An early image of Wren’s Brewery giving a good view of the surrounding area. I am afraid the date of the image is not known. Prior to the building being purchased by my family in the early 20th century it had been used as a paper mill. In later years the business was ran by my father and his uncle, the brewing of vinegar continued there until 1971.
Image and details courtesy of David Wren.
The Vinegar Brewery was run by my Grandfather Wilfred Athelstan Wren and assisted in the office by his sister Mabel Wren, your father drove the lorry and ‘fixed things’.
Stunning photograph of Wren’s Vinegar Brewery, the original and unused bottle-labels for several of their products (inc Chutney) I was recently given by a pal. Presumably, that is The Blue Bell pub in the foreground? I also seem to see in the background, the tower of the huge corn-windmill that stood in the fields just off Aislaby Road. Difficult to believe that the now ‘picturesque’ shopping and leisure related activity of Yarm, was once a hive of various industries. For just in the area of the town shown in the photograph, during the mid 19th Century, there was a Tannery (skins and hides, visible to left of chimney), Tees Mill (paper manufacturing) Railway station (station-masters house just visible and still existing), Rail-freight depot and an extensive Coal-yard!
Hi David, are you the David Wren that married Sheila Cliff? If so, my sister, (one of her old school friends, from Grangefield Grammar would like to get in touch with her!) My sister’s name at the time was Pat Armstrong (now Spencer) and we live in Western Australia. My e-mail address is available from Stockton Central library.
Sorry I am not that David Wren. There were two of us with this same name living in Stockton.