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This is a reproduction of our latest poster which is now appearing in full colour on prominent sites throughout most of Simonds territory. Courtesy of the Simonds family archives
.•.. R"l C;IMn~I)(;r:AMrlV·ME.U;: THE HOUSE JOURNAL OF SUMMER. 1960
H. & G. SIMONDS LIMITED VOL. . 34 OF READING GAZETTE NO ... . 2 ------
CONTENTS I g6o-Year of Destiny
Editorial .. IT is more than likely that the year 1960 will go down in the Presidential Year 2 annals of our Trade as one of the most important that we have THE PICTURE on our cover ever seen. Three matters of great moment are in the limelight, Bowls in Belgium 7 shows the King's Arms, which r and according to how they are settled, they can make a profound stands next to the lock at The Story of Courage and Barclay 9 difference to Trade and Public alike. They are the proposed new Sandford-on- Thames. This Licensing Bill, the Betting and Gaming Bill, already before Sir Alec at the Carpenters' Arms 14 popular inn is a well-known Parliament, and the widespread discussion on the problem of the drunken driver. rendezvous for oarsmen and The Table Wines of Europe .. 16 Licensing Law reform is certainly well overdue; there has fishing enthusiasts. Areas we s.erve- Thames Valley 20 been no major Licensing measure since 1921, and the recom- mendations of the Royal Commission of 1929 are now thirty years New Houses 25 out of date. The Gaming Laws are also ludicrously out of date, and in widespread disrepute in Licensed houses, and elsewhere. 26 A New Look at the Ship As for Drink with Driving, this is one of the less attractive features Wine Tasting with Arthur Cooper 27 of our prosperous age, and one which we must face in a most responsible manner if we do not wish to see our Trade become the Hopleaves 28 National scapegoat for the appalling rise in motor accidents. What attitude should Brewers and Licensees adopt towards all these problems? We say, without hesitation, the attitude of serving the public interest in its widest sense, even though in some 1 minor ways it may appear to affect our own sectional interest adversely.
Courtesy of the Simonds family archives ©SIMONDSFAM(lY~ Not for reproduction without permission
Courtesy of the Simonds family archives .•• '" ~IMfHJ"<~' MrI V·ME•UK l
Committee and Staff, including Mr. and Spencer, Governor of the School, then Mrs. Duncan Simonds, before mounting the thanked Her Royal Highness for the honour steps to the stage of the assembly hall, where which she had done the school in coming the opening ceremony was due to take place. along to open the new buildings and paid a After a service of dedication had been taken special tribute to those responsible for bringing yt by the Bishop of Buckingham, Mr. Duncan the great work to fruition. Simonds rose and, in a short speech, wel- Princess Alexandra was next conducted comed Princess Alexandra to the school, and round the new buildings, where she spent invited her to address a few words to the over an hour chatting to the children in the assembled children and visitors, and to various classes and looking at examples of declare the new buildings open. their work. So ended a red-letter day which In her address, Princess Alexandra ex- will go down in the history of the school and pressed her thanks for the welcome that she which, despite some rain, went without a had received and drew attention to the close hitch from beginning to end. Teas for the ~ associations that she had with the school visitors had been provided by our Catering through her father and the fact that she had Department and the Canvas Department had been brought up close by in Buckingham- been responsible for the provision and shire. After asking the Headmaster to grant erection of all tentage. the children an extra two days' holiday, the A pleasantly informal ceremony took place Princess unveiled a plaque in the new hall in the Board Room at Reading on April 8th commemorating the occasion. Mr. Herbert when General Sir Miles Dempsey, our
Mr. E. D. Simonds is introduced to Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra at the entrance of the new Assembly Hall.
Presidential Year
The new £100,000 extensions which were MR. DUNCAN SIMONDS' year as President of the opened by Princess Alexandra consist of a Licensed Victuallers School, which came to magnificent new assembly hall, ultra-modern a close on March 31st, 1960, was certainly a science laboratories, staff accommodation and memorable one. The great event was un- doubtedly the opening of the new extension additional classrooms and dormitories to to the school by Princess Alexandra on March enable the juniors to be segregated from the seniors and to allow an overall increase in the 29th, which marked the culmination of the plan for modernisation put in hand some number of pupils. years ago by the Governors and Committee. Princess Alexandra, whose father the Another event which gave great satisfaction Duke of Kent had opened the original to members of our firm in particular was the buildings at Slough when the school moved raising of a record sum for the Presidential there in 1938, was greeted on arrival by a List. The previous record, which was beaten fanfare from the trumpeters of the Royal by over £3,000, having been set up by Mr. Horse Guards. She was then introduced to Duncan Simonds' father, the late Mr. F. A. local dignitaries and members of the School Simonds, in 1945-46.
Courtesy of the I Mr. Duncan Simonds welcomes Princess Alexandra to the L. V. School. Simonds family archives 3
••••• IA ~I M()NrH~' Mil v·ME•Ul T. D.".. 5tl:! ..M!'y. 19.60.
The Editor of the Hop Leaf Gazette.
Dear Sir,
May I be allowed to encroach on your pages in order" to thank suitably all those connec te d with the Company who have given me such whole-hearted assistance during my year of office as President
of the Liceneed Victuallers I School.
