Geo. Hall & Sons

"Stonie" (non-alcoholic) ginger beer gained its name from the ceramic bottles they were sold in.[1]

Geo. Hall & Sons, better known as Halls was a soft drink manufacturer founded in 1849 in Marryatville, South Australia, by English immigrant George Hall (1818-1881).[2][3] During his teenage years, Hall had pursued the brewing of non alcoholic drinks as a hobby.[4] Halls produced a wide range of soft drinks and cordials, having established itself as a local bottler specialising in "stonie" ginger beer by 1851. Other soft drinks included Passiona, a Cottee's product they bottled for local consumption.

Commemorative plaque on the Jubilee 150 Walkway

Amongst the oldest aerated water manufacturers in South Australia, in 1869 George was joined by sons Henry, Thomas and Edward in the firm, which became known as Geo. Hall & Sons. In 1872 they moved from the Marryatville site to larger premises, a former soap and candle factory on the corner of Edward Street and the Norwood Parade, where their major competitor was W Woodroofe & Son. By 1970, Hall & Sons produced 30,000 bottles an hour.[5]

At the 1880 International Exhibition in London, Geo. Hall & Sons were awarded six first prizes for their aerated water and soft drinks, as reported in The South Australian Register of 30 April 1880

‘Messrs. Hall & Sons (of Norwood) Aerated Waters are pronounced to be a most extraordinary success, and have completely defeated all the European, American and Australian exhibits in all the six kinds exhibited. Every Water shown by Hall & Sons obtained a first class prize. The judges expressed great astonishment, and attributed the results to the supremacy of the Adelaide water.’

After George Hall's death on the 24th of April 1881, sons Henry and Edward took over the company, which remained family operated for a further third and fourth generation.

In 1972, Geo. Hall and Sons was purchased by C-C Bottlers, a licensed manufacturer of Coca Cola for South Australia, who continued producing soft drink under the Halls brand.[6] C-C Bottlers was in turn purchased by Coca-Cola Amatil in 1990,[7] who in October 2000 discontinued the Halls name, to be unified under the single brand, Kirks with other acquired local bottlers.

References

  1. ↑ Rare G Hall Stonie Pottery Ginger Beer Bottle, www.beerguide.com.au
  2. ↑ Bill Clarkson (1997) The Pioneers, Chapter One, pg 4, Australian Soft Drink History, www.ozbevnet.com
  3. ↑ "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NBBK-Q9Q : accessed 10 Dec 2012), George Hall, 20 Apr 1818; citing Waldron, Brighton, Sussex, England, reference p 15; FHL microfilm 1482396.
  4. ↑ "George Hall | Adelaidia". adelaidia.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  5. ↑ The Hall Family Cultural Walk Plaque, www.npsp.sa.gov.au
  6. ↑ "Request Rejected". www.delisted.com.au. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  7. ↑ "Request Rejected". www.delisted.com.au. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
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