Plaque: Watney war
War Memorial
{On the large plaque:}
1914 - 1918
{Followed by 110 names - see Subjects commemorated.}
1939 - 1945
{Followed by 53 names - see Subjects commemorated.}
{On the small plaque below:}
This memorial was originally sited at the Stag Brewery, Victoria and records the names of Watney Combe Reid employees who lost their lives in two world wars: 1914 - 1918, 1939 - 1945.
The names are not in the more standard columns format but, for each war, they are given in a continuous line, alphabetical with a few exceptions. We were trying to understand these exceptions when we realised that each one indicated a spelling/punctuation mistake. e.g. we believe that "C. M. C. Farlane" in the middle of the Ms should read "C. McFarlane". There are 3 other similar mistakes which we have corrected and noted on the individual records.
Site: Watney's Mortlake Stag Brewery (2 memorials)
SW14, Lower Richmond Road, Mortlake / Stag Brewery
Brewery History gives the history as: Phillips, More & Co. Ltd, Mortlake Brewery, 14 Mortlake High Street, London SW14. Founded at the near-by Manor House in the 15th Century. Acquired by Charles James Phillips in the 1840s. Registered in June 1888 as More & Co. Ltd. Acquired by Watney & Co. Ltd. in 1889. Watney amalgamated with Combe's and Reid's in 1898 to form Watney, Combe, Reid & Co. Ltd.
The Mortlake Brewery was renamed the Stag Brewery in 1959 after the closure of Watney’s Stag Brewery in Pimlico. After further changes of ownership (Elders XL 1990, Courage brewing 1991, ABInBev 2002), ABInBev closed the Mortlake Brewery and sold the site to developers in 2015.
So the war plaque was moved here from Pimlico probably in 1959.