The whole Simonds team pulled wonderfully well together, and the result I which, as your readers will know, 'was a record for the year, reflected very great cr~di t on our Hcuae in every way. Irnperiali , M. Rene Schoemans, ofSchweppes To Tenants, Managers, Staff, and (Genval) Ltd., together with Mr. E. D. countless friends, may I say on behalf of myself and of all the children at the Simonds and Mr. E. M. Downes, who had School who have benefited from your support a very big and heart-felt "Thank flown over the previous evening. you". After a most interesting tour of Brussels, Yours faithfully. which included a visit to the site of the 1959 Brussels Exhibition, we arrived at a beautiful ~ old hostelry in the Grand Place where we consumed large quantities of Martin's Pale Ale, better known to most of our readers in England as "Bulldog", after which the main Mr. E. M. Downes in play. A letter to the Editor from Mr. Duncan party was transported to the Hotel de Lido, Simonds. Genval. At 10.00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28th, we bowls in belgium were taken to the Genval Bowling Club, situated in front of the Schweppes (Genval) by F. W. Freeman factory at the edge of a beautiful lake, which Mr. Duncan Simonds and Mr. Spencer take one can only describe as the loveliest setting an interest in some Wood Work exhibits at the AT THE INVITATION of Mr. John Martin, our L. V. School. Agent in Belgium, a party from the Brewery visited Genval during May for a bowls match. The Simonds Team pictured before boarding their aircraft. The green there is the only bowling green Left to right: L. Rush, R. Crisp, F. W. Freeman, L. Allen, F. Slape, F. Cowlin, E. M. Downes. in Belgium, or indeed in Europe and was laid down by Mr. John Martin some years ago. Through the generosity of our Board of Duncan Simonds, when he spoke, stressed during their year in office Mr. Herbert Directors the following were invited to repre- the increasing importance of science in every- Spencer, the popular Governor of the School, sent the Company, and flew out to Belgium day life and gave the students two personal and Mr. Duncan Simonds as President had on Friday evening, May 27th:- t • tips which he hoped that they might find between them raised a sum of £56,013 for Messrs. E. D. Simonds E. M. Downes useful-to show good manners and to have the Society of Licensed Victuallers and the F. C. Cowlin F. W. Freeman an enquiring mind. Mrs. Simonds presented L.V. School. This was easily a record and L. Rush L. Allen the prizes. the announcement, which was made at a R. P. Crisp F. S1ape On arrival at Brussels Airport the main The year was finally rounded off at the luncheon after the actual ceremony, was party was welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Change of Keys ceremony in London on greeted by an ovation from the several Andrew Martin, The Marquis Etienne April 22nd, when it was announced that hundred people present.
Courtesy of the Simonds family archives A. .r.(IMfll1.ll'\(:C.!i'MIIV.ME.m: in the world. After further sampling Martin's represented to ensure that those who control Pale Ale in the most attractive Clubhouse the Company's overall policy are equally facing the bowling green, everyone was responsible for its implementation through anxious to start playing bowls. the Companies which form the Group. The two Captains, Marquis Etienne Irnperiali (Genval Bowling Club) and Mr. @he For this reason H. & G. Simonds Ltd. F. W. Freeman (Simonds Bowling Club), continues under the direction of its own introduced the two teams, and a presentation Board, who contribute to the overall direction of a banner and badges was made by the of the Group and are responsible for Genval Captain. cMo';!!y implementing the policy of this Company. During the morning we played 2 I ends, with the following result:- &- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Genval, 57 points; Simonds, 33 points (Jurc:!/ The story of Courage and Barclay is Although we found the green in excellent the story of two breweries. The one in condition, it was not as fast as our English Bermondsey belonging to Vassal Webling greens, and most of our team had difficulty JJaro~ was purchased in 1787 by John Courage, a in reaching the 'Jack'. Our two Directors, shipping merchant from Glasgow; the other Mr. E. D. Simonds and Mr. E. M. Downes, in Southwark, originally built in the early were full of enthusiasm, and it was surprising I600s, became the property of Barclay and that after having had only two lessons they were giving such a good account of them- Mr. Freeman receives a banner from the selves. Marquis Imperiali. The Genval bowlers were extremely keen and great sportsmen and, due to their know- ledge of the green, undoubtedly superior to INTRODUCTION our team. first-class condition-after which' we were During the afternoon a further match was taken by car to visit the site of the Battle of The merger between our own Company played and the Simonds team, having gained Waterloo, and eventually spent the evening and Courage and Barclay having now been some knowledge of the green during the in Brussels, which proved most enjoyable and completed, and a new Company-Courage, instructive! morning, were only beaten by four shots, Barclay and Simonds Ltd formed-it is although they tied in winning ends. After a further match on Sunday morning important that we should know something At the close of play on Saturday we we were entertained to lunch by Mr. and of each other's history and present activities. Mrs. Andrew Martin at Maison du Seigneur, adjourned to the Clubhouse for further In the next few pages we tell briefly the refreshment-again Martin's Pale Ale in a most attractive hotel situated at the end of the lake. During lunch their Captain, story which led to the formation in 1955 of Marquis Etienne Imperiali, gave a most Courage and Barclay Limited. This Com- cordial welcome to our party and expressed pany and our own have now been brought Mr. and Mrs. John Martin and Mrs. Duncan Simonds watch their team's appreciation of the excellent together to form one of the largest Brewing one of the matches. game we played. Mr. F. W. Freeman, Groups in the country. Captain of Simonds team, in his reply, The Board of Courage, Barclay and thanked the Genval Bowling Club for the Simonds Ltd. consists of :- very enjoyable game, and expressed the hope MR. R. H. COURAGE, Chairman. that they would be able to visit England, for GENERAL SIR MILES DEMPSEY, Vice-Chairman. a return match, next year. He also thanked MR. H. S. SWALLOW, Managing Director. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Martin for the MR. K. P. CHAPMAN, Assistant Managing Director. wonderful hospitality which had been MR. L.E.D.BEVAN MR.E. R. COURAGE extended to our party. MR. F. H. BOWYER LT.-COL. J. H. COURAGE The whole team returned to London on MR. T. B. BUNTING MR. R. B.'ST. J. QUARRY Sunday evening, and everyone found it CDR. A. D. COURAGE MR. E. D. SIMONDS difficult to describe in ordinary words the The Board has been so composed that splendid hospitality which had been showered the interests of the subsidiaries are fully upon them in Belgium.
