TOPIC:

A Boer War link to £69 billion

Trooper Henry Corbett Gorton, Imperial Light Horse (ILH), whose QSA serves as my avatar, was a soldier for less than three months, most of which he spent in hospital. With the outbreak of the Boer War imminent, Gorton enlisted in the ILH on 10 October 1899. He was soon at the front and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October; and then, shortly after returning to duty, he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Wagon Hill on 6 January 1900. He died in hospital on 10 January. While he was remembered by many as a gallant soldier, he was perhaps most widely known in South Africa for the part he played in the beginnings in one of this country’s most successful industrial organisations.

Henry Gorton was born on 28 October 1871, the son of Thomas and Mary Gorton, 62 Branstone Road, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. He was the sixth of 11 children. He grew up in the town and attended the parish church (St Modwen’s), and the Burton Grammar School. Much of the town that would have been familiar to Henry still survives, including the family home (now a nursery), and the church.

GORTON THE BREWER

Burton on Trent was and, to a lesser extent, still is a brewing town. In the late 19th Century, it was described as a “City of Beer – Beeropolis”. Unsurprisingly, several of the Gorton children found employment in the brewing industry. Henry became a brewer and it was this trade that led him to leave Burton for a new life and, ultimately, death in South Africa. He was still in Burton at the time of the 1891 Census, but it was not long thereafter that he moved to the Transvaal, which was then still the independent ‘Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek’.

Although the first brewery in South Africa was established in Cape Town as early as 1658, it was more than 200 years later that commercial brewing commenced in the Transvaal and Natal.

In 1887, a brewer named Charles Glass set up the Castle Brewery in Johannesburg and, in 1888, he introduced Castle Beer to an enthusiastic market, which had strong links to the flourishing gold-mining industry. (In 1898, this beer became Castle Lager, which is still brewed today, and is South Africa’s most successful beer.)

In 1890, Frederick Mead and partners had established the Natal Brewery in Pietermaritzburg. Mead, a sailor, had left his ship in Durban and found employment in the canteen of the British Army garrison at Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg. In 1890, this garrison was the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment, whose men would have been well-acquainted with “Beeropolis”, which was located within their recruitment area. Perhaps inspired by men from “Beeropolis”, Mead saw an opportunity to make his fortune and, with the help of a local businessman, he formed a syndicate to establish the Natal Brewery, which produced its first beer in July 1891.

Mead soon realised that the largest beer market in South Africa was in the area of the Transvaal gold mines, so in 1892 he purchased the Castle Brewery from Charles Glass. In order to expand the industry, Mead went to England to enlist new investors and to engage additional experienced brewery staff. An obvious place to engage staff was Burton on Trent and it was probably then that Henry Gorton moved to Johannesburg to become a brewer with Mead’s new company, the South African United Breweries, which took over the operations of both the Natal Brewery and the Castle Brewery. In May 1895 this company became the South African Breweries Limited (SAB). Initially, Gorton remained with the Castle Brewery in Johannesburg, but in 1898 he became the Head Brewer of the Natal Brewery in Pietermaritzburg

In 1897, SAB became the first industrial company to be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Since then, SAB has become an international brand, and the descendent company, SAB-Miller, has evolved into the world’s second-largest brewer with operations in 80 countries. On 28 September 2016, it was acquired by Anheuser-Busch In Bev for £69 billion, and the SAB name will now disappear, although its beers will remain in production.

Frederick Mead, Charles Glass, Henry Gorton and the others who founded SAB in 1895 would no doubt be amazed by how their creation grew in the 120 years that followed.

