Castlemaine Brewery, Western Australia

File:C1900s Castlemaine Brewery - LHC No.2046A Fremantle.jpg

The Castlemaine Brewery was established in 1896 by Howard Norman Sleigh (1870-1957), with John Hugh Gracie (1855-1927) as head brewer. Sleigh, who was born in Bristol, emigrated to Australia in 1888, with his father Hamilton Norman Sleigh, an English Brewer. Sleigh was previously involved in establishing the West Australian Brewery at Barndon Hill (now known as Burswood), leaving the business in mid-1896. The West Australian Brewery became the Swallow Brewery in 1905, and in 1912 the Red Castle Brewery until it closed in 1953. Gracie, who was born in Tasmania, was the chief brewer at Cascade Brewery prior to moving to Western Australia.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32015876 |title=The Late Mr. John H. Gracie |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=3 March 1927 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} The brewing equipment was sourced by Sleigh from a former brewery at Koondrook on the Murray River in Victoria.

In 1901 the partnership, Sleigh and Co., was dissolved with Sleigh moving back to Melbourne. The Castlemaine Brewery was purchased by Gracie and Walter Frederick Walkley (1872-1936).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article24735238 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=3 January 1902 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32722036 |title=Land Report. |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=Perth |date=2 February 1902 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=16 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} In 1906 they purchased the nearby Phoenix Brewery.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38819680 |title=The Castlemaine Brewery |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=25 December 1906 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=81 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82424774 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=17 November 1906 |accessdate=22 August 2013 |page=19 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} In 1910 Walkley returned to South Australia.{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48173852 |title=Obituary |newspaper=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=29 August 1936 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} In 1912 Gracie, the managing director of Castlemaine, retired. Castlemaine acquired a number of local hotels, including the Commercial{{cite web|title=Commercial Hotel – Place Number: 00921|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/4f87579f-4566-41f2-a280-c770aace5b1b |publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia|work=inHert|accessdate=22 August 2013}} and Beaconsfield Hotels in 1920,{{cite web|title=Beaconsfield Hotel – Place Number: 14890|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/4f87579f-4566-41f2-a280-c770aace5b1b |publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia|work=inHert|accessdate=22 August 2013}} the Oddfellows Hotel in 1922,{{cite web|title=Oddfellow's Hotel – Place Number: 01004|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/0e34be66-9961-42e2-960f-b78f37e20f0f|publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia|work=inHert|accessdate=22 August 2013}} and the Richmond Hotel in 1925.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76444160 |title=An Ancient Hostelry |newspaper=The Mirror |location=Perth |date=31 October 1925 |accessdate=22 August 2013 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76445298 |title=Hotel Changes |newspaper=The Mirror |location=Perth |date=3 October 1925 |accessdate=22 August 2013 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

In 1927 the Castlemaine Brewery Co. was purchased by the Swan Brewery{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83046196 |title=Brewery Merger |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=7 March 1927 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=1 Edition: Home (Final) Edition |publisher=National Library of Australia}} for £29,065 and 32,500 Swan Brewery shares.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21125609 |title=Agreement Signed |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |location=Qld. |date=3 March 1927 |accessdate=15 August 2013 |page=11 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} Swan subsequently closed the brewery, employing the majority of the workforce at the Perth operations.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32503880 |title=Eastern States Beer |newspaper=Perth Gazette |location=Perth |date=11 March 1931 |accessdate=22 August 2013 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}

The former brewery building was demolished to make way for the construction of the Stirling Traffic Bridge, linking Fremantle to North Fremantle.

• Castlemaine Bitter Ale
• Penguin Pale Ale
• Invalid Stout

• List of breweries in Australia

{{reflist|2}}

• {{Cite book|title=The Breweries of Australia: a History|last=Deutsher|first=Keith|publisher=Lothian|year=1999|isbn=085091986X}}
• {{Cite journal | last=Walton |first=Kerry | title=Breweries of the Swan River Colony | journal=Wine Life | date=March 1988 | volume=1 | issue=11 | pages=32 | issn=0819-3541 }}

Category:Beer brewing companies based in Western Australia

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1896

Category:Australian companies established in 1896

Category:Australian beer brands

Category:Defunct breweries of Australia