Many of us will remember enjoying a pint - or half-pint - of Morrell’s beer at our favourite pubs.
The brewery based in St Thomas Street, Oxford, produced beer for 200 years before closing in 1998.
These pictures from the Oxford Mail archives will hopefully bring back happy memories of a pleasant lunchtime or evening enjoying a glass or two.
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Picture 1 was taken in 1971 when brewers from all over the country visited Oxford to see a new technique Morrell’s had adopted to produce beer.
Morrell’s head brewer Louis Gunter, right in the white coat, is seen talking to Louis Dawes, an assistant brewer in Dorset, who had learned the trade in Oxford.
A special brew was produced to mark the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 - and Morrell’s employee David Palmer, in Picture 2, was keen to spread the word.
He dressed in this regalia to promote the brew, which was produced in distinctive bottles with labels embellished with crossed swords, flower and crown.
Head brewer Louis Gunter, who concocted the special recipe, told the Oxford Mail: “We have made it strong enough to be distinctive, but the ingredients are secret. We hope Prince Charles will see it, and that he will try it if he comes to Oxford.”
The brewery sent one of the commemorative bottles to an exhibition at Windsor marking the Royal wedding.
Picture 3 shows managing director Charles Eld in 1994 with the copper vat that had been in use at the brewery since 1890.
In Picture 4, we see two long-serving employees in 1958 - Mr R Francombe, left, a driver’s mate for 26 years, sharing a joke with Mr F Webb, a driver for 40 years.
Head brewer David Polden in Picture 5 examines a pint of beer in 1996, while in Picture 6, we see less happy times - draymen with their thumbs down as the closure of the brewery was announced in 1998.
As the Oxford Mail reported at the time: “For some, Oxford without a brewery is about as unimaginable as Carfax without a tower.”
After the closure, the brewery site was developed into 79 apartments, but historic features were retained.
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About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.
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