Site of Maryport Brewery Limited - October 2017

Image: © The Carlisle Kid Taken: 27 Oct 2017

First appearing on the 1866 OS Map (but probably much earlier), the Maryport Brewery grew to occupy a substantial site taking in all of Lower Church Street together with the eastern ends of John Street and Wood Street. Acquisition of its Carlisle pubs by the State Management Scheme in 1916 placed great financial strain on the brewery and Hansard (see: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1917/jun/27/maryport-brewery-Carlisle ) suggests the brewery made representations to the Government for inclusion in the Scheme. As a result, the Maryport Brewery together with its remaining pubs, stores and other buildings were purchased by the Scheme on 19 June 1917 for a total of £140,000. This effectively doubled Scheme assets overnight and appears to be the reason for the Scheme's expansion beyond Carlisle. What happened next is still the subject of research, but the brewery is not mentioned by name on the 1925 OS Map. The site appears cleared on the 1961 OS Map, with a part on Lower Church Street developed as "The Palace Ballroom". The houses seen here on left appear on the 1970 OS Map, but "The Palace Ballroom" seems to have been demolished after 1970 and replaced with the modern offices seen in this view.

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