Morrell's Brewing Company

File:The Swan Inn, Rose Island, River Thames, Oxfordshire.jpg

Morrell's was founded by Richard Tawney in 1743 as the Lion Brewery.{{harvnb|Allen|1994|p=}}{{Page needed|date=November 2014}} In 1782 he formed a partnership with Mark and James Morrell, who eventually became the owners.{{cite web |url= http://www.headington.org.uk/history/famous_people/morrellfamily.htm |last=Jenkins |first=Stephanie |title=Morrell / Wharton / Tawney families |work=Headington history: People |date=19 April 2009 |accessdate=17 April 2010}} 1863 and 1864 saw the deaths of James Morrell and his wife Alicia leaving the brewery to their ten year old daughter Emily Morrell. Her inheritance was put under the control of three trustees who tried to deal with Emily's crush on a distant cousin by sending her away to an aunt and forbidding any communication between the pair.{{Cite web|title=Last orders for brewing legend|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6639304.last-orders-brewing-legend/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Oxford Mail|language=en}}

Morrell's brewed its beers at the Lion Brewery in St Thomas Street. In the 19th century Morrell's redeveloped and extended the Lion Brewery a number of times. A large brewing shed was added in 1879, a blacksmith's shop and engine house in 1880, a further shed and new yard in 1882, stables in 1889, new offices in 1892, a tun room in 1895, further offices in 1897 and a tall octagonal chimney in 1901.{{harvnb|Woolley|2010|p=79}} All these developments were designed by the local architect Harry Drinkwater, who also designed a number of the company's pubs.{{sfn|Tyack|1998|p=269}}

The Lion Brewery was powered by a waterwheel on Castle Mill Stream, a branch of the River Thames. This was supplemented by steam engines for which the engine house was built. One rotative beam engine that was built for the Lion Brewery in about 1826 remained in service until 1964 and is now preserved at the Abbey Pumping Station, Leicester.

The Morrell family lived at Headington Hill Hall and their estate included South Park. The family included Philip Morrell (1870–1943), who was a Liberal MP 1906–18 and was married to Lady Ottoline Morrell. In 1929–31 Morrell Avenue was built along the south side of South Park.{{sfn|Hibbert|1988|p=261}} The family also owned the village of Streatley and one side of the family lived there, until Emily Morrell died in 1938, when the estate was sold.

After an acrimonious family dispute the brewery was closed in 1998.{{cite news |url= http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6639322.Morrells_Brewery_up_for_sale/ |title=Morrells Brewery up for sale |newspaper=Oxford Mail |publisher=Newsquest |date=9 July 1998 |accessdate=17 April 2010}} Refresh UK bought the beer brands and for a time Thomas Hardy Burtonwood was contracted to brew them.{{cite news |url= http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Company-City-News/The-night-watch-Morrells-of-Oxford |title=The night watch: Morrells of Oxford |newspaper=Morning Advertiser |date=14 March 2001 |accessdate=27 November 2014}} Marston's acquired Refresh UK in 2008 and now brew Morrells beers.{{cite web |url=http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Operators/Marston-s/Marston-s-buys-Refresh-UK |title=Marston's buys Refresh UK |newspaper=Morning Advertiser |date=3 April 2008 |accessdate=11 March 2017}}

In 1998 Michael Cannon, owner of the US hamburger chain Fuddruckers, bought Morrell's 132 tied pubs for £48 million through a new company, Morrells of Oxford.{{cite news |url= http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6638343.Pub_tycoon_could_buy_Morrells/ |title=Morrells Brewery up for sale |newspaper=Oxford Mail |publisher=Newsquest |date=28 September 1998 |accessdate=27 November 2014}} In 2002 Cannon sold 107 of the pubs to Greene King for £67 million.{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2051362.stm |title=Brewer buys pub chain for £67 million |publisher=BBC News |date=18 June 2002 |accessdate=17 April 2010}}

The Lion Brewery site was redeveloped for luxury apartments in 2002.{{cite news |url= http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6623199.Brewery_site_plan_nears_final_hurdle/ |title=Brewery site plan nears final hurdle |newspaper=Oxford Mail |publisher=Newsquest |date=19 February 2001 |accessdate=17 April 2010}} The waterwheel and yellow brick chimney were retained but only the façades were retained of the other buildings.

{{reflist|30em}}

File:A-frame beam engine, side view, Abbey pumping station, Leicester.jpg in Leicester]]

• {{cite book |last=Allen |first=Brigid |year=1994 |title=Morrells of Oxford: The Family and Their Brewery 1743–1993 |place=Stroud |publisher=Alan Sutton Publishing |isbn=978-0-7509-0634-0}}
• {{cite book |editor-last=Hibbert |editor-first=Christopher |editor-link=Christopher Hibbert |year=1988 |title=The Encyclopaedia of Oxford |publisher=Macmillan |chapter=Morrell Avenue / Morrell's Brewery |page=261 |isbn=0-333-39917-X}}
• {{cite book |last=Tyack |first=Geoffrey |title=Oxford An Architectural Guide |year=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford & New York |isbn=0-19-817423-3 |page=269}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Woolley |first1=Liz |year=2010 |title=Industrial Architecture in Oxford, 1870 to 1914 |journal=Oxoniensia |volume=LXXV |page=79 |publisher=Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society |issn=0308-5562}}

{{commons category|Morrell's Brewery|position=left}}

Category:1743 establishments in England

Category:1998 disestablishments in England

Category:British companies established in 1782

Category:British companies disestablished in 1998

Category:Companies based in Oxford

Category:Defunct breweries of the United Kingdom

Category:History of Oxford

Category:1782 establishments in England

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1782