Hewitts brewery dish, Grimsby, c1955–1965

A white ceramic dish bearing the distinctive Hewitts brewery trademark — two stylised barrel staves joined centrally to form the letter H, enclosed within a red circular roundel.

The brewery at Pasture Street, Grimsby, was established by John Garniss in 1806. The brewery was sold to William Taylor Hewitt and Thomas Hewitt in 1874, and the firm became known as Hewitt Brothers in 1888. It expanded considerably during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming an important local brewery with a large estate of public houses.

By 1961, Hewitt Brothers had around 320 tied houses when the company was acquired by United Breweries. The distinctive H trademark was subsequently replaced by the Toby Jug, and brewing at the Tower Brewery ended on 19 April 1968.

The underside carries the “WADE / Regicor / LONDON / ENGLAND” manufacturer's mark. Wade Regicor ware is generally dated to the late 1950s and 1960s, providing useful evidence for dating this dish.

Its precise original use is uncertain, but it was likely produced as promotional or pub ware, putting the Hewitts name and trademark into the everyday surroundings of the brewery's customers.

A small surviving piece of Grimsby's brewing history, carrying the distinctive mark of a brewery that was once an important part of the town's commercial life.