KILMORE BREWERY SITE

57 MELBOURNE STREET KILMORE, MITCHELL SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Other Records For This Place
  • KILMORE BREWERY SITE - Victorian Heritage Register
• Additional Place Information

  • History

    KILMORE BREWERY SITE - History

    Kilmore Brewery (Figure 1; Photo 1; Extract from Blake 2011) (see attachment)

    As stated above, George John Rogers acquired part of the activity area from William Carr in 1844. In 1850 Rogers sold lots 9 and 10 on Mitchell Street to Stephen Mitchell Nielson (General Law Application 57152) . In February 1850 Nielson was registered as a brewer (State Library of Victoria [SLVj 2011: Victorian Governrnent Gazette 9, 27 February 1850). Bailey (2006: 6) writes that Nielson subsequently erected a substantial brewery, including a malt house and cellar cut into the rock. In 1852 the brewery was advertised for sale and included a "Brew house, malthouse, kiln with iron floor, cellar in the rock, 14 feet deep, well of excellent water 106 feet deep, with casks, coolers, coppers, a quantity of barley, and everything complete, and an acre of land in the bargain" (NLA 2011: Argus 13 Dec 1852). Nielson later leased the land to a William Smith or Smyth, who sublet it to William Risk (General Law Application 57152). Bailey (2006: 6) writes that William Risk was an early brewer in Victoria and had been associated with the Glenfarg Inn, and also the Downpatrick Brewery in Richmond.

    Bailey (2006: 6) writes that in August 1855 Howard John Alit was brewing on the premises, but it is not clear how or when the property came into the possession of the Alit family. From March 1858 Alit's brother-in-law David Moffat held the property in trust for Alit's son, Nathaniel. After Howard Alit's death in 1864 Patrick Tierney briefly leased the brewery until John Fynn and James Tierney took over the lease in 1865 (General Law Application 57152). Bailey (2006: 7) writes that prior to taking over the Kilmore Brewery John Fynn had been in partnership with his brother-in-law Patrick Joseph Tierney in breweries at Heathcote and Bridgewater. Fynn and Tierney also acquired some of William Leyden Ker's land in 1868-69. Bailey (2006: 6) writes that Fynn & Co also leased the land east of the brewery where they erected a malting establishment with roasting kiln and malting house, the floor of which was cement. This allotment (lot 8) was part of the land that George Rogers had acquired from Lamb and Carr, and was subsequently acquired by James and then William McKay. After McKay died in 1868 John Fynn and Lachlan McKay were

    appointed as the executors and trustees of McKay's estate (General Law Application 57152). In 1870 John Fynn and James Tierney terminated their partnership and Fynn continued to operate the Kilmore Brewery very successfully (Bai ley 2006: 10). In addition to running the brewery Fynn was an active member of the community, including acting as a Justice of the Peace, member and Mayor of the local council, and President of the Hospital Board of Management. His obituary stated that he was "connected with every public movement of importance during the period of his long residence in our midst" (NLA 2011: Kilmore Free Press , 9 June 1881).

    When John Fynn died in June 1881 his 17 acres in the activity area included "an old wooden building used as a Brewery also a Brick stable" (PROV, VPRS 28/P2, Unit 121 , File 22/622) . On 24 August 1881 an auction sale was held of Fynn's estate, the Kilmore Free Press reporting that the brewery, "standing upon about an acre of land, was knocked down to Mr J Brady, and the paddock at the rear was purchased by Mr Geoghegan at £12 12s per acre. Mr J Crough purchased the farm known as Mooneys at £7 1 s per acre, the residence falling to Mr T McKay at £180" (NLA 2011 b: Kilmore Free Press 25 August 1881). However, Bailey (2006: 10) writes that the sale was not successful and the executors did not offload the business unti I January 1884. The title search records a conveyance between Fynn's executors and John Brady in January 1884 (General Law Application 57152) . After Fynn died, Mckay's land, where the malting establishment was erected, appears to have remained in the ownership of William McKay's trustees until James McKay turned 21.

