Daniel Thwaites celebrates 200 Years of Brewing in 2007 and the
Northern Brewer intends to recognise this historic milestone, celebrate with its customers and use the occasion to build a platform for the next 200 years…
If you think a week is a long time in politics, how long is 200 Years of Independent Family Brewing…
Recognising the milestone, celebrating the achievement, building for the future…
THE STORY SO FAR...
Born in 1777, Daniel Thwaites first began brewing in Blackburn in 1807 when he joined the ‘Eanam Brewery’ in partnership with local businessmen, Edward Duckworth and William Clayton. At the age of 31, Daniel married Edward’s daughter Betty, who later inherited her father’s share of the company following his death in 1822.
In 1824, the Brewery became the sole property of ‘Thwaites’ when William Clayton sold his remaining share of the company to Daniel.
Daniel and Betty Thwaites went on to have four sons and eight daughters. Daniel Thwaites II was born on 15th August 1817, the sixth of their twelve children.
Daniel Thwaites II and his brothers John and Thomas later inherited the Brewery following the death of their father, Daniel Thwaites Snr, in 1843.
Soon after, Thomas left the partnership and in 1858, following the earlier death of his mother and the retirement of his other brother, John, Daniel Thwaites II 
became the sole owner of the brewery. One year later, Daniel II married Eliza Amelia Gregory and they had one son, Edward, who died in infancy and one daughter, Elma Amy Thwaites.
Meanwhile, following the purchase of the Snig Brook Brewery in 1863, the brewery continued to prosper and develop in size.
Daniel II went on to become the MP for Blackburn from 1875 until 1880 and became well known nationally. Locally, he was described as a good landlord who owned some of the best public houses in Blackburn.
Having become a wealthy man, Daniel Thwaites II sadly passed away on September 21st 1888, leaving his only daughter Elma Thwaites and her husband Robert Armstrong Yerburgh to inherit the Brewery.
By 1897 Thwaites proudly announced it had become a Limited company but the real expansion came after the First World War. In 1923, Thwaites bought the James Pickup Wines & Spirits Company and then Henry Shaw & Co, which owned the New Brewery in Salford. In 1925 Thwaites began bottling its beers and in 1927 they bought the Fountain Free Brewery.
In 1946 Elma Yerburgh (nee Thwaites) sadly passed away leaving trusted colleague Albert Whittle to look after the Brewery whilst her grandson, John was away at war. In 19
46 and 1956 respectively, the Brewery purchased the Bury Brewing Company and the Preston Brewery Company and in 1966 the Eanam Brewery was extended and renamed Daniel Thwaites ‘The Star Brewery’.
During the 1960’s Thwaites public houses were in abundance across the town and Daniel Thwaites’ ales had become popular throughout East Lancashire.
The 70’s and 80’s saw the purchase of Yates & Jackson of Lancaster and Thwaites winning the first of its two Champion Beer of Britain awards, bringing national recognition to the family brewer.
Throughout this time, John Yerburgh, Elma Yerburgh’s grandson, was the Brewery’s chairman and he saw his great great Grandfather’s business grow and flourish to become a well-respected regional brewer.
In 2000, John’s wife, Mrs Ann Yerburgh, became the Brewery chairman and her passion for brewing award winning beers in Blackburn remains as strong as for the Thwaites forefathers back in 1807.
The past 200 years has seen the Brewery adapt, modernise and progress to become The leading brewer from the North of England.
As it celebrates 200 years of brewing excellence, Thwaites look forward to a future that will continue to build upon the ideals and beliefs born 200 years ago when Daniel Thwaites first began the Northern Brewery.
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Looking Back