Matthew Brown

Following on from Peter Smith's post of the 'Blog Preston' article about the state of Church Street, in the Preston History Facebook group, I recalled having a look at a number of the Listed Buildings in that area, some of which are in a poor state of repair. Thankfully, The (former) Lamb is looking much better now. However, another former pub is currently looking very neglected.

I went to have a look at the outside of the building over the last winter months and took some photographs to upload to the Historic England website. Looking at the listing entry, there appeared to be an anomaly. The pub in question was THE OLD DOG INN, and the listing stated the following:

"The ground floor has a round-headed doorway in the 3rd bay under an elaborate segmental-pedimented canopy, the pediment containing monogrammed lettering "18 MB & Co Ltd 98" (probably Massey Burnley brewery)."

Whilst, it covers itself, by saying 'probably', I am certain that it was actually a Matthew Brown establishment. That led me to do a bit of research.

Pediment containing monogrammed lettering "18 MB & Co Ltd 98".

THE OLD DOG INN, on Church Street. Photographed 13th May 2024.

Matthew Brown History

I knew of the Matthew Brown brewing company from my younger days, and had worked with some of their employees as an apprentice at a training school in the Bank Top area of Blackburn. This made me believe that Matthew Brown was a Blackburn company, and always had been. At that time, I only knew of their brewery in Little Harwood. This is not the case.

Original Mathew Brown logo on THE OLD DOG INN, Church Street, Preston.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. A 1 ALE bottle label.

Matthew Brown (1807 - 1883) started brewing and running pubs in 1830. His brewery was on the corner of Pole Street and Percy Street, which is in the area between the bus station and Church Street. In 1883 he had malthouses at Lark Hill, Maudland, Moor Park and Lawson Street. He also had 46 pubs with beer licences. Old Tom was a speciality and was well known as a strong beer. In 1927 Matthew Brown took over the Lion Brewery of Nuttalls in Blackburn and moved the business to there. Many pubs in Preston still carry traces of the Matthew Brown name. In 1987, much like many other breweries at the time, it was taken over by Scottish and Newcastle. In 1991 Scottish and Newcastle closed the brewery and moved production to Nottingham. In 2008 the business was carved up by Carlsberg and Heineken and in general Heineken operate the Scottish and Newcastle part.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. advert. From the Preston Digital Archive.

Furnished with this knowledge, that led me to think that THE OLD DOG INN was of more importance historically, as it would have been the closest establishment to the brewery on Pole Street. Looking at this more closely, it turned out that a lost pub called the ANGLERS' INN was even closer.

THE ANGLERS' INN was at 4 Pole Street. The Angler's first landlord was Matthew Brown, whose brewery was diagonally across the road from this public house. The last landlord of the establishment was Ronald Martin, who was the landlord at the time of its closure in 1969. I have seen pictures of the pub, in a closed state, during the 1970s. However, at the time of writing, I haven't been able to establish when it was demolished.

The ANGLERS' INN on Pole Street. From the Red Rose Collections.

Stonework above the entrance of The ANGLERS' INN on Pole Street.

Going back to THE OLD DOG INN, there is also a blue plaque on the building. The Old Dog Inn was built in 1715 after it moved from its other premises at the corner of Blue Bell Yard, which was destroyed in the Battle of Preston of that year. The blue plaque on the outside is to mark how it was used for early Methodist meetings. When Martha Thompson invited John Wesley to Preston in 1780 the pub was used as a base for the Methodist faith.

Martha Thompson 1733-1820. Blue Plaque on THE OLD DOG INN

Martha Thompson (1733 - 1820) was born in Preston in the eighteenth century. She was well educated and at nineteen had completed her apprenticeship to be a dressmaker. She is noted as the first Methodist in Preston.

She became friends with the landlady of The Dog Inn inn on Church Street in Preston. By this time Martha had gathered others interested in Methodism and she set up a small society in an upper room of this inn. William Walmsley became the leader and travelling preachers visited.

Martha set up in business as a dressmaker, became prosperous and used her influence to promote Methodism. She married Mr Whitehead, a brass founder and button maker. They had several children and in time one of her grandchildren became mayor.

The Methodist community grew and eventually a church was built in Back Lane, off Orchard Street, where John Wesley came to preach.

Matthew Brown in Preston

An Old Matthew Brown Bottle from Preston.

Old Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Bottle from Preston.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Drays. From breweryhistory.com

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Drays. From breweryhistory.com

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street. From the LEP. History of brewing in Preston that was published in 2017.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street. The Electric Man - An illuminated display during the 1922 Preston Guild. From the Preston Digital Archive

The Electric Man - Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street advert, showing the First Prize Medal from the 1906 Brewers' Exhibition in London.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery advert 1906.

Mathew Brown & Co., Ltd. Brewery on Pole Street advert, showing Prize Medals from the 1906 & 1907 Brewers' Exhibition in London. It had also been mentioned in the "Lancet" medical journal.