Wards Brewing Company

[citation needed] Septimus Henry Ward joined the company in 1868 when it ran into financial trouble.

Despite still being profitable, the brewery was closed in 1999 as the Vaux company was broken up after an acrimonious takeover by financiers.

Members of the Vaux founding family, the Nicholsons, attempted a management buyout of Wards but their offer was rejected.

On the final day of operation, an unofficial celebration to mark the years of dedicated work of the Wards staff was held.

The cremated remains of the last brewery cat, once to be found in the Sample/Training Room, were spirited away and now rest in the house of one of the former excise officers.