Mr. R. H. Courage, Chairman of 8 9 Courage, Barclay, Simonds Ltd. Courtesy of the Simonds family archives .A.. 5"I<:lM(HJI'\(~A·MIIV.ME.U):: The ravages of war have always given man licensed houses covering a wide area, they the year I958/9, Kinloch's own wines were the opportunity to build anew and the believe in giving a full consumer service supplied exclusively to what must be the brewhouse opened at Horsleydown in I954 which includes the supply of wines and most discriminating audience in the world, is now generally recognised as one of the spirits and of mineral waters, at reasonable the guests of the Lord Mayor of London. finest of its kind in Britain. The brewhouse prices. at Southwark has now been completely MINERALS demolished to make way for a bottling hall WINES AND SPIRITS One of the oldest mineral water com- which will be the envy, not only of Britain, Charles Kinloch joined the Group in I957. panies in the country, Camwal Limited, was but of the world. Originally established in Bucklersbury, E.C., acquired by Barclays in I954. This company In the course of their respective histories, in I86I, their present premises are at Queens- can boast the proud tradition that it was both Courages and Barclays have from time bury Road, Wembley, Middlesex. These to time acquired controlling interests in offices and cellars were built in I930, and founded in I878 by a group of scientists, other breweries and industries in London and extend over two acres. The Company is now encouraged by medical and hospital the Home Counties. one of the biggest shippers of wine in the authorities and determined to provide mineral water of purity, a thing unheard of in those Courage and Company, in the full United Kingdom and their Liquid Sunshine realisation that the water in the Alton Rum is a household word. They are also days. Their efforts to attain this standard district of Hampshire was the finest in the amongst the largest shippers of Spanish wines were backed by the chemists, who were at country for brewing bitter, took over Messrs. which have become so popular in recent that time the principal sellers of mineral G. & E. Hall's Brewery there in I903. Now years. It is with pride that we recall that in waters. The very name-c-Camwal=-stands the Alton Brewery is fully employed in producing the famous ''John Courage", the best of the Alton ales which are available in the whole Group. In all, Courage and Barclay now have six breweries in operation; Tower Bridge from the windows of Courage and Barclays at Horsleydown, where there is also the main Brewery, Horsleydown. office; Park Street, Southwark, where the Lager Brewery is situated; Alton in Hamp- shire; Maidstone in Kent, formerly Style and Winch Ltd., and a fairly recent member ' . of the family, Nicholsons of Maidenhead. ~'''''L'',) .• I There is also the Blue Nile Brewery in Khartoum, completed in I955. Courage and Barclay's range of famous bottled Beers. The best beer must have the best ingredients. Malt, the very foundation of the brewing process, is produced by Courage and Barclay at their Maltings in Suffolk. These Maltings have only recently been Perkins in I 78I. These two great concerns completely mechanised, and new silos built joined forces in I955 in the common interest capable of storing all the malt required by the of their customers, their tenants and their Group. Hops, which to a great extent friends. control the flavour of the beer, are also During their early history both breweries grown by the Group on their own farms at suffered the misfortune of fire, each having to Hunton and East Farleigh, near Maidstone. be almost completely rebuilt, and the The silver medal for hops was awarded to incendiaries and high explosive bombs of them the year before last at the Brewers' the Second World War again caused havoc Exhibition. within each brewhouse. Barclay Perkins The interests of Courage and Barclay do lost three out of their five coppers and mash not by any means end with the brewing and tuns, and Courages had their roof stripped the sale of beers in their own tied houses and off and their river wall seriously impaired. to the free trade. Like all good brewers with
Courtesy of the Simonds family archives If) ,IM ntJn~~ AM" V·ME.UK OFF LICENCES Carlos and Thrale, a subsidiary company formed in I957, controls Off Licences which can be numbered amongst the best in the country. Within this organisation are also included the properties of Yardley's London and Provincial Stores, who joined the Group in I959. .
