¥ 
é 
1796.) 
in partnerfbip with two Mefits. Shewells, and 
- their brewery was fituated ‘in Old-freet, near 
‘the turnpike. Gn the déath of thefe prions, 
‘a relation of the fame name ‘ucceeded to the 
‘partnerfhip, und it was carried on for many 
years, under the firm of Whitbread and Shewell, 
By Mr. Whitbread’s great a&tivity in bufinel{s, 
“ithe trade continually increafed: fo that it was 
“already a very large concern, when, the brewery 
““ayas rermoved to its prefent ftuation‘in Chit 
‘well-itreet. From about the year ‘r760, Mr. 
Whitbread was alone, as he ever afterwards 
continued tobe. As he rofe towards the head 
of the trade, a long conteft was maintained be~ 
‘tween his houfe and that of Mr. Felix Calvert, 
each, by turns, having the fuperiority. At 
‘Jength, Mr.- Whitbread decidedly took the 
Teac, which he never loft; his name, for anum- 
ber of years, being at the top of the porter- 
brewery lift. He reached the quantity (then 
thought prodigious) of 100,000 barrels, in the 
yeat_ 1779, ori780; but he lived to fee this in- 
ereafed to upwards of 202,000 barrels, the 
‘number which appears annexed to his name on. 
‘the general return of the London breweries in 
»July, 1796. The honour done to his profef- 
fonal reputation, a few years fince, by the li- 
‘beral curiofity of his Majefty in vifting his 
‘brewhoufe, is in every one’s recolle tion, 
The nature of Mr: Whitbread’s trade was 
‘mot materially different from that of the London 
“porter-brewers ingencral. The home demand 
was, by far, the moft:confiderable ; but he ex- 
pig pretty largely, efpecially to Ireland. The 
high character his beer acquired, rendered it 
lefs neceflary for him to puth bufinefs, by be- 
coming the owner of a great number of public 
houfes, than it was for many of his brethren. 
He is faid, alfo, to have carried: on bufinefs 
much cheaper than moft others, and particu 
jarly to have employed fewer horfes: ‘A team. 
engine, of the improved kind, made by Meffis. 
Bolton and Watt, which he fet up twelve 
years fince, occafioned a great faving in the la- 
bour of horfes. “ His effablithment of work- 
men was, on the average, about 2Q0. Mr. W. 
had the good fortune. ‘of potieffing a fucceffion 
of excellent clerks and other principal fervants, © 
whole places he - rendered very lucrative, 
Latterly, the bufinefs was almoft entirely com- 
mitted tQ'their management, and it continued 
* £0 Improve, in every refpeét, under their hands. 
The value of his capital, and all his works 
and brewing utenfils, has been very varioufly 
‘Stated, nor will it admit of more than a wide 
guefs.© The beft idea of it may be formed 
from the value of the beer brewed laft year, 
‘which, inclufive of duty, amounted to 300,000). 
The eftablifhment that could produce fach a 
yearly quantity of goods for fale, muit be of 
Death of Mei birhread, es. 
works and wharfs at Purfleet, in Effex. 
509 
firfterate magnitude, It is no wonder that a 
fortune, built upon fuch a foundation, faould 
rapidly accumulate. Mr. W. was long a grege 
purchafer of landed property. His chief aap 
fitions were made in his native county, wheie, 
befides other large eftates, he bought the whole ° 
domains of the late lord Torrington. His owm . 
reidence was at Bedwcll-park, in Hertforde 
fhire, where his property was chiefly orna- 
mental. He alfo poffffed the valuable lime 
As 
few perfons have fo much enriched themfelves 
by trade, fo fearcely any have expended theig 
wealth in a more liberal and benevolcnt 
manner. His charities, public and private, 
were probably furpafled by hardly a fingle in- 
dividual in the kingdom, of any rank; nor 
were they limited by any narrow confideration 
of party. The annual penfioners on his bounty 
were numerous; and his gratitude for fervices 
done him in the early part of life, difplayed ite 
{elf to rerhote defcendants. 
Mr. W. was returned a member of parlia- 
ment, for the town of Bedford in 5768; in which 
capacity he continued to ferve till the lait par- 
liament, when his fon fucceeded him there, and 
he himfelf became member for Steyning. His 
vote was commonly, but not uniformly, in fae 
vour of the minifter. 
~ Mr. W. was twice married. By his frft 
wife, the daughter of W. Haydon, elq. an attor- 
ney of eminence in the county of Bucks, he 
left two daughters and one fon: the eldett 
daughter, Mrs. Gordon, wife of James Gordon, 
jun. efg.; the fecond, lady St. John, wife to 
lord St. John, of Bletfoe; and the preient 
Samuel Whitbread, efq. married to a daughter 
of general fir Charles Grey. By his fecond 
wife, lady Mary Cornwallis, fitter to ‘the 
prefent marquis Cornwallis, he left one daugh- 
ter, Mrs, Grey, wife of captain Grey, of the 
Navy, one of the fons of fr Charles Grey. 
He left his only fon heir to his landed pro- 
perty, and to the whole brewery concern, 
which is now carried on for his account. Very 
confiderable and fpinted improvements are at 
this time making in the burldings and works 
in Chifwell-ftreet. . 
GAZETTE PROMOTIONS, &c. 
Charles Meadows Pierrepoint, eflg. to be 
baron Pierrepoint and yifcount N- wark. 
F. 1. fackfon, efq. to be ambafiador at the 
Ottoman Porte. —* 
_ Marquis Tewnlhend to be governor of the 
Ifland of Jerfey. 
Sir W. Fawcet to 
Hofpital at Chelfea, 
Sir fothua Vanneck to be baron Hunting 
field, and Robert Smith, efg. to be barun Care 
rington, both of the kingdom of Irejand. 
be governor of the Royal 
/ PREVINCIAL 
