Brewing up a storm

Whitelaw and Son was one of the two most successful breweries in Musselburgh, Scotland, according to the East Lothian Courier. Originally founded by Thomas Vernor in 1740, leased by David Whitelaw in 1820 and run by his son William as William Whitelaw’s Fisherrow Brewery. By 1876, control of the brewery had passed to William’s son David and the company set up as William Whitelaw and Son. The company produced Brown Stout, Mild Ale and Pale Ale.

Scottish Brewing Heritage describes the brewery as being “situated on the east side of Fisher’s Wynd and grew from a brewhouse, malt barns and stables, arranged around a cobbled yard, to a large complex that extended from the High Street to New Street”.

In 1921, William Patrick Flannigan (b. 27 Sep 1888), my paternal great grandfather, was working at the brewery as a Cooper, according to the 1921 UK Census. William would have been responsible for making barrels or casks, no doubt rolling his wares across the cobble stones, ready for use.

William was living close by the brewery at 11 New Street, which runs across the end of Fisher’s Wynd to this day.

At home when the census was taken, were William and his wife Janet and their children, Catherine (1), Ann (12), James (9) and Janet (5). Catherine, the youngest at less than a year old, was my paternal grandmother, while the other children were William’s stepchildren from Janet’s previous marriage to Peter Ritchie. A fifth child, aged 15, is not recorded as being home but is likely to be Isabella.

At just 32 years old, William had already worked as a Cooper for at least a decade, according to the profession shown on the 1911 and 1921 censuses. However, it’s unclear if this work was always in Musselburgh, since in 1901 William is shown as living at 2a Beggs Buildings, Abbeyhill, Edinburgh with his parents Michael Flannigan and Catherine Burke, and again in 1911 with his mother and stepfather, Michael Murphy.

The East Lothian Courier article, ‘Musselburgh’s proud brewing history revealed in new exhibition’ includes a photo of some of the brewery workers in 1900. However, this is before William was old enough to work there.

This post in response to the prompt ‘Spirits’ from Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks and my first proper NanoPoblano effort for 2023.

Sources:

• 1901 Census of Edinburgh, Scotland, page 1 of 20, household no. 2, Michael Murphy; digital image, National Records of Scotland, Census of Scotland 685/3 24/1 (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 06 April 2022); original manuscript not cited.
• 1911 Census of Edinburgh, Scotland, pages 7 – 8 of 23, household no. 67, Michael Murphy; digital image, National Records of Scotland, Census of Scotland 685/3 62/8 (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 10 January 2022); original manuscript not cited.
• 1921 Census of Musselburgh, Scotland, page 1 of 38, household no. 6, William Flannigan; digital image, National Records of Scotland, Census of Scotland 689 15/1 (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ : accessed 02 December 2022); original manuscript not cited.
• Avril Campbell, East Lothian Courier, ‘Musselburgh’s proud brewing history revealed in new exhibition’, : accessed 02 November 2023.
• Brewing Heritage Scotland, Scottish Brewing Heritage, William Whitelaw and Son, : accessed 02 November 2023.