CHAMPION' to describe the beers available from the
Dale's.
Colour images 2018
The company was founded by Frederick Dale behind the public
house The British Queen, Histon Road, Cambridge in 1898 and the Gwydir
Street brewery was built in 1902. The brewery was acquired by Whitbread
& Co. Ltd in 1954 and brewing ceased in 1958.
In fact there had been a brewery on the site since the street was laid
out and built in the 1860s expansion of the city. However, it changed
hands several times and by 1889 the original Victian buildings were
converted to stables. The new brewery was quite an impressive
structure, at least compared with many other Cambridge breweries. There
was a large three storey block fronting the street with an archway
leading to the brewery yard, plus other buildings. The large wrought
iron letters around the roof of the main building are still a feature
of the street today. The water supply for the brewery, as with many in
Cambridge, came from boreholes into the Lower Green sand, 180 feet
below the city, which provided an excellent brewing liquor.
In 1911 the brewery won a gold cup for beer of the “highest purity and
excellence” at the Brewers International Exhibition. In celebration the
7ft high copper replica of the cup was placed on the brewery building
and remained a landmark for many years. It was removed in February
1961. The success of the business and excellence of its products
resulted in supplying beer to some of the Cambridge Colleges and to the
Cambridge Boat Race crews. In 1929 Frederick Dale and his son, Lt
Colonel Guy Frederick Dale, became the company chairman until the firm
was taken over by Whitbreads, the brewery soon to be used as a bottling
plant. The site was used as a store and depot until it was sold to the
Cambridge City Council in 1966 where the archway, office and back tower
with the Champion Gold Medal where demolished.
Well-designed and stylish the wrought iron lettering advertised
the brewery and marked its location from afar. It is in such good
condition, one could be forgiven for suspecting that the signs were a
relatively recent creation in 'retro/vintage' style.
The former brewery building is opposite the David Parr House
once lived in by the decorative painter who used his house interior as
his canvas. This gem in found inside a modest terraced house and is
available for the public to view by appointment only (www.davidparrhouse.org). David
Parr worked as a principle painter for F. R. Leach and Sons – a
Cambridge firm founded in 1862 who worked with some of the best known
architects, designers and painters of the day such as William Morris,
George Bodley and Charles Kempe.