Robert Budd and Co. advert. Source: Brewers’ History Society.
Robert Budd set up the Strong Arm brewery business in 1854 in rented premises in Infirmary Road, trading as Robert Budd and Co. from 1856, and by 1871 he was employing 10 men. In the 1870s two of his employees had accidents at the brewery. In 1876 George Taylor fractured his arm after getting it caught in the lift shaft used to bring beer up from the cellar. In 1878 William Fryer broke his leg falling from a ladder and died in the hospital after refusing the surgeon’s advice to have his leg amputated saying, “he came into the world with all his limbs and he would go out with all”. In 1874 two draymen employed at the brewery were fined 20 shillings each (£1) for being ‘drunk and incapable of managing a dray’. Drays were large flat carts as pictured here at Moorhead Brewery.
Dray Yard at Moorhead Brewery. Source: Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland 1891.
In 1864 Robert became a member of the Board of Guardians of Ecclesall Union workhouse where he served until his death ten years later, and he was also an Overseer of the Poor in the same period with responsibility for the collection of poor rates. He was elected to the Town Council in 1867, resigning in the year before his death due to ill-health.
Robert died in 1874 at the age of 48 and was buried in grave P 89 in the Anglican area. He was clearly proud of his public service as the memorial inscription on his gravestone included ‘He held jointly the offices of guardian and overseer of the poor of the township of Nether Hallam for 10 years and was also for sometime a member of Sheffield Corporation.’ In his obituary Robert was described as, ‘A man of great kindness of heart, and many of the poor inhabitants of Nether Hallam have lost a generous benefactor’.
His eldest son Harry ran the business until it was sold to John Smith’s of Tadcaster in 1893 along with 14 tied houses.