Photo above: J Zienteck circa 1940s.
James Bollard was granted a licence c1862 in this rapidly growing area of the town. The Olive Branch stood on the corner of Willow and Willow Bridge Street. Bollard had been running the White Cow on the corner of Willow Bridge Street and Russell Square.
James Bollord also brewed from here, presumably for more than just the Olive Branch, until the late 1870s. Edwin Turner became licensee and brewer by circa 1879. An advert was placed in the local paper for a ‘Strong boy to assist in brewing and to make himself useful.’
In May 1886, five year old James Cooper ran in front of the Olive Branch’s horse and dray that were loaded with beer barrels. The horse knocked the lad down, with the dray wheels passing over his leg and breaking it. Herbert Vickers was driving the dray: he was employed as brewer at the time.
In 1894, Edwin Turner died. An auction occurred of thirty two sacks of brown imperial malt ‘belonging to the late Edwin Turner of the Olive Branch Brewery.’ Herbert Vickers carried on brewing after Edwin Turner. LBM took on the lease circa 1906, John King the licensee c1908 LBM finally buying the Olive Branch in 1917 and selling it to Ansells in 1952. Walter Hackett licensee 1927 and Albert Bright 1930.
They surrendered the licence on 30 June 1957, transferring it to the Shoemaker the following year.
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