William Bass (brewer)

William Bass (1717 – 2 March 1787) was the founder of the Bass Brewery.

Career

William Bass was the son of William Bass and his wife Hannah Fish.[1] He had a carrier business with his brother John at Hinckley, Leicestershire. In around 1756 after his marriage, he settled in Burton-on-Trent, and continued his business there as a carrier of beer, his chief client being Benjamin Printon,[2] a local brewer.

By 1777, aged 60, he had saved some money, and, seeing the growing demand for Burton beer, he entered the brewing business. He bought a town house in the High Street, which contained a brewery and malthouse on adjoining land. Burton was already a thriving brewing town with several breweries exploiting the growing export beer trade via the Trent Navigation and Hull to the Baltic ports in Russia, mainly St. Petersburg.[2] He established the Bass Brewery and catered mainly for the domestic market, but in 1784 he started to export ale directly to Russia.[3]

After his death, he was succeeded in the business by his sons William and Michael, and in 1795 Michael took sole control.

Bass is buried in Burton-on-Trent.[1]

Family

Bass married Mary Gibbons[1] and their children included William and Michael.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 the Peerage.com
  2. 1 2  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bass (brewers)". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ Burton-upon-Trent: Economic history, A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 9: Burton-upon-Trent (2003), pp. 53-84 Date accessed: 30 May 2009
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