Badger Beers - More than 200 years

 

Hall & Woodhouse have been brewing beers in the heart of Dorset for more than 200 years.

Charles Hall began brewing in Ansty in 1777 and came to Blandford in 1883 when the business acquired Hector’s Brewery located on the banks of the River Stour. Established in the 1780s, it was named after John Hector who ran the business from 1827 to 1879. Sadly in August 1900, Hector’s Brewery was burned down. Such was the conflagration that villagers travelled into Blandford to view the spectacle. A local newspaper reported that the watching crowd was most orderly and all that went missing were just a few apples from Mr Woodhouse’s orchard. In October 1900, a new brewery completed its first brew. Hector’s Brewery was remembered many years later when a special ‘Hector’s Ale’ was produced.

While the ‘Badger’ has been the company’s hallmark for many years there was a dispute over its use with a Yorkshire mineral manufacturer. The dispute was resolved finally when Hall & Woodhouse made a payment of fifty two pounds & ten shillings (£52.50).

Horse transport was used for beer deliveries until three steam traction engines were acquired named ‘Badger’, ‘Fox’ and ‘Hare’. For town deliveries, horses continued to be used for some time. The business was one of the first in Blandford to have a telephone installed. They were given the number ‘Blandford 9’, a facility that cost seven pounds ten shillings per annum (£7.50)

To celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, John Woodhouse brewed a special Coronation Ale. It was so strong it was closer to a barley wine. Saturday 13^th May 1953, saw a large group of staff and friends gather at 6.30am at Blandford station to join a chartered train to travel to London to view the Coronation decorations. Each employee was given three shillings (15p) to buy refreshments. This became the first and highly popular Hall & Woodhouse Annual Outing which continued for many years.

In 1977, Hall & Woodhouse celebrated 200 years of brewing and again produced a celebration ale. Reflecting the culture of the time, male staff were presented with a limited edition blue glazed Poole Pottery tankard with the trademark ‘Badger’. While female employees were given a set of six table placemats which featured scenes from the brewery’s history. That year, Badger Beers produced their first house journal ‘Hops & Pops.’

Badger Beers continue to be brewed today and probably the company’s greatest achievement has been to survive for more than two centuries. This is unlike many other local breweries such as Eldridge Pope in Dorchester and Devenish & John Groves of Weymouth.

(Illustrations: Steam Foden Steam Wagon 'Fox' with drivers Charlie Foyle & Ephraim Harris source Hall & Woodhouse 1777-1977: Brewery Outing rail ticket - credit Diana Clark)