Her name was also commemorated in "Elma's Pound", a beer specially brewed by Thwaites Brewery for Christmas 2007 to celebrate their 200th anniversary.

Shortly after the marriage, the couple joined her parents at the family estate at Barwhillanty, near Parton, Kirkcudbrightshire, where her father died on 21 September 1888.

Her father's will had made provision for the brewery to be sold, with the proceeds, together with the family estates, to be held in trust for Elma.

[8] During the early years after her marriage, Mrs. Yerburgh left the management of the brewery to William Ward, while she was occupied with family matters, including the birth of her two children.

The couple spent most of their time living at Princes Gate in South Kensington and at Billinge Scar, near Blackburn, interspersed with visits to the other family estates before settling at Woodfold Hall.

[10] At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Elma's husband, Robert, was suffering from heart trouble and the couple were in the spa town of Bad Nauheim in Germany.

The couple were not allowed to leave immediately and were initially placed under curfew before being detained as prisoners of war under the orders of the military governor of Frankfurt.

[11] In the inter-war period, Thwaites embarked on a programme of expansion by the acquisition of competitors and to fund this the directors decided to increase the share capital to £1million in 1922.

The first major purchase came in August 1923, when the company acquired Henry Shaw & Co., which owned the New Brewery in Salford (in the centre of Blackburn) and had a strong presence in Darwen.

Following the merger, Shaw's chairman, Sir John Rutherford, former M.P for Darwen became a director and substantial shareholder in Thwaites, becoming vice-chairman in 1924.

"[14][15] In December 1897, Mrs. Yerburgh began the tradition of giving a Christmas gift of 10 lbs of prime English beef to each workman and a turkey or goose to office staff.

While employees were away on military service, Mrs. Yerburgh continued to pay their wages and ensured that their families were looked after and that their jobs were kept open until after the end of the war.

[11] Mrs. Yerburgh owned several properties across the United Kingdom; at her death these were Woodfold Park near Blackburn, Caythorpe Court in Lincolnshire, and Barwhillanty, in Scotland.

The hall was originally built for Henry Sudell, a cotton merchant, in 1799,[21][22] before being acquired by John Fowden Hindle, who was High Sheriff of Lancashire[23] In the late 1850s, the property was initially rented by Daniel Thwaites, Sr. before being purchased by his son in 1865.

[23] During World War II, Mrs. Yerburgh moved away from the property to live in Scotland, and Woodfold Hall became a home for elderly women evacuated from Merseyside.

[28] In September 1907, she acquired the house and estate at Caythorpe Court in Lincolnshire, following the death of its first owner, Edgar Lubbock, a brewer and banker.

[37] According to local legend, when the committee approached Thwaites Brewery for a contribution, Mrs. Yerburgh, on being informed that £38,000 was still required, wrote out a cheque for £36,000 saying "I have no doubt the good people of Blackburn and district will donate the rest.

"[38] By 1923, sufficient funds had been raised to enable construction to commence and on 24 May 1924, after a procession through the streets of Blackburn and amongst much pomp and ceremony, Mrs. Yerburgh laid the foundation stone with the words: "In the faith of Jesus Christ we place this Foundation Stone, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

"[39] A bronze plaque was later placed in the entrance hall to the new wing, bearing the inscription: Blackburn and East Lancashire Royal Infirmary.WAR MEMORIAL WING These buildings were erected as a memorial to the men from Blackburn And East Lancashire who fell in the Great War 1914—1918 The foundation stone was laid by Mrs. R.A. Yerburgh on May 24th 1924 and the opening ceremony performed by her on June 16th, 1928.

In order to provide for the succession of the family business, she decided to leave her properties to her son Robert (Baron Alvingham), with her shares in the company being passed to her grandsons, John and Oscar (the children of Guy).

Her gravestone bears the inscription: "In loving memory of Elma Amy Yerburgh, born 30th July 1864, died 6th December 1946.

The calibre of the employees today will ensure that the high standards she set for quality and innovation at Thwaites will continue for another 200 years.