EXPORT Even before Robert Barclay took over his business in I 78I, the records show that Henry Thrale, the former owner, was export- ing his "intire" to the frozen regions of Russia and the burning sands of Bengal and Sumatra. The porter that Thrale brewed specially for the Empress of Russia still exists today as Courage and Barclay's Imperial Russian Stout. Barelay's Pilsner Lager is one of the most important beer exports, supplied as it is to agents throughout the world. Such is the story of Courage and Barclay, whose symbol-the Cockerel-stands for "John Courage-the best brew of our time". See a Cockerel-take Courage ! A Tiger Moth aeroplane salutes the new public house of that name opened for Courage and Barclay in 1959 by Colonel The "John Baird", named to commemorate R. L. Preston, C.B.E., Secretary-General of the AeTo Club. Eddie and Major, the Company's two most famous dray The "Trent Tavern", Southgate, an the inventor of television, and opened at horses, now in retirement, passing the "Swan" at Alton. This attractive Courage and Barclay House Muswell Hill in 1959. pair have won countless prizes at shows all over England. opened in 1958.
for "Chemists Aerated Mineral Water Association Limited". This year Orangillo won the gold medal at the International Beverage Trades Fair as the most outstanding soft drink of the year. The factories are at Southfields, Rochester and Alton, with distribution centres at Maidstone, Brentford and Bristol.
TIED HOUSES The famous cockerel of Courage and Barclay is to be found in London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Middlesex and Essex. Since the war 64 new houses have been built, some replacing houses destroyed by the war and some serving the needs of the new estates.
12 Courtesy of the Simonds family archives •••. ""~IMntJn HAVING SPENT a good deal of his time as a Before-the "Carpenters Arms" as workmen started converting it ... and After-disguised as the "Bridge Hotel". press photographer, "Pete" Talbot, the tenant of the CarpentersArms at Windsor, was only mildly taken aback when a customer, film no less than seven times before it was reckoned to be one of the biggest and most who had just come in, casually asked him if reckoned that just the right effect had been expensive to be made this year. achieved. he would mind his pub featuring in a film. All told it was a pretty bizarre evening It appeared that, given a few alterations, the Apart from Sir Alec Guinness, who plays as far as Mr. and Mrs. Talbot were con- Carpenters Arms was exactly the type of inn the main role in the film-and who appears cerned, what with the front of the house and required as a background to some important in the sequences taken at the CarpentersArms- one bar being used as a film set, with half the scenes in the United Artists film "Tunes of other well-known actors in the cast include population of Windsor crowded round to Glory". John Mills and Dennis Price. A replica of watch, and most of the rest of the house So it was that, during the afternoon of the Carpenters Arms was built on the set at taken over by the film makers as dressing and February 17th, some men from the film Shepperton so that interior sequences could dining rooms. Still, trade in the one remaining company came along and converted the be filmed there later. The film as a whole is bar could hardly have been improved upon! Carpenters Arms into the "Bridge Hotel"-a public house situated somewhere in Scotland, according to the story. They were followed by electricians who laid cables everywhere and brought generators to work the spot- lights which had been mounted on platforms in the narrow old-fashioned streets outside the transformed inn. Next some tracks were laid for the camera to run on and gradually, as darkness fell, a swarm of actors, camera- men, lighting experts, make-up men and others connected with the film gathered round until one wondered how on earth order was to be sorted out of chaos. Finally Ronald Neame, the director, arrived and before long the first scene to be shot was being rehearsed until he was satis- fied that the actors and cameramen were working smoothly as a team and the lighting Above: Sir Alec Guinness discusses a was perfect. The scene was then taken on point with the director, Ronald Neame. Right: A scene from the film "Tunes if Sir Alec waits patiently for shooting to begin. Courtesy of the Glory". Simonds family archives ..6... IPl <::IMfHJI'l<:i=AMII V·ME.Uk the Duchy of Aquitaine belonged to the English Crown. The outstanding feature of the Bordeaux vineyard is the infinite variety of the wines that it produces. Both the whites and the reds come from many different soils; some from gravel and alluvial soils bordering the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and others from clay-limestone subsoils, and in each of There are thousands of different properties these categories there are quite a number of and many ofthem can claim to produce great 1 other sub-divisions. Chdteau Palmer in the Medoc country. wines. In the Medoc region alone, which Moreover, the climate of this region, a extends along the left bank of the Gironde 1 maritime one, changes very greatly from year almost to the sea, there are sixty chateaux THE WINES o F EUROPE to year. Hence there are many variable classified as "bourgeois" growths. A chateau, factors which produce a long and extended incidentally is more or less the equivalent of list of different red and white wines. a home farm and usually consists of a resi- dence and winery and the cellars of a The The majority of the vineyards in this area THE CITY OF BORDEAUX, admirably situated are of considerable extent and each belongs on the estuary of the Gironde, sixty miles to a single proprietor, who normally has his from the Atlantic, is the hub of the largest own winery at his chateau. This is in contrast Bordeaux vineyard in the world. Both red and white to the system in the Burgundy region