29/9/2016

Hello Brett

Attached hereto a photo of his grave

Many thanks, Elmarie. I have a very large file on Gorton!
Regards
Brett

Hello Brett,
So, the research continues, I have to say that it was tragic that Gorton do not live to see his joint creation flourish and grow, this particular medal recipient has certainly been a favourite one of mine, to appear on this forum, since he was originally brought to my attention, the medal itself is a superb example and I think you were really fortunate to buy it.
Kind regards Frank

Brett Hendey wrote: A Boer War link to £69 billion

Trooper Henry Corbett Gorton, Imperial Light Horse (ILH), whose QSA serves as my avatar, was a soldier for less than three months, most of which he spent in hospital. With the outbreak of the Boer War imminent, Gorton enlisted in the ILH on 10 October 1899. He was soon at the front and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October; and then, shortly after returning to duty, he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Wagon Hill on 6 January 1900. He died in hospital on 10 January. While he was remembered by many as a gallant soldier, he was perhaps most widely known in South Africa for the part he played in the beginnings in one of this country’s most successful industrial organisations.

Henry Gorton was born on 28 October 1871, the son of Thomas and Mary Gorton, 62 Branstone Road, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. He was the sixth of 11 children. He grew up in the town and attended the parish church (St Modwen’s), and the Burton Grammar School. Much of the town that would have been familiar to Henry still survives, including the family home (now a nursery), and the church.

GORTON THE BREWER

Burton on Trent was and, to a lesser extent, still is a brewing town. In the late 19th Century, it was described as a “City of Beer – Beeropolis”. Unsurprisingly, several of the Gorton children found employment in the brewing industry. Henry became a brewer and it was this trade that led him to leave Burton for a new life and, ultimately, death in South Africa. He was still in Burton at the time of the 1891 Census, but it was not long thereafter that he moved to the Transvaal, which was then still the independent ‘Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek’.

Although the first brewery in South Africa was established in Cape Town as early as 1658, it was more than 200 years later that commercial brewing commenced in the Transvaal and Natal.

In 1887, a brewer named Charles Glass set up the Castle Brewery in Johannesburg and, in 1888, he introduced Castle Beer to an enthusiastic market, which had strong links to the flourishing gold-mining industry. (In 1898, this beer became Castle Lager, which is still brewed today, and is South Africa’s most successful beer.)

In 1890, Frederick Mead and partners had established the Natal Brewery in Pietermaritzburg. Mead, a sailor, had left his ship in Durban and found employment in the canteen of the British Army garrison at Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg. In 1890, this garrison was the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment, whose men would have been well-acquainted with “Beeropolis”, which was located within their recruitment area. Perhaps inspired by men from “Beeropolis”, Mead saw an opportunity to make his fortune and, with the help of a local businessman, he formed a syndicate to establish the Natal Brewery, which produced its first beer in July 1891.

Mead soon realised that the largest beer market in South Africa was in the area of the Transvaal gold mines, so in 1892 he purchased the Castle Brewery from Charles Glass. In order to expand the industry, Mead went to England to enlist new investors and to engage additional experienced brewery staff. An obvious place to engage staff was Burton on Trent and it was probably then that Henry Gorton moved to Johannesburg to become a brewer with Mead’s new company, the South African United Breweries, which took over the operations of both the Natal Brewery and the Castle Brewery. In May 1895 this company became the South African Breweries Limited (SAB). Initially, Gorton remained with the Castle Brewery in Johannesburg, but in 1898 he became the Head Brewer of the Natal Brewery in Pietermaritzburg

In 1897, SAB became the first industrial company to be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Since then, SAB has become an international brand, and the descendent company, SAB-Miller, has evolved into the world’s second-largest brewer with operations in 80 countries. On 28 September 2016, it was acquired by Anheuser-Busch In Bev for £69 billion, and the SAB name will now disappear, although its beers will remain in production.

Frederick Mead, Charles Glass, Henry Gorton and the others who founded SAB in 1895 would no doubt be amazed by how their creation grew in the 120 years that followed.

29/9/2016

Frank
I have always thought of Gorton as a joint project with you, so it is pleasing to know that you still find him, his medal and his story appealing. A couple of days ago, I had another request for a copy of his biography, so while Henry Gorton is gone, he has not been forgotten.
Regards
Brett

Brett Hendey wrote: Frank
I had another request for a copy of his biography, so while Henry Gorton is gone, he has not been forgotten.
Regards
Brett

Brett.......

Good Morning.......

Is that not the main reason that we collect???????

Mike