Cobbold & Co

Cliff La, Ipswich

Founded 1723 in Harwich, by Thomas Cobbold and his family. Brewing had moved to Cliff Quay in Ipswich by 1746, which made life much easier, since reputedly for a while the brewing water was being shipped from Holy Wells park (in Ipswich) down the River Orwell by boat whilst the finished beer was increasingly being shipped back to the fast growing county town. In 1767 the brewery was taken over by the founders grandson, "big" John Cobbold who significantly expanded the brewery and tied estate over the next 60 years.

In the 1791 Universal British Director John Cobbold is listed as a brewer at Clift House.

In 1823 Pigot's Directory John Cobbold is listed as a brewer (Cliff quay)

In 1830 Pigot's Directory John Cobbold jun. is listed as a brewer (Cliff)

In 1839 and 1840 Pigot's Directories John Cobbold is listed as a brewer (Cliff Brewery).

Today, most of the remaining buildings at the Cliff Quay brewing site date from about 1895 when the site was considerably redeveloped and enlarged, although a few parts are much older. The buildings from this time were designed by William Bradford.

When the Cobbold family celebrated their bi-centenary of brewing in 1923, they listed seven generations of the family that had already been involved with running this highly sucessful family business and the future looked assured with a large local estate of nearly 300 pubs. Most beer production throughout this very long and successful brewing period was of Mild and Porter - two traditional dark beer types - but tastes were changing and there was an increasing demand for lighter coloured and more bitter tasting beer styles.

By the time the brewery was being refurbished in the mid-1950s when a large extension to assist with distribution was added to the rear of the main Victorian brewery building (since demolished) the brewery glory days were starting to fade. Although some of the Cobbold brewery beers won prizes, including the famous Cobbold's Cobnut Brown Ale which was also exported to the United States. However reducing production costs would increasingly become a high priority. Whilst investment in the local football club, Ipswich Town was a highly popular move, but an incresing distraction for the young John and Patrick Cobbold, as they became the eight generation of the family brewers. However the investment in football had some unexpected fringe benefits. Some of the professional footballers also worked as draymen in the summer months to help suppliment their income, including Ozzie Parry (played from 1936-49) and George McLucky (played from 1933-38).

By 1959 the brewery was involved in a business merger with their long time local rival company, Tollemache Brewery. The resultant rebranded Tolly Cobbold company was to be based at Cliff Quay and traded under various company boards and other owners until 2002.