where wines are made and there are scores of growers usually own small portions of vine- varieties and types of each. yards, scattered over a wide area, and on the whole leave the vinification to merchants in Historically the Bordeaux region. has the towns. This perhaps gives more authenti- always been closely linked with Britain since Region city to the Bordeaux wines as they are put on the time of the marriage of Eleanor of the market under the name of the property Aquitaine with Henry Plantagenet, then on which they are grown, whether they are King of England, in 1155. by P. H. Manners Wood sold in bulk or are bottled first at the chateau. The word "claret" is probably derived from the French word "clairets", which in ~ times past described wines from the Graves district, which were produced from the juice J~ of red grapes with which was mixed a certain proportion of the juice of white grapes. Hence a light red wine whose name on Top: In this winter scene the stony soil between the vines is being ploughed. English lips became transformed into" claret". This type of wine was popular in England for nearly three centuries, during which time Bottom: The vines are regularly sprayed as a protection against disease. Courtesy of the Simonds family archives .• I?'ICIMnMn..:t:zn.41Iv.ME.UX strength and contains great natural sweet- family likeness. Because Claret possesses a ness. One of the most famous chateaux in the greater degree of individuality it requires Sauternes area is Chateau d'Yquem. more understanding. More than most wines it really does go through the "seven ages of The ripe bunches of grapes being cut from the vine with secateurs. Between the Garonne and the Dordogne man" and there is nothing more rewarding Rivers is the area known as Entre deux Mers, to the wine drinker than a claret in its prime literally "between two seas", and in this area or even right into very old age. is made considerable quantities of white "vin ordinaire" of no great distinction. vineyard. The best wines in the Medoc come white wine, there are some fine red wines from the Parishes of Margaux, St. Julien, made and some chateaux make both. The On the other side of the Dordogne we Pauillac and St. Estephe. area lies south of Bordeaux and if we proceed come to St. Emilion, which produces red Top: Another harvest scene, with the grapes being loaded into tubs and taken along the Garonne River we come to the wines which are characterized by deep colour, In 1855 the Medoc wines were classified away to be made into wine. Sauternes and Barsac country, the home of fullness of body and forthright aroma. These according to quality; in fact the Bordeaux the most famous white wines of the Bordeaux are the so-called "Burgundies" of Bordeaux "stud book" was produced. Sixty vineyards region. These wines are intensely sweet and and the Chateau Ausone is the famous Bottom: A typical cellar in a Bordeaux were included and these were divided into property here. chdteau showing wine maturing in cask. five crus or growths, the first four being have a great delicacy of flavour and bouquet. known as grands crus. There then followed The grapes are harvested only when they are In this area is also situated the district of the wines classified as "bourgeois" growths, over-ripe and to the layman the grape clusters Pomerol, and on the east bank ofthe Gironde which are also much sought after. would appear decayed and covered with the regions of Bourg and Blaye, both of which brown dust. This means that the grapes have produce some fair red and white wines. First growth wines are: Chateaux Lafite, reached a high degree of over-ripeness or To sum up, for sheer variety and distinc- Latour, Margaux, and Haut-Brion. The top "noble rottenness" as the French call it. The wine in the second cru is Mouton-Rothschild, tion of flavour there is no other wine-growing object of picking the grapes so late and which is also often classed as a first growth. area in the world to compare with the allowing them to ripen in this way is to Bordeaux region, where one can find not a After Medoc comes the Graves area and obtain a high concentration of grape sugar dozen, but a hundred wines, of anyone although most people think of Graves as a so that the wine ferments out at a high vintage, all different, yet having a strong Courtesy of the 19 Simonds family archives '&"1f'l<:IMntuf\<:J:AMIIV.MS.UIC under a gay sun umbrella and watch the quite on the river, but its gaily painted doors river craft go by. and beamed interior are just the sort of thing The Pack Horse, which is managed by Mr. to attract the traveller. Mr. G. L. S. Parkin K. W. Nias, has made a very considerable has only been there for a year, but has name for itself in culinary circles. The already built up a faithful clientele who come Challenge Trophy at Hotel Olympia for the from far and wide. best three-course meal has been won twice Allowing ourselves a slight diversion on the in recent years and the Wine and Food way to Wargrave, we looked in to see Mr. P. Society arranges a special dinner or luncheon Himmonds at the Crown, Burchetts Green. for its members there every year. There is a This is a charming pub situated in an un- spacious ballroom with a bar of its own so usually attractive village, surrounded by that a party of any kind can be catered for. unspoiled countryside. Its verandah, garden Windsor is sooner or later the goal of every and sixteenth-century bar give it character tourist and here we found the Thames Hotel, and Mr. and Mrs. Himmonds make a parti- which stands on the river bank. Mrs. W. A. J. cular feature of their flowers both inside and Pickin and her family have been licensees out. there since the day it was built in I906. In The origins of War grave go back to Saxon the summer the river brings a constant flow and Roman times and it is still one of the of customers and big parties are being catered most attractive villages to be found along the