William Kirk was my paternal great grandfather. The comments we found on him were very interesting. According to my grandfather, William Kirk would sometimes take part in the productions at the theatre, as he was something of an actor himself.
The Kirk-Lascelle family purchased 5 cottages on Vicars-Row, The Green, Norton in the 1880s and had them turned into one large house – 2 of the 7 original 1804 ” Bath-Cottage” remain, both in beautiful condition, a floral treat to The Green. The name given to the Kirk building is “The White-House” and it still retains stained glass side porch windows , with the Kirk crest and motto “FOR KIRK AND KIRK” A full-size magnificent stained glass window continues this theme at the head the staircase
In 1840 Kirk Bros (Wm Kilvington Kirk and John Kirk) was formed to rent a small brewery which was listed as the Smithfield Brewery in 1854 and Hunter”s Lane in 1855. They built the Castle Brewery in 1856. In 1876 it was enlarged, by which time what appear to be the next generation of Kirk brothers (William and Thomas Lascelles Kirk) had taken over. By the turn of the century the premises were said to cover a quarter of an acre in Bridge Road and served by a 300 foot artesian well. Kirk Bros was taken over by Sunderland-based North Eastern Breweries in 1899. William Kirk , born in 1848, went on to become chairman of North Eastern Breweries, retiring in 1906. He died in 1929, aged 80, leaving an estate of £95,633. The original firms that came together in 1896 to form North Eastern Breweries owned theatres and shops in addition to licensed houses and brewing facilities. The motive for the acquisition of Kirk Bros was the firm”s 34 pubs. When North Eastern Breweries rationalised its brewing activities they built the Castle Theatre on the former brewery site. In 1927 North Eastern Breweries merged with Vaux to create Associated Breweries Ltd. The firm was later rechristened Vaux. This explains the arrival of a Swallow Hotel on the site.
William Kirk was my paternal great grandfather. The comments we found on him were very interesting. According to my grandfather, William Kirk would sometimes take part in the productions at the theatre, as he was something of an actor himself.
The Kirk-Lascelle family purchased 5 cottages on Vicars-Row, The Green, Norton in the 1880s and had them turned into one large house – 2 of the 7 original 1804 ” Bath-Cottage” remain, both in beautiful condition, a floral treat to The Green. The name given to the Kirk building is “The White-House” and it still retains stained glass side porch windows , with the Kirk crest and motto “FOR KIRK AND KIRK” A full-size magnificent stained glass window continues this theme at the head the staircase
In 1840 Kirk Bros (Wm Kilvington Kirk and John Kirk) was formed to rent a small brewery which was listed as the Smithfield Brewery in 1854 and Hunter”s Lane in 1855. They built the Castle Brewery in 1856. In 1876 it was enlarged, by which time what appear to be the next generation of Kirk brothers (William and Thomas Lascelles Kirk) had taken over. By the turn of the century the premises were said to cover a quarter of an acre in Bridge Road and served by a 300 foot artesian well. Kirk Bros was taken over by Sunderland-based North Eastern Breweries in 1899. William Kirk , born in 1848, went on to become chairman of North Eastern Breweries, retiring in 1906. He died in 1929, aged 80, leaving an estate of £95,633. The original firms that came together in 1896 to form North Eastern Breweries owned theatres and shops in addition to licensed houses and brewing facilities. The motive for the acquisition of Kirk Bros was the firm”s 34 pubs. When North Eastern Breweries rationalised its brewing activities they built the Castle Theatre on the former brewery site. In 1927 North Eastern Breweries merged with Vaux to create Associated Breweries Ltd. The firm was later rechristened Vaux. This explains the arrival of a Swallow Hotel on the site.