History books and old maps are invaluable things, when you need to get the facts straight before doing something permanent like naming a street Red Hand Close in reference to the Red Hand trademark of brewer Burton Samuel Allsopp & Sons Ltd.
“Red Hand Close, as part of Trent & Dove’s Tyldesley Court development, was included among a list of proposed street names in keeping with the town’s focus on brewing and submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council for overall approval in 2023,” said a spokesperson for Trent & Dove. “We want the name to reflect and celebrate Burton’s rich brewing heritage in a wider context, rather than focusing solely on Tyldesley Court itself. In addition, Allsopp’s Old Brewery was historically located to the south of the Tyldesley Court site, further reinforcing the relevance of this heritage-led approach to naming.”
Tyldesley Court itself is named after Sir Thomas Tyldesley, a Civil War general who crossed Burton Bridge in 1643. Today it comprises of 72 high-quality apartments for the over-55s, alongside nine general-needs flats and ten three-bed family homes, all providing much-needed affordable housing.
But a little historical context is essential. In the 19th century, the High Street area was the very heart of Burton’s brewing industry. Worthington’s, Bass, Allsopp’s, Salt’s and the Burton Brewery Company all had premises fronting the High Street and backing onto the Trent. Just around the corner, at the foot of Trent Bridge, stood Nunneley’s.
As the 20th century wore on, consolidation and modernisation took their toll. By the 1950s and 60s, Allsopp’s Old Brewery, Salt’s, the Burton Brewery Company and Nunneley’s had fallen into decline and were demolished. Salt’s, Burton Brewery Co. and Nunneley’s were replaced by Bargates, a bold 1960s shopping development that rapidly became a white elephant and was eventually demolished itself. The site then languished as little more than a car park until Trent & Dove acquired the land. The rest, as they say, is history.
Trent & Dove are correct in saying that Tyldesley Court lies near to Allsopp’s former site but what they fail to mention is that the land itself once belonged to not one, but three unrelated breweries. Why Allsopp’s Red Hand, when their brewery lay on the other side of Meadow Road, where Carling House now stands empty? Why not Red Cross Close, after Thomas Salt’s red Maltese Cross trademark? Your guess is as good as mine. I have nothing against Trent & Dove and the excellent work they do, thankfully their houses are better than their historical research.
And this isn’t the first time Burton’s brewing heritage has been treated carelessly. Before COVID, Marston’s marketing department launched the Horninglow Street series of beers to celebrate their roots, even numbering the first release No.1 Horninglow Street. Had anyone consulted a map, they might have noticed that this was an actual building and nowhere near the original brewery on Horninglow Road North. By the second release, the “street” had quietly vanished from the name.
The bottom line is simple: it is either right or it is wrong and Red Hand Close is wrong. Like No.1 Horninglow Street, it needs changing.
By all means celebrate Burton’s brewing heritage but please, get it right. And the less said about the Malt Shovel (or rather, spade) outside Primark, the better.
