CAMRA’s 39th National Breweriana Auction; Saturday 25th October 2025
Have you ever fancied owning a slice of brewing history? Then this Auction is just the thing for you. Run by the Campaign for Real Ale, the National Breweriana Auction returns to Burton on Trent’s Town Hall on Saturday 25th October. It will have circa 150 interesting auction lots; everything from mirrors to trays; advertising signs, water jugs, flagons, bottles, books and pump clips as well as a few more unusual items. Plus there will be a number of stands selling brewery memorabilia adding to the atmosphere in this wonderful Victorian venue.
There are all sorts of items from all over the country to decorate your home. What about a Guinness clock or a delightful plate from Lincolnshire’s Batemans Brewery. The plate was issued to their employees after the brewery was saved from closure in 1987 when the sister and brother of George Bateman wanted to sell. One of the key components to saving the Brewery was their XXXB winning CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain, resulting in full order books.
As always, there are a number of advertising display cards including two from London’s Barclay Perkins (set up in 1616 and merged with Courage in 1955) and one from the less known Simpson’s of Baldock, Hertfordshire. The brewery was founded in the 1730s and renamed Simpsons in 1853 when it was bought by Joseph & Thomas George Simpson. To avoid death duties, the business was sold to Greene King with 130 pubs in 1954 for £525,000 and closed in 1965.
Another item from Barclay Perkins is a corked bottle of Imperial Russian Stout, probably 70 years old. Other items from past London brewing giants are two Toby jugs from Charringtons, who were famous for its Toby Jug logo. They were founded in 1770, merging with Bass, Mitchell & Butler, to form Bass Charringtons in 1967, which made them the largest brewery in the UK at that time. The London brewery was closed and brewing moved to the Midlands in 1975.
Two items, you can either use or more likely display, are trays from Wadworth of Devizes (founded in 1875 and still in family hands) and the less known Tennants. This is not the better known Scottish Tennents Brewery but a brewery established by two brothers in 1840 in Sheffield. They were acquired by Whitbread in 1961 with 700 tied houses becoming Whitbread East Pennines but closed in 1993.
These are just a few of the items on sale, each with a history to tell. You don’t have to be an expert to attend the National Breweriana Auction. The Auction is great fun to take part in (or even just to watch) and it’s an opportunity to get some great bargains plus many of the items on sale can appreciate in value. And, of course, like any CAMRA event, there is some good beer on sale all day (from a local brewery).
Burton on Trent is less than an hour by train from Shefield and the Town Hall is just a short walk from the railway station. The event starts at 10.30am with the opportunity to view the lots and browse the breweriana stands that will also be there. Bidding starts at noon and is normally finished by 3pm, giving a chance to have a final perusal of the stands before visiting some of Burton’s iconic pubs and heading home.
Entrance is by catalogue (£3.00), available on the day, or in advance by post: £6.15 (first class) from Bill Austin: 07831 688276 or baustin1951@btinternet.com. If you can’t get there, postal bids are accepted, just contact Bill. Similarly contact Bill if you have Breweriana items you would like to enter into the Auction. Wheelchair accessible. For more details see: www.gandc.camra.org.uk.
Christine Cryne