for in the banqueting room nearly every day. Thames. It seems curious to find that in I 9 I4 In addition Mrs. Pickin runs the bars and the Norman Church was virtually burnt catering aboard many of the launches which down by Militant Suffragettes-strange that ply up and down the river from Windsor. such an issue, which now seems dead beyond The fifteenth-century Crown at Bray is not recall, should have flared in Wargrave, a One of the loveliest reaches of the Thames AREAS WE SERVE seen from the "Swan" at Pangbourne. AI 0 n g the Banks o f the Thames ALTHOUGH THE THAMES is a small river by Based as we are in Reading, a lot of the American or even European standards, it Thames Valley is 'Simonds Country' and so runs through some of the most beautiful parts we thought it might be interesting to follow of England and remains a highly popular the river along and see what our firm has to tourist attraction. Much of our history has offer to both tourist and resident. been enacted on or near its banks and it Staines is a convenient place to stop for a presents many contrasts as it wends its way meal on the way out of London and the Pack from the peaceful Cotswolds, through Oxford, Horse Hotel is well sited to meet this demand. with its mixture of cloistered calm and hum- Its dining room, which had just been re- ming industry, to Reading and thence to decorated when we were there, is delightfully London, the commercial centre of the situated overlooking the river, and there is a Commonwealth. terrace leading from it where one can sit The terrace outside the "Pack Horse" tempts ma'!Y 'holidaymakers to tie up alongside. Courtesy of the Simonds family archives .•••. ""'IMf)lIJn~.AM"v·ME.UK always one or more motor yachts tied up there. An unusual feature is the glass sun lounge where one can sit and make the most of the sun even if there is a chill in the air outside. Apart from its pleasant surroundings, the George and Dragon is also well known for its excellent food and wine, which is scarcely surprising since the manager, Mr. D. ]. Hewett, has, in his time, run the catering for the House of Lords, the Privy Council and the Greyhound Racing Association. There are two well-known Simonds' river- side inns at Reading-the Crown at Caversham Bridge and the Roebuck at Tilehurst. Mr. W. M. Nelson, who has been at the Crown for eight years, obtains a lot of his trade from the river, as there is a landing stage next to the bridge. He also goes in for catering on a large scale both on his own premises and at race meetings, horse shows and other functions. Mr. Nelson is Vice-Chairman of the Reading The "George and Dragon" at Wargrave. L.V.A. this year, and his wife is Chairman of be faced the other way. There are still the Ladies' Auxiliary. The Crown is also parts of the old house remaining, where the famous for its almost unbeatable darts team Tudor Bar now stands. Its spaciousness, and dancer, mainly in cabaret in London. which has won the HopleafChampionship for the lovely view across the Thames Valley, are No doubt it is a little strange to find an the past two years. the two things that impress one about the inn in Goring called The Miller !if Mansfield, Mr. E. J. C. Hazard has only been at the Roebuck. but there is a legend which accounts for it. village which seems to be just sleeping the Roebuck for about a year and a half, but, It is seldom that the Swan in Pangbourne Henry III is said to have been out hunting centuries quietly through. apart from six years when he was in the is not pretty full; its position overlooking the near the town of Mansfield when he stopped The George and Dragon, situated on the R.A.F., he has spent his life in the Trade. weir could hardly be bettered, and the repu- at a mill for refreshment, without revealing river bank on the outskirts of the village, with Before the railway was built, the road used tation which Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spackman his identity. The miller offered the King a its lawns running down to the waterside, is a to run between the Roebuck and the river, have built up for excellent food and drink meal of venison which he had poached, great attraction both to motorists and to and its front entrance looked out across the served in a pleasant atmosphere has resulted whereupon King Henry made himself known people in river craft. There is a private valley. This meant that when the position in a faithful following of regular customers. and drew his sword. The miller at once fell mooring, and in the summer there is nearly of the road was changed the Roebuck had to The excellence of the cold buffet in the bar upon his knees and begged forgiveness, so is only rivalled by Mrs. Spackman's speciality, that the King, evidently touched, knighted Chicken Maryland, which is served in the him as Sir] ohn Cockell and granted him a attractive dining room. The house itself is plot of land at Goring upon which to build probably five hundred years old and parts of a tavern. Nowadays the Miller of Mansfield it were originally a wharf and the lock- is run by Mr. and Mrs. A. H. A. Harris, who keeper's cottage. There are literary associa- offer comfortable accommodation and good Top: tions, as Kenneth Graham wrote much of the food to a wide variety of guests, many of them The river at Windsor-a view taken from "The Wind in the Willows" in the bar, and visitors from abroad to the Atomic Energy near the" Thames Hotel". the story of "Three Men in a Boat" finishes Establishment at Harwell. at the Swan with the intrepid heroes of the The Kings Arms stands on the lock at Centre: book making a landfall there. Mr. and Mrs. Sandford, some three miles from Oxford, and " The Crown" at Bray-r-an attractive Spackman were at the Cross Keys at Pang- has been a popular rendezvous [or rowing fifteenth century country inn. bourne before coming to the Swan, and before men and fishing enthusiasts for a hundred and that Mrs. Spackman was on the stage as a fifty years or more. There is alleged to be a Bottom: Just theplace togofor a drink on a summer's evening-the "Crown" at Burchetis Green. 