    Following Fynn's death the next brewer associated with the Kilmore Brewery was John Brady, who ran the business until his death in 1888. Bailey (2006: 10) writes that prior to his death Brady advertised the business for private sale in the Australian Brewers' Journal and the title search records that he had contracted to sell the land to Thomas Hunt prior to his death (General Law Application 57152). The Kilmore Free Press reported in June 1888 that the Kilmore Brewery had been sold to a Melbourne syndicate, and that James McKay's property, which included a large grain, malting and sleeping house and kiln adjoining the brewery, had also been sold to a local gentlernan (NLA 2011 : Kilrnore Free Press, 14 June 1888) . The local gentleman was Thomas Hunt

    Thomas Hunt

    When he acquired the land in the activity area Thomas Hunt was editor and proprietor of the 'Kilmore Free Press', as well as a member of the Legislative Assembly in the seat of Kilmore-Anglesey. Hunt had arrived in Victoria with his family in 1858 and settled in Kilmore. While studying law he worked for the 'Examiner and Kilmore and Mcivor Weekly Journal' and in 1865 founded the 'Kilmore Free Press' . He served on a number of Royal Commissions, including the Royal Commission on Gold Mining (Australian Dictionary of Biography 2011). Bailey (2006: 10) writes that Hunt had a silent partner in the Kilmore Brewery, wine and spirit merchant Thomas Ryan who held a one-third share in the business. Walter Henry Dyer was employed as the manager and "lived in the villa on the premises. The house was surrounded by a white plastered wall, over which rose bushes were climbing" (Bailey 2006: 10) . It is not yet known where in the activity area this villa was located.

    According to advertisements published in the Kilmore Free Press (NLA 2011 b: 19 April 1900) the brewery won awards for its ale in the 1890s and early 1900s. Deutsher (1999: 123) writes that in March 1902 the Kilmore Brewery was wrecked by a severe storm, leaving only the chimney standing, but a report in the Argus states that it was the cooling house that was destroyed (NLA 2011b: Argus 29 March 1902). Advertisements for the brewery continued to be published in the Kilmore Free Press that year. Bailey (2006: 11) writes that brewing continued until the end of 1903, but competition from the large Melbourne companies saw it close soon after. In July 1903 Thomas Hunt was in the Kilrnore Police Court rnaking a claim against James Holohan who had been instructed to draw up plans for a new building at the brewery. The newspaper report of the proceedings stated that Holohan deposed that he had "measured a building at the brewery to see if it could be used, and then drew up the plans, which were approved by Mr Hunt. Levelled off the site for a new building on 14th February" (NLA 2011b: Kilmore Free Press , 23 July 1903). In January 1905 the newspaper also reported on the activities of the Kilmore Water Trust, stating that correspondence had been received from Thomas Hunt asking for the trust to take over the meter at the brewery "there being no further use of it" (NLA 2011 b: Ki/more Free Press, 12 Jan 1905). Though the brewery appears to have been no longer in use by 1905 it is not yet known if all the associated buildings were removed by this time.

    REFERENCES

    Bailey, AD National Library of Australia State Library of Victoria 2006 'There could not be a better place for making good beer: a history of brewing in Kilmore'. In Kilmore Connections, pp. 5-11 . Kilmore Historical Society, September.

    2011 a National Library of Australia: Catalogue [on line] . Available: http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor=wyndham+ vale&type=all&limit[]=&submit= Find [Accessed 9 June 2011] .

    2011 State Library of Victoria: Victoria Government Gazette - Online Archive 1836-1997 [online] . Available: http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/ [Accessed 9 June 2011) .

    Interpretation of Site

    KILMORE BREWERY SITE - Interpretation of Site

    Kilmore Brewery, established circa. 1850s, was one of the earliest breweries outside Melbourne in the State of Victoria. There is little information relating to the exact location of the brewery complex structures. The brewery complex has been reported to have consisted of at least a brew house, malt house, kiln with iron floor, cellar and well (National Library of Australia 2011 - 'The Argus', 10 December 1852).

    Archaeological Significance

    KILMORE BREWERY SITE - Archaeological Significance

    Kilmore Brewery Complex has medium archaeological significance. At present, footings from one structure are the only known in situ remains of the Kilmore Brewery Complex. Although the known remains are in poor repair there is potential for additional archaeological remains to be present which may contribute substantial information relating to the complex layout and possibly the activities conducted therein. Fragmented, portable relics are also present throughout the complex area. It should be noted that the archaeological significance is yet to be fully established. Any additional archaeological evidence has the potential to increase the archaeological significance of the site.

    Historical Significance

    KILMORE BREWERY SITE - Historical Significance

    There is much historically documented evidence of the Kilmore Brewery.Its association with early commercial industry of Kilmore, and the brewery being one of the earliest outside of Melbourne (Arnold 1997: 88-102) has been attributed moderate historical significance.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    KILMORE BREWERY SITE - Heritage Inventory Description

    Kilmore Brewery Complex consist of approximately 6m x 13m bluestone footings with some red bricks and scattered, and fragmented portable relics throughout the complex area. The red bricks are in varying condition and are mostly scattered around the bluestone footings, though the occasional brick appears to be in situ.The complex area consists generally of grassed paddocks with patches of scrub and trees. There is some evidence of excavation/ levelling of the ground in several locations.

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