23 Courtesy of the I Simonds family archives .A. ff) <:1M nM rvc t:4 M II v.ME.Ui: ".~"...,-----.~.~~.- ..,., dedicated to St. John the Baptist by Peter Fitzherbert and came under the aegis of the NEW HOUSES local Priory. When the Priory was dissolved in 1472 by Edward IV, the premises became an inn known as "Ye Signe of St. John Baptist Head", a title which was retained until 1704 when it was changed to the Trout Inn. The ancient fishery rights granted by THE BULLDOG Royal Charter are still held by the inn, ~~ which controls six miles of excellent trout and ----=- coarse fishing water and there is a delightful garden beside the river where meals are served in summer. The Anglers Bar remains very much as it must have been through the THE "BULLDOG", which was opened on March 8th by Mr. E. D. Simonds, provides centuries, with its exposed beams, simple the residents of Swindon's new Walcot oaken tables and benches and stone floor. By Estate with a fine tavern within easy reach ghostly coach and four which has been seen way of contrast, the two supper rooms have "The Bulldog" well and truly opened. Left to right: Mr. of their homes. The first pint was drawn by in the past, but one is apt to pay little heed a cosy French atmosphere about them and Duncan Simonds, Mr. and Mrs. P. M.jjj-ench and Alderman Alderman F. D. Jefford, Mayor of Swindon. F. D. Jeiford. to such fantasies as one sits in the riverside here one can have an excellent meal by The bars incorporate many of the innova- garden, on a warm summer's evening, candlelight with a bottle of wine from the tions which our firm has found popular in the enjoying a cool glass of beer and watching well chosen wine list. Mr. and Mrs. A. various other new houses which have been the boats come through the lock. Brigden, who have two sons studying to go opened recently in the West Country and Once beyond Oxford, the Thames narrows into the hotel business, have been at the Trout South Wales. A special cooling system The pictorial sign, painted by Mr. V. H. S. considerably as it meanders gently through for less than four years, but the way in which ensures that beer is kept at just the right Burroughs, the well-known sign designer, the green meadows of the Cotswold country. they uphold its 700-year-old tradition of temperature in the cellar and all bars have depicts a bulldog on one side and one of the Lechlade is one of the most charming small hospitality and good food has attracted a refrigerated shelves and bottle coolers. Any- famous Swindon locomotives on the other. towns in this part of the world, and just discriminating clientele from miles around. thing from a sausage roll to a three-course The Bulldog Tavern is controlled by the outside it, at St. John's Bridge, stands the These, then, are just a few of the Simonds' meal is available and a food lift direct to the Hotels and Catering Branch of the Company, Trout Inn. This ancient building was origin- kitchen ensures prompt service and really hot and adjoining it is a new Arthur Cooper ally constructed in about 1220 as a hospital Taverns which, by offering a welcome along food. The house is centrally heated Branch, whose Wine and Spirit Shops now or almshouse to accommodate the workmen the Thames and something exceptional in the throughout. extend throughout the Simonds territory. who were replacing the old wooden bridge way of food, make a notable contribution to The Bulldog bar is a large L-shaped room, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. ffrench have taken across the Thames with a stone one. It was the amenities of this famous part of England. part of which can be divided off for use as a on the management, having previously been club room or for functions. The Walcot at the Queens Hotel, Farnborough, and the lounge is charmingly furnished and drew Marquis qf Lome. much favourable comment at the opening, many people considering it an outstanding Top: The "Miller of Mansfield" fits example of the skill of our interior decorating well into the charming riverside consultant, Mr. R. Howie. village of Goring. Children are well catered for, as a bright airy room with miniature tables and chairs offers them a fine playground adjacent to the two bars. ..• The bar in the attractively furnished Walcot Lounge Bottom: photographed just before the opening. Seven hundred years old and still going strong-the" Trout Inn" at Lechlade. 25 Courtesy of the Simonds family archives A lPICIMfHln number of Wine Tastings in May in con- THE WINES OFFERED FOR TASTING WERE: The Spanish Bar at the "Ship". junction with the Milk Marketing Board, the Ship who provided an interesting variety of White Burgundy: Meursault 1958 English cheeses to go with the wines on White Bordeaux: Chdteau Olivier 1955 bar were specially flown from Gibraltar, the EXTENSIVE ALTERATIONS were made earlier display. Alsace Wine: Traminer this year to the Restaurant and Spanish Bar furniture upholstery is siliconised to make it The Queens Hotel, Farnborough, was the Hungarian Wine: Balatoni Riesling 1953 at the Ship Hotel, Reading, and the oppor- washable, and the plain flat timber surfaces scene of the first tasting on May zrid and tunity was also taken to carry out a complete are made of Belfort veneer which is virtually 3rd, and some 450 people came along to it. Rhine Wine: Schloss Bockelheimer 1955 refurnishing programme. heat- and scratch-proof. Finally, all the table This was followed by an equally successful Loire Wine: Anjou Rose de Cabernet The restaurant now has a seating capacity legs in the restaurant are fitted with adjusters event at the Arthur Cooper Branch in High Claret: Chdteau Brillette 1953 to make quite certain that customers do not of seventy and an impressive a la carte menu Street, Bracknell, on May r qth and zoth. Burgundy: Moulin a Vent 1955 is available in addition to table d'h6te. One suffer the annoyance of having an unsteady On each occasion there was a wide Rhone Wine Chdteauneuf-du-Pape 1957 of the outstanding features of the restaurant table. selection of informative leaflets available and is the unit which Mr. J. L. Hastings, Manager The hotel is under the management of members of the Arthur Cooper staff were on of the Hotels and Catering Department, had Mr. and Mrs. K. J. Micah; the Restaurant hand to answer questions. The attractive specially designed for the storing of wines. In Manager being Mr. R. G. Sheather, late of layout of the rooms was also the subject of The tables laid out with wine and cheese ready for tasting at the top section of this unit is kept a selection the Hotel Russell in London. much favourable comment. the "Queens Hotel". of all the wines shown on the wine list, which have to be served at room temperature. The lower section is refrigerated and here a The redecorated Restaurant has a light and airy atmosphere. hundred bottles of white wine can be kept chilled, as well as beers and lager. There is also a separate refrigerated compartment for fruit juices and butter. The top of the re- frigerated section forms a sideboard which has a stainless steel carving top. Other interesting features of the scheme of redecoration are the strict attention paid to detail and the attractive but practical materials used. Thus the Spanish dolls in the Courtesy of the Simonds family archives .A.. tP\ C, M f)M rvc t4 M II VpME.m: The Addlestone National Reserve and Social Club, which was formed nearly fifty Ho-pleaves years ago, continues to be one of the most successful clubs in the area. Two hundred members attended the annual dinner this year. •• An interesting visitor to the Brewery this A NEWS LETTER from 824 Squadron, which the firm "adopted" last year, contains the in- year was Mr. Allen Brandt, who is assistant formation that the Squadron embarked in manager of Radio Station 4BH of Brisbane, H.M.S. Ark Royal on March znd and arrived Australia. He is one of the best known broad- casters in Queensland and New South Wales at Malta on March I rth, having stopped at Gibraltar on the way. and was one of a party of Australian jour- Among those who were particularly nalists and broadcasters making a Govern- pleased to have the chance of a "run ashore" ment sponsored tour of the United Kingdom. at Gibraltar was the Squadron's monkey After he had been round the Brewery, A group taken at the Addlestone National Reserve and Social Mr. Brandt recorded an interview with Mr. Club. Left to right: Mr. J. Stanley, Mr. C. Sweeney, Mr. mascot, N. A. Muggs, who, of course, has R. Butcher and Mr. W. Willingham. plenty of relations on the Rock. Christopher Downes, our technical manager, Soon after their arrival in Malta the for broadcasting on his return home and also Squadron disembarked for a short time to the in the U.S.A. Naval Air Station, Hal Far, and liaison was Mr. and Mrs. John Chadwick's last quickly established with Simonds-Farsons- At evening behind the bar of the London Inn, Cisk. Penzance, was the signal for a farewell party. Both during the trip to the Mediterranean Dick Richardson pushes over the pile of pennies at the The Mayor of Penzance, Mr. S. T. Peak, " White Lion". presented Mr. Chadwick with a zft. Cornish and since their arrival in Malta the Squadron Apart from the shop attached to the serpentine lighthouse, and Mr. Chadwick in has been carrying out intensive flying training Bulldog, which is mentioned elsewhere in this his turn handed over a giant bottle, con- and a few days after the news letter was posted issue, two further Arthur Cooper Branches taining £92 subscribed by customers, to Mrs. was due to pay a short visit to Palermo in have been opened in recent months. These W. Holman, Vice-Chairman of West Corn- Sicily. The Annual Meeting of the Simonds Golf are the Tadley Wine Stores at 48 Bishopwood wall and Poltair Hospitals League of Friends. Club will be taking place at Sonning-on- Road, Tadley, near Basingstoke, and the Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick have now moved to Thames on Thursday, September 29th. Hawkesley Wine Stores, 207 Milton Road, the Bee Hive at Staines. There will be an IS-hole four-ball Stableford Weston-super-Mare. On March r rth, shortly before he won competition in the morning and an 18-hole the European heavyweight title, Dick foursome Stableford in the afternoon. Richardson went along to the White Lion at Mr. J. Chadwick hands over a giant bottle containing £92 to Egham to push over a pile of pennies. Being • Mrs. W. Holman for local hospitals . in strict training he was unable to accept a Mr. and Mrs. Eric Dorman, who took drink of any kind, but none the less he stayed Early this year n•o less than a hundred over the Ferry Inn, Shoreham, a short time chatting in the bar for most of the evening. members of the Hare Hill Social Club sat ago, are a well travelled pair. Mr. Dorman, Mr. and Mrs. Blackett, of the White Lion, had down to the first Annual Dinner to be held who was born in Canada, has spent much of collected the pennies for the L.V. School and in their own clubhouse. Councillor F. Light, his life in Australia and New Zealand; his when they had all been added up it was found in proposing a toast to the club, said it was wife is a former Dagenham Girl Piper and that the very useful sum of over £30 had been only twelve months since he had had the has travelled all over Europe with the band. raised. Others present were Mrs. Prosser, honour of opening the club and it had made Between them they have a good many yarns wife of the Governor Elect of the School, and amazing strides in this short space of time. to spin, ranging from life as a banana planter Mr. E. Gosney, Manager of our Staines Dinner was followed by a cabaret and on an island off New Zealand, to tales of Branch. dancing. Command Performances and